Fifty Shades of Grey

Mibba Books: Fifty Shades of Grey

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When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

- Fifty Shades of Grey, ELJamesAuthor.com

I'm reading it now, almost done with the second book. It was hard to read at first, but it's quite grown on me.

Have you read it? Thoughts on the book, subject matter, etc.?

I read the entire trilogy in less than a week! I could not put it down! I felt as if E.L. James was writing the book just for me. A young twenty something girl who loves English is swept off her feet by a dominant wealthy handsome man. That's my dream come true. Even at the ripe old age of 23, I had no idea what some of the things in the book were. I must admit, I did Google ben-wa balls. Haha. It has been an eye opener into my sexuality too. I was tempted to try a few things in the book that I would have normally thought were taboo.

Yeah I loved the books I finished all three with in three days and couldn't put them down! Definitely perked my sexual interests xD

I just finished the first book to see what all the hype was about, and quite frankly, I found it to be pretty awful I had to read it in my mind as a Twilight fanfiction in order to get through the book because the characters were so flat.

Ana's internal dialogue was so annoying, and all of the dialogue between the characters felt incredibly forced and stiff. I also found myself growing irritated with the way that, despite the characters being American, they constantly use words that sound more British, phrases that Americans in their early twenties would never say.

Also, though I can't say that BDSM appeals to me, I can account that the BDSM subjects brought up in the novel were incredibly tame to the point that it was laughable. I mean, I am but a lowly twenty-one year old biology major virgin, but I can wholeheartedly say that my smut is much better written than the scenes in this novel, and that's not a good thing. There are so many examples of well-written, published erotica with fleshed out characters, actual plot, and incredible sex scenes, so it kind of blows my mind that this trilogy, an awful example of erotica, is the thing that people have chosen to latch on to.

i saw sparks:

I just finished the first book to see what all the hype was about, and quite frankly, I found it to be pretty awful I had to read it in my mind as a Twilight fanfiction in order to get through the book because the characters were so flat.

Ana's internal dialogue was so annoying, and all of the dialogue between the characters felt incredibly forced and stiff. I also found myself growing irritated with the way that, despite the characters being American, they constantly use words that sound more British, phrases that Americans in their early twenties would never say.

Also, though I can't say that BDSM appeals to me, I can account that the BDSM subjects brought up in the novel were incredibly tame to the point that it was laughable. I mean, I am but a lowly twenty-one year old biology major virgin, but I can wholeheartedly say that my smut is much better written than the scenes in this novel, and that's not a good thing. There are so many examples of well-written, published erotica with fleshed out characters, actual plot, and incredible sex scenes, so it kind of blows my mind that this trilogy, an awful example of erotica, is the thing that people have chosen to latch on to.

I agree with almost all of this. I read most of it to see what the hype was about but I was almost near tears I was both freaked out/thought it was awful. It seemed like plain abuse at points where she was begging him to stop, and I didn't find much of it enjoyable at all. I found myself wondering why people actually liked this book so much; I couldn't stomach it.

But that's my opinion.

i saw sparks:

I just finished the first book to see what all the hype was about, and quite frankly, I found it to be pretty awful I had to read it in my mind as a Twilight fanfiction in order to get through the book because the characters were so flat.

Ana's internal dialogue was so annoying, and all of the dialogue between the characters felt incredibly forced and stiff. I also found myself growing irritated with the way that, despite the characters being American, they constantly use words that sound more British, phrases that Americans in their early twenties would never say.

Also, though I can't say that BDSM appeals to me, I can account that the BDSM subjects brought up in the novel were incredibly tame to the point that it was laughable. I mean, I am but a lowly twenty-one year old biology major virgin, but I can wholeheartedly say that my smut is much better written than the scenes in this novel, and that's not a good thing. There are so many examples of well-written, published erotica with fleshed out characters, actual plot, and incredible sex scenes, so it kind of blows my mind that this trilogy, an awful example of erotica, is the thing that people have chosen to latch on to.

I felt the same way! I went from reading things like Anne Rice to this and it just...fell short for me.

I've just began reading this because my mum recently bought the book series after hearing about it from some parents of children she looks after.
I'm only on the sixth chapter but it's very interesting so far.

I borrowed it from the library and breezed through it in a few hours and I definitely won't be buying the other books. I really really really didn't like it. I think the appeal of it is the sex and perhaps that's what all these older women are swooning over. But, for a person who's read fanfiction and other online fiction for years...pft. There was nothing there I found interesting or scandalous or even erotic. Maybe I'm just too jaded by all the really great fanfiction I've read online but I don't see the hype.

I've just bought the whole trilogy, I hate to only buy one of a series, so I buy the set then read. So far I'm about to start chapter two and I'm not sure what to think of it so far.

Okay so now I'm at about chapter 8, and I have to say Ana annoys me at times I just have to as for Christian he entrigues me I want to find out more about his desires.

I heard that it was a really good book, and one that you can't put down. I'm going to read it asap!

I just started reading this book last night. I've read a few passages here and there before downloading it, and it succeeded in making me cringe. Which is pretty hard to do, considering I've read sooo many NC-17 slash fics on tumblr and livejournal (Klaine fics, to be exact), so yeah, reading smut doesn't make me blush. At all.

but this book...good lord. I'm up to chapter nine. Christian Grey seriously disturbs me.

