How can there be so much controversy about a fictional best seller? I had to ask myself the same question when I one day came across a message board post about Fifty Shades of Grey. I don't usually read the New York Times Book Review as much as I used to so I wasn't even aware of this book. When I asked about it I got so many conflicting comments, “its smut”, “it's terrible and raunchy”, its fan-fic”, “its like Twilight but better”, “its amazing and so hot”. But nobody would tell me what it was about. So I finally downloaded it on my Nook and decided to give it a go.
Fifty Shades of Grey 
is the 1st is the Fifty Shades series, all 3 books
have been released already so if you happen to enjoy it you don't
have to wait for the rest of the trilogy. The book is by British
author E. L. James. The book itself is set in Washington state. Now
full disclosure I haven't read the Twilight books nor seen the
movies. The idea that some vampire with glitter would be appealing is
just not working for me. Vampires don't sparkle. I'm in my 30's the
vampires I know were cultivated from reading Anne Rice and seeing old
Bela Lugosi movies. But I digress. Back to this book.
The
main characters of this book are Anastasia Steele, a 22 year old
virgin. She's smart, and wants to work in publishing. Her mom is a
hopeless romantic and Anastasia spend a good portion of her formative
years in Texas with her stepdad she's typical American middle class,
her favorite book is Tess of the
d'Urbervilles . Katherine Kavanugh is her best friend
and roommate. Katherine is beautiful, charismatic and driven. Shes
also wealthy. Christian Grey is a 27 year old self made billionaire
who Anastasia only happens to meet because Katherine is too sick to
do it herself. Christian is possessive, guarded, insanely handsome,
and a classical top.
This
book is not good at all. The writing style is messy in that the
author uses terms that would not be used by American born and raised
20-somethings. British vernacular creeps up in the story here and
there. Anastasia is clueless about dating. She's described as
attractive she's not terribly shy but she clearly doesn't notice that
she has men who have been subtly trying to date her throughout the
years. She thinks of herself as not special because she can't even
see her admirers until Christian takes an interest in her. I didn't
hate her which is good but she's a dim bulb when it comes to the
things that happen around her and she has the sheltered girl syndrome
thing going on. She is not a virgin because she was saving herself
she is because she can't take a hint. Anastasia spend her life being
dominated by her best friend who tells her what to do, directs her in
which way she should carry on, she's living with Katherine for free,
wearing her clothes and doing what she needs. While Ana sometimes
gets authoritative she's a people-pleaser who doesn't like to make
waves. The book makes you want to hate Christian or fall madly in
love with him. Can't say I did either. Christian is written like a
heavily cliched classically flawed character. He's powerful,
domineering, handsome and damaged goods. The book is pretty much
telling you the only reason he's so forceful, demanding and into BDSM
is because he was abused as a child and a sub to a older woman for
several years as a teenager. Here's where I take major issue. I hate
that this is written that the only reason to explain away Christian's
kinky sex life is because he's damaged. It is falling into the same
ploy people use all the time that only people who enter the sex trade
or kinky lifestyles have sexual or physical trauma from their past.
Its simply not true. There are many people out there who are into the
BDSM lifestyle who weren't raped, molested, beaten or abused. Even
Ana spends so much try focusing on that same cliché and Christian
totally lives up to it. It was maddening to read these graphic S&M
scenes and then Ana's all focused on Christian faint body scars. The
book does something right in introducing the idea of limits and that
a good top/bottom relationship starts with knowing hard limits and
soft limits, you don’t make it up as you go thats for exploring
when you enter to situation these are things that need to be
discussed. I myself admit i've been in situations where it was
discussed far to late, its something that needs to be on the table
for a healthy sex life if that is indeed your thing.
Christian
wants a new sub, Ana wants to explore the dark crevices of his mind
and make him her lover and its a pain in the ass. Have we not learned
nothing? You can't change someone to be what you want them to be but
Ana sure as hell tries and i'm willing to bet without reading the
other 2 books she gets him to stop his Dom ways to be her husband all
loving and shit. Blah bullshit.
This
book is just not good. If you have no idea of what happens in a
Dom/Sub relationship this book will really shock you. If you don't
already have a real idea of what BDSM means the contractual
discussion and the introduction of the play room will open your eyes.
If you want a tortured soul and the girl who saves him will this is
part one of that and you will probably like it. If nothing the sex
scenes are on par with some of the smut you can get in most ebook
format for free on Smashwords or under $3 on Amazon or B&N.
There's no sex till 6 or 7 chapters in, and I have to wonder about
the women who are rushing out to buy grey ties for their husbands
because there's a whole lot more to bondage then a grey tie used for
convenience. I can't recommend this book. The first book ends with a
cliff hanger. If you find yourself actually enjoying it halfway thru
get the 2nd book. If your like me you probably put this
book down several times because its painful to read in parts.
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