(46)Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Monday, April 2, 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey

Publication (Paperback) Date: April 3, 2012
Pages: 558


It is rare that a book comes along that can get an entire country talking.  It comes along maybe once a year.  One year it was Twilight, another year it was The Hunger Games and way back when it was titles such as The DaVinci Code and Lonesome Dove.  There are several things that are unusual about this years "hot" title, Fifty Shades of Grey. First of all, it got it's start as Twilight Fan Fiction, secondly, it is one of those e-books that sold a Gazillion copies before being picked up by one of the "Big Six" publishing houses (it can be found in paperback tomorrow) , and most importantly,  is that it is BDSM erotica.    

Fifty Shades of Grey is the first installment in a trilogy about a young,  naive woman (Ana) just days away from graduating college in the Pacific Northwest.  Her roommate has been sick and asks Ana to fill in for her at an interview for the College Magazine.  If Ana does not go, Kate risks the chance of losing the interview due to scheduling conflicts.  So Ana agrees to go.  And is shocked to discover that Tycoon Christian Grey is the most good looking man she has ever encountered in her life.  The sparks fly from almost the instant they meet.  And Christian, being the successful business man that he is, never lets anything stop him from getting what he wants.  And he wants Ana.  That first meeting sets off about 85 pages of cat & mouse play before Ana finally gives in and agrees to play by Christian's rules.  That is after signing a Non Disclosure Agreement and a negotiating a lengthy contract detailing what her role as a Submissive entails.  What follows is scene after incredibly steamy scene of some hardcore (Ok, what *I* consider hardcore)  and some "Vanilla" sex.   As the book goes on, Ana comes to the realization that the man she has fallen in love with is seriously "Fuc&ed Up" - her words.  And the author leaves the first installment with Ana making the painful decision that she can not be with Christian Grey.

In all of my years of reading I have never seen such widespread acceptance of Erotica. The book has been featured on Good Morning America, and it made the cover of Entertainment Weekly this week.  It is rare for ANY book to make the cover of  EW - (usually reserved for books that have been turned into blockbuster movies) let alone an Erotica book.  The media is calling it "Mommy porn" - but personally I think that the Trulia App I downloaded the other day is *MY* kind of porn.   As someone who spent YEARS reading trashy Harlequin Romance novels that my GRANDMA passed on to me when she was finished with them, I did not find anything in Fifty Shades of Grey that I have not read before. Well okay, the extremely liberal use of the "F" word was usually not found in Harlequins.  But a wealthy, older (OLDER at 27?? - Gasp), domineering tycoon sweeping a young, usually poor or in need, naive girl off of her feet. Well I have read that book probably a 100 times over. One that quickly comes to mind is Sarah's Child by Linda Howard.  Heck, any of Linda Howard's earlier books would fit the bill.  Are the sex scenes as graphic as they are in 50SoG, honestly I don't remember, but I do remember them getting (*ahem* *blush*)my motor running just as much as 50SoG did.  Don't get me wrong, I am *thrilled* that Fifty Shades of Grey is sparking so much discussion in our  country.  It shows just how far we have come in terms of defining what is "literary" and what is worthy of literary discussions in our country.

Bottom line, we all could use a little spice in our life every now and then.  If it comes from books by E.L. James or Linda Howard or looking at houses for sale on a handy dandy little app as you drive to Blockbuster with your Husband, then so be it.  Fifty Shades of Grey has done the trick for millions of women (and millions of husbands are grateful) across the world.  Let me be clear in saying that this book is NOT for the easily offended.  The language alone could make a sailor blush and the sex scenes are very graphic, but oh so sexy, in nature.  The tale is one as old as time, but E.L. James has put a new spin on the old tale, creating a world in which it is easy to get lost.  Looking for an afternoon of (*blush*) pleasure? Pick up Fifty Shades of Grey.

Lisa Mandina said...

Hmm, haven't decided whether to read this or not. An author friend of mine was saying that the 50 shades author wrote twilight fanfiction and was so close to the actual Twilight she quit reading. I may have to pick it up and try it. We'll see.

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