Has anyone else red 50 Shades of Grey?

Mutant13

It was written by a guy named Sacher-Masoch after whom masochism is named. I think it's the first literary instance of sexualized masochism, but it sort of ends poorly with a scene of brutal and ultimate cuckoldry that leaves the protagonist unfulfilled. The outside of the frame goes back to him being old and not over her, and saying effectively that men must never submit to women, as women will never be happy with anything but a dominant man; and then he has some teeniebopper wife doting on him whom he treats like crap.

I don't personally think Venus in Furs was particularly good plot wise, but at least it doesn't read like it had been written by the author systematically belting the keyboard with a *kitten* wrapped in a twilight novel.

rml_16

That has always been my understanding. But a lot of people who claim to be in the BDSM community say that the Anne Rice books are a good representation of it. I expected something VERY different when I started that book.

I guess I've never heard any of my 'scene' friends hold out a novel. But to Mutant's point - yeah, Venus in Furs for people who hate books, when Venus in Furs was a pretty crummy novel itself :-)

You call them 'scene' friends? I call them the dirty perverts that I associate with. On fet and IRL on occasion. But nontheless, my dirty pervert friends. I hate the idea of the "BDSM scene".

Also, no clue about Anne Rice. But I'm also a big fan of either doing or watching. Real life and porn are enough for me. Literotica is kind of strange to me. I have a perfectly fine imagination on my own.

It's never been my thing, either. I was just curious after seeing so many people talking about it.

If pressed to choose an absolute favorite book, it would be Les Miserables. But I guess that's a bit masochistic in its own way.

serena569

Owned them all for about a year. Haven't been able to get past the halfway point of book one. Poor writing style. But, more important, I submit to nobody.

2pupsmama

Read first one and half the second. Then got totally frustrated with the writing and gave up..

No storyline, nothing to keep your interest - bar if your reading it for the sex scenes, then you'd probably be ok..

Thought it was a crap book and I cannot believe anyone who reads as a hobby could actually think they are well written books.. Absolute drivel, if you ask me..

I didnt even make it to the second book. " Absolute drivel" is being kind.

BurtHuttz

You call them 'scene' friends? I call them the dirty perverts that I associate with. On fet and IRL on occasion. But nontheless, my dirty pervert friends. I hate the idea of the "BDSM scene".

I try to use their terminology as closely as possible out of respect :-) I think that's how they describe themselves as participating in the local scene, and they've moved recently and talk about what 'the scene' is like in their new city. But WTF do I know, my scene is monogamy.

I don't personally think Venus in Furs was particularly good plot wise, but at least it doesn't read like it had been written by the author systematically belting the keyboard with a *kitten* wrapped in a twilight novel.

I would participate in that scene.

I don't know if ViF was well-written because I can't read the original language; I mean, the translation seemed nice enough but I have no idea, and no basis for comparison to its contemporaries. I thought he got clowned on at the time for his skills but I'm not knowledgeable enough.

Juliejustsaying

Grey is an amateur.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!

Seriously he is.

so how YOU doing?

gonnamakeanewaccount

I really thought this was a joke thread at first considering "read" was misspelled. Anyway, that book is absolutely dreadful. Bdsm is not like that at all. Completely unrealistic. The author's grammar was terrible, and used the same words and phrases over and over throughout the book. I must have read the word "inner goddess" at least twenty times by the time I got to the twentieth page. Horrible book. I'd rate it a 0 out of 10.

rml_16

I really thought this was a joke thread at first considering "read" was misspelled. Anyway, that book is absolutely dreadful. Bdsm is not like that at all. Completely unrealistic. The author's grammar was terrible, and used the same words and phrases over and over throughout the book. I must have read the word "inner goddess" at least twenty times by the time I got to the twentieth page. Horrible book. I'd rate it a 0 out of 10.

It is a joke thread. The "red" was completely accidental, but a pretty funny typo, considering.

BurtHuttz

I really thought this was a joke thread at first considering "read" was misspelled. Anyway, that book is absolutely dreadful. Bdsm is not like that at all. Completely unrealistic. The author's grammar was terrible, and used the same words and phrases over and over throughout the book. I must have read the word "inner goddess" at least twenty times by the time I got to the twentieth page. Horrible book. I'd rate it a 0 out of 10.

It is a joke thread. The "red" was completely accidental, but a pretty funny typo, considering.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! You can never, never let on!!!! NOOOOO!

2pupsmama

I think everyone's comments are funny. BDSM does exist in real life and you can incorporate it into your love life even if its just light hair pulling and spanking. No big deal, some people shouldn't act like it's completely unobtainable. Just ask the person you are with to do it!

