O.k. finished book two - I am now forced beyond my control to download the final crappy book for one more exotic read!

Hi. I'm new to the group and saw this topic so decided to read comments. Personally, I just wanted to read the books to see what all hype was about. Aside from the sexual nature, I thought it was a pretty good book. I've read better and I've read worse. The writing style is very good. It is apparent that the author has a good grasp of vocabulary. As I was reading it, I would laugh to myself when I would find a SAT vocabulary word that I had taught my HS students. I can see how it can be compared to the Twilight series, but can't everything nowadays? There is a saying that everything is borrowed from the Bible or Shakespeare and even Shakespeare borrowed material. Nothing is original. Twilight is borrowed. Who cares really? After reading the 1st book I wasn't sure if I wanted to read the rest because of the sexual nature, but the character development and story line drew me in and for the couple of days that I was considering reading the rest of the books, I wondered what happened to Ana and Christian. I broke down and read the other two and convinced myself that there had to be sex in it since Christian was a dominant. My question is, how is this going to be adapted for the "big screen" and what rating will it get?

The story reminds you of Twilight because it was originally written as Twilight fanfiction.

I rarely make judgments about books before actually reading them, but this is one that I refuse to read and can't see any redeeming value in. Everything I've read about it, even the enthusiastic reviews, points to this being a book about control and emotional abuse, and I really don't understand why so many women are fawning over Christian Grey. If I had a friend in that kind of relationship, I'd tell her to run for her life. What kind of freak would demand his partner to sign a contract and a confidentiality agreement? Why would women respond positively to that? I just can't wrap my brain around it. I don't care how "well-written" it might be, I cannot fathom why this book is so popular. And I am a little terrified by the fact that I have heard countless women saying how "dreamy" Christian Grey is, how they wish they had a man like that, how they hope to find a "love" like that. Are you kidding me?! Are we really encouraging an entire generation of women to seek out abusive, obsessive relationships?

When I first saw this group, I knew there would be a thread about 50 Shades, so I thought I would come in and see what people thought of it.. thank God that the majority of the people here think as little about the series as me!

Hate Twilight, so automatically hate this series of books and would not touch them with a barge pole!

But for those who are curious about the books and do not want to go and read them, there's a terrifically hilarious blog of a guy reading them and giving his own review, has my boyfriend and me laughing on the train home from work as well as pointing and laughing at the women sitting on our trains actually reading this trash!

http://fiftyshadesofdave.blogspot.co.uk/

Give it a read if you can!

I've read many smutty or light S/M books long before Fifty Shades of Gray became popular. In fact, my favorite type of fiction happens to mix paranormal stories with some erotic elements. In comparison to some books I've read, Fifty Shades of Gray is mediocre. I've read books that are far better and frankly, I don't know what the hype is about.

i am a little excited to see it n the big screen not sure how thats gonna work either but when i read a book i get into it and see it in my mind and have to know what happens

I have a feeling, at least I hope it's just a "Feeling" that it isn't ruined when it reaches the big screen. With all that happens in the books, I have no idea how that can fit into a rated R movie.

Its definitely the hype about the books that is selling them. Saying that, and putting the sex to one side as it is rather repetitious, the story is quite good in that it does show how a badly abused child can have problems with forming relationships....but this is nothing we don't know already. I have to confess to reading all three in a week as they were quite compulsive reading, and gave me a break from reading the heavy going stuff that I usually have my nose in!

Honestly, I'm in the boat with a few others that have said they aren't sure they can finish it. My coworkers have all read the series, and insisted that I try it. Borrowed it on my kindle from the library, and am at chapter 8 so far and not sure I can actually make myself finish this. So much is driving me crazy that I just am not sure this is the series for me.

Glad I didn't pay for the books...

I have read all three books in the series. I am a man and am working on a degree in psychology. To say I read them from a slighty different angle would be stating the obvious. The first book was the most disturbing, the second less so and the third the most normal of all. Lets look at the cast of characters:

Anastasia: She is what every guy THINKS he wants. Pure, unsullend, and slightly weaker than he. She is what every women wants to be. Beautiful, smart, strong, pure, and hard to tame. Able to control men not only with their sensouality, but with their intellect also.

Christian: Is what every guy wants to be. Extremely rich, stunningly handsome, every woman wants him, incredably smart, virile, hung like a portrait, and powerful. A king! He is what every woman thinks she wants. Handsome, rich, smart, lavishes attention , gifts and is available.

In order to be succusful as a book, the writer must not write of the mundane that the reader already lives every day, but outside the mundane. Yet not cross the line of absurdity. The author must write what most people desire deep down inside, yet make them feel secure it is okay that they never reached that level they desired.

The B&D, S&M is an open display of their inner desires and insecurities. Christians need to control anothers body quells his sense of insecurity. He demands control becasue he feels that he is actually scared, weak and powerless. By being domineering, he is able to keep people from realizing that he is weak, and powerless. Yet Anastasia's opposing force of personality makes him feel that he does not have complete control, so he is not responsable for the outcomes, for he is uncomfortable with the power he seems to posses.

Anastaia feels powerless in this world, and discovers that through her sex, she can exert power over even the most powerful man in the country. She finds that she is stronger and more powerful than she ever thought she was. Yet she still has the comfort of her proxy dad (Christian) taking care of her, so she is not respnsable for many of her actions.

The psycological stresses in the mind of each of them creates the tension of suspense through out the book. The under current that the reader is aware of, but not sure of what they are aware of. That is the hook/complusion that some speak of when saying they couldn't stop reading the series.

The arc of the series though is not anti-woman at all, but reaffirming of the oldest convictions of women. One that they are indeed powerful and nothing will befall them that they will not allow; and that a womens love is enough to tbring the most cruel and savage of man to heel. A woman can love a man from tyrantical to loving and tamed. It also reasserts the theme that any and all women have complete control of their lives through their own inate strength.

I will in the near future be writing a more in depth analysis of the main characters from a physcological point. So as I said, I did read the series from a rather differnet angle than your average bear.

THANK YOU ...........stormtruck 2 ......... I agree wholeheartedly.!I guess I am different too :bigsmile: lol