Incarnate by Alma Katsu Review: Dorian Gray Goes Viral

Incarnate by Alma Katsu is a techno horror novel that reimagines Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray for the deepfake age. The story follows Dorothy Wagner, a visual effects artist who creates Isabella, a flawless online woman that becomes a social media sensation. As Isabella’s followers grow, Dorothy receives an offer from a mysterious stranger to expand the project further. Katsu condenses Wilde’s three male characters into Dorothy, who serves as both artist and subject, while the stranger acts as a faceless Lord Henry figure. The novel explores social fear and the cost of seeking attention through a tight focus on Dorothy and Isabella. Katsu’s background in intelligence work informs the technical accuracy of the deepfake elements. The book maintains ambiguity about whether Isabella corrupted Dorothy or revealed her true nature, positioning human hunger rather than artificial intelligence as the real horror.

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