I personally read all 3 and loved them and can't wait for the movie.

Yes, consensual BDSM exists in real life, but "50 Shades of Grey" is not a good example of a BDSM relationship.

Couldn't agree more. The book was an insipid, watered down version of what a real BDSM relationship could be.

Juliejustsaying

oh and there is just nothing sexy about a man who will yank out your tampon for you...nope, nothing.

:noway:

rml_16

I really thought this was a joke thread at first considering "read" was misspelled. Anyway, that book is absolutely dreadful. Bdsm is not like that at all. Completely unrealistic. The author's grammar was terrible, and used the same words and phrases over and over throughout the book. I must have read the word "inner goddess" at least twenty times by the time I got to the twentieth page. Horrible book. I'd rate it a 0 out of 10.

It is a joke thread. The "red" was completely accidental, but a pretty funny typo, considering.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! You can never, never let on!!!! NOOOOO!

I'm pretty sure I was found out already. :-)

sunsnstatheart

Grey is an amateur.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!

Seriously he is.

so how YOU doing?

Hummm . . . I smell trouble.

Emma_Problema

You call them 'scene' friends? I call them the dirty perverts that I associate with. On fet and IRL on occasion. But nontheless, my dirty pervert friends. I hate the idea of the "BDSM scene".

I try to use their terminology as closely as possible out of respect :-) I think that's how they describe themselves as participating in the local scene, and they've moved recently and talk about what 'the scene' is like in their new city. But WTF do I know, my scene is monogamy.

Understandable. Oh and the monogamy scene is underrated. Depending on how you practice it. I, personally, enjoy monogamy as practiced the way the other poster you responded to described. I regularly integrate the Twilight book into my sex life while my one and only partner watches. In fact, I've cut out all the bits where she describes his eyes and created little paper nipple tassles. I love DIY projects.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

True story, I was on a flight with a friend when I finished the first book. I started to cry. Real tears. She asked me if the book was "really that good at the end."

I told her that I was crying for two reasons, I felt really bad for how awful it had been written, and that I had just wasted three or four hours of my life when I could have been watching in-flight movies.

So I read the other two. And then I did penance by reading a Henry James novel.

MrsBikiniBound

Loved them, written terribly but made for fun summer reading. Guilty pleasure for sure

AsellusReborn

OK, serious question here (and for the record, if there is a typo it's because for some reason on my work computer, the keyboard is way ahead of the screen and I end up skipping letters and don't always notice, thus the happy but accidental typo in the thread title):

I see a lot of people criticize 50 Shades for things like abusive/controlling behavior and then they recommend Anne Rice. Well, on those recommendations, I bought The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty and I have to say, while the writing is certainly better, the theme of the book is pretty awful. I mean, it opens with a RAPE of a 15-year-old, unconscious girl. And she doesn't exactly give her consent to anything that happens.

I got about 100 pages in and had to stop reading. It's a pretty horrifying story and if that is what "real" BDSM is about, I have to wonder why anyone would be involved in it if you have any self-respect???

The Sleeping Beauty trilogy is a fantasy, not a representation of a real D/s relationship. I pointed it out earlier as a better written form of erotica, but fantasy by its definition is going to dissolve some barriers/limitations that for the most part aren't going to happen in real life. The culture it envisions isn't exactly one you could create with your partner - I mean, in book 3, the pony-boys stay in their getup the entire. That's not even physically feasible, haha.

I think the reason the trilogy gets pointed to so often is that it's a fairly mainstream author writing about it, and yet, it's not totally softened either.

But I will also point that while you say it begins with the rape of a minor - and that in a sense that is true, as by our definitions Beauty is 15 and thus a minor - keep in mind this is set in a different time period, and that after her few months in the Queen's employ is up, she is expected to marry a king/prince/whatever. It isn't a modern day fantasy. As for the aspect of consent - I think that's a little more questionable throughout the novel, particularly as she sobs and begs not to leave, but I think that's also part of the fantasy element of the novel rather than a guidebook of "here's how to have a BDSM relationship, yo."

_skittybang

oh and there is just nothing sexy about a man who will yank out your tampon for you...nope, nothing.

:noway:

Ele made me edit :sad:

_Elemenopee_

oh and there is just nothing sexy about a man who will yank out your tampon for you...nope, nothing.