If you were mine, you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week after the stunt you pulled
yesterday. You didn’t eat, you got drunk, you put yourself at risk.”

I know this is supposed to be ~sexy~ or whatever, but this is not sexy. This is scary. This is something that a physically abusive boyfriend says. And the part where Ana gets drunk at the club, drunk-dials Christian and hangs up, and then Christian TRACKS HER CELLPHONE NUMBER to find her? That is not romantic. That's called stalking. He is literally Edward Cullen 2.0 and Ana is Bella Swan's long lost sister (but that's another rant for another day).

I just...there are so many problematic things in this story and the fact that so many women are loving this and finding it romantic worries me, to be honest. Maybe I shouldn't get so worked up over a book, but I can't help it. Also the sex scenes are just so badly written. I want to stop reading but at the same time I can't stop, it's like a trainwreck. It's kind of fascinating, to be honest.

It's also going to be made into a movie. Joy. I'll say this, though: while I'm sitting here bitching about this book, E.L. James is laughing all the way to the bank. Good for her, I suppose.

In a nutshell, it feels exactly like what it started off as - a Twilight fanfiction. Just with a lot of kinky sex and a few names and characterisations changed. I can't understand the hype and I can't understand based on the first book alone how this is going to be made a movie. I just can't see it.

I've never read it, but the quotes sound hilarious. And Charlize Theron's dramatic reading of it is just wonderful.

All I can say is the fact that this is exists makes me feel like Shakespeare. I'd better not be the only one.

I was helping my friend choose a book the other day and she'd been in the store for over an hour with no luck. I happened across 50 Shades of Grey in the Adult's chart and vaguely remembered it. I believed I'd remembered it because I'd been told it was a good book so I told my friend about it. She read the blurb and liked it, so bought it. It was a few days after until I realised I'd was telling me it was an erotic novel.

I told my friend and she's now vowed never to go book shopping with me again xD. At least this explains the weird look she got from the sales lady when she bought the book.

I finished the trilogy today. It was just easy reading bog standard badly-written softcore porn for housewives and tweens, but I'd probably read it again for the kicks. I can't stand how abusive Christian is though. And if she had said oooooh my bitchy subconscious glared at me or my gorgeous sexy inner goddess just wants cock omg fuck me one more time, I swear I would've slapped the bitch myself.

I feel like a pervert for thinking that all the BDSM was softcore crap... "What? She's safewording over that? Why?"

I read the majority of the first book online to see what the fuss was about. I actually had to stop and laugh/facepalm on numerous occasions. It's AWFUL. The writing is actually atrocious; I'm stumped as to how this got published.

As well as this, their relationship is abusive. I understand the concept of BDSM and I know that isn't abuse. Actually I found their sex life to be quite tame compared to what I was expecting. It's what happens outside of the bedroom that really frightened me. Christian essentially stalks her and controls every aspect of her life and that is a terrible message to send out to anyone reading it. The relationship is portrayed as 'erotic' and 'romantic' and I found it to be neither of those things. It trivialises abuse in relationships and that is wrong in every way.

Also Ana's internal dialogue was just... I have no words.

A warning to this thread: Just because the cool thing to do is bash this book doesn't mean it's acceptable on Mibba. See Audrey T's post for an acceptable way to discuss and criticize a book,

Pretty Visitors.:

As well as this, their relationship is abusive. I understand the concept of BDSM and I know that isn't abuse. Actually I found their sex life to be quite tame compared to what I was expecting. It's what happens outside of the bedroom that really frightened me. Christian essentially stalks her and controls every aspect of her life and that is a terrible message to send out to anyone reading it. The relationship is portrayed as 'erotic' and 'romantic' and I found it to be neither of those things. It trivialises abuse in relationships and that is wrong in every way.

I think what you're criticism is a cry for blatant censorship, which is much worse than a cliche erotica novel. The idea that author's should only write happy, positive stories that send positive messages to their readers is downright scary. Not everything in life is happy and joyous, and the writing community has always had their finger on the darkest parts of society.

I haven't actually read the books, but I've read enough excerpts online to know I definitely don't want to. However, I did find this a little while back. It's a satirical criticism of the book by an actual author on her blog, chapter by chapter. It's so dead-on and absolutely hilarious. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for a laugh.

But I guess I don't have a real right to have an opinion on the book since I didn't actually read it cover to cover, although I'd say in all the excerpts I've read, I've probably read about half the book. Aside from the obvious emotional/sexual abuse and it being totally misleading about a real BDSM relationship (or at least the little I know about it), the writing is just plain awful. AWFUL. Every time Ana talked about her "subconscious" and her "inner goddess", making them in to real characters, I wanted to facepalm. The whole thing--the dialogue, the "plot", the characters, the writing--was just so cringe-worthy. I mean, just on Mibba I've read vastly superior stories that I think are much more deserving of getting published.

My older sister bought the trilogy yesterday because she'd heard from friends that it was addictive and whatnot, and after reading all of your opinions, I know I'm going to have to give the first book a try once she's finished. I swear though, people on Mibba could make a living writing for romance/erotica publishing houses, so I'm not surprised that barely anyone on here is shocked or excited by the sex scenes haha