:noway:

Ele made me edit :sad:

It was either change it or have some prunes with me. Your choice!

aross001

lol HAWT

JessyJ03

I've read the books... twice to be honest. While I like them, when I take a moment to think about it I don't like them. I don't like the way the books make people in the "lifestyle" appear. Not all ppl involved in BDSM relationships are pedos or have severe mental issues. I think it gives us a bad name. On the positive side I think it gives vanilla people a bit of a wake up call in the sex department. Sex doesn't have to be boring, and it's not the dirty, sinful thing our parents made it out to be back in the day.

Of course this book is nowhere near what a normal BDSM relationship is... so it might give the wrong impression to SOOO many people.

Bleh... that's how I feel about it. Just bleh.

Juliejustsaying

Grey is an amateur.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!

Seriously he is.

so how YOU doing?

Hummm . . . I smell trouble.

<sniff, sniff> bwaahahahahhahahahahaha come here little boy!

Juliejustsaying

oh and there is just nothing sexy about a man who will yank out your tampon for you...nope, nothing.

:noway:

Ele made me edit :sad:

can I say cop out????

rml_16

OK, serious question here (and for the record, if there is a typo it's because for some reason on my work computer, the keyboard is way ahead of the screen and I end up skipping letters and don't always notice, thus the happy but accidental typo in the thread title):

I see a lot of people criticize 50 Shades for things like abusive/controlling behavior and then they recommend Anne Rice. Well, on those recommendations, I bought The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty and I have to say, while the writing is certainly better, the theme of the book is pretty awful. I mean, it opens with a RAPE of a 15-year-old, unconscious girl. And she doesn't exactly give her consent to anything that happens.

I got about 100 pages in and had to stop reading. It's a pretty horrifying story and if that is what "real" BDSM is about, I have to wonder why anyone would be involved in it if you have any self-respect???

The Sleeping Beauty trilogy is a fantasy, not a representation of a real D/s relationship. I pointed it out earlier as a better written form of erotica, but fantasy by its definition is going to dissolve some barriers/limitations that for the most part aren't going to happen in real life. The culture it envisions isn't exactly one you could create with your partner - I mean, in book 3, the pony-boys stay in their getup the entire. That's not even physically feasible, haha.

I think the reason the trilogy gets pointed to so often is that it's a fairly mainstream author writing about it, and yet, it's not totally softened either.

But I will also point that while you say it begins with the rape of a minor - and that in a sense that is true, as by our definitions Beauty is 15 and thus a minor - keep in mind this is set in a different time period, and that after her few months in the Queen's employ is up, she is expected to marry a king/prince/whatever. It isn't a modern day fantasy. As for the aspect of consent - I think that's a little more questionable throughout the novel, particularly as she sobs and begs not to leave, but I think that's also part of the fantasy element of the novel rather than a guidebook of "here's how to have a BDSM relationship, yo."

I can't get past the part where he has sex with her while she's unconscious and then her parents hand her over without her even having a say. I don't care what time period it was set in. If we're going to criticize Christian Grey for his controlling, abusive behavior and the standard it sets for women in relationships, we can't then say, "But having sex with a woman who is asleep is OK because the writing is better."

Add to that the beating the subs until they bleed and the Prince analy raping the male sub ... I just couldn't anymore. It was not a pleasant experience for me. I won't be finishing that book or reading the rest of them. 50 Shades, to me, was entertaining. It was so bad that it was actually comical (I listened to the audio book, which I think made it even funnier), but Sleeping Beauty was very disturbing.

SpecialSundae

Almost as funny as the Gilbert Gottfried reading...

http://spinstersgetupforbreakfast.tumblr.com/post/39386711818/charles-dance-dramatically-reads-50-shades-of

Blackadd3r

I call it 50 Shades of Sh#te. Did nothing for me at all, in any way.

WelshMaid

I call it 50 Shades of Sh#te. Did nothing for me at all, in any way.

same here

sweetcurlz67

He's also a little too gentle.

WOW!!! Your place or mine... :laugh:

BamsieEkhaya

Read the first book in a 10hour flight, then finished the rest when I was back home. (I don't like leaving things half finished)

I can UNDERSTAND the fuss about Christian Grey, the whole BDSM thing, not my thing but each to their own.
Not really sure I'd recommend it to anyone, or my mother unless she wanted some laughs.

I do agree with the review that said it's like an extended mills && Boon, however having been an avid Mills&&Boon reader in my early teens (think 13) I've read better!
Not to mention Ana, honestly you couldn't even use the word naive to describe that one and are there seriously people like that in the real word ? (fair enough it's a book, but even so)

Glad I read it or else I'd still be fussing and wondering how "amazing" it is, though I do understand I wasted over 20Hours of my life, but that's a lesson well learnt.