Hint: It’s not the sex.
I’m a bad trendsetter and an even worse trend-follower. I’m not proud but my clothes, my music, even my food preferences are so five years ago.
I see a bandwagon and calmly turn on my heels and saunter the other direction.
Christmas 2003. I was flying back to college after the holidays and as I looked up the aisle all the book jackets were the same: dozens of copies of The Da Vinci Code stared back at me. Stocking stuffer of the year and as such, totally unappealing to me.
I eventually give in. I saw the movie, I joined Facebook, I got a cell phone then-gasp-an iPhone (which I’d now give my pinky tip for), I started a blog (;) ), coconut oil is a staple in my kitchen, I even been known to swing a kettlebell around. I’m still anti Spotify, crossfit, and Paleo but once they are not-so-hot I may just dip my toes in, afterall I eventually like to know what all the fuss is about.
Speaking of fuss, I listened to 50 Shades of Grey. That’s right, listened. I tried to read it, checked it out of the library and everything. After about 20 pages I literally threw it, frustrated and feeling dirty that I had given into the hype.
Now I realize I am late to the party on this one but at least the movie is not out yet (I just watched The Hunger Games and must say, this one deserves the hype. I may even read the books. Maybe…).
So really, it’s not the descriptive scenes of dominant/submissive sex or the bondage or even the flogging that makes me feel dirty. It’s the lame writing. I’m not trying to be mean here, even the author admits she’s “not a great writer”.
But, as we all know, sex sells. And sex has sold this book over 40 million times. Does that number count audio books? I got mine on Audible and was slightly comforted (felt less dirty) that I could multi-task while listening. I did the dishes, painted walls, walked to work, drove to Baltimore, ate lunch, all while listening to hours upon hours of Anastasia struggle to reconcile her desire for Christen to do all types of BDSM with her fear of, well, getting whipped and f*@&ed into submission.
I think the writing overall is bad but I do understand the appeal. 50 Shades makes sex a little less taboo by sharing all types of it through the eyes of the very vanilla Anastasia. This is a good thing from my perspective. As a culture we have a whole lotta baggage around sex, especially women’s sexuality, and anything that explores sex as what it is, a great source of pleasure, is A-okay in my book. Unfortunately, this book plays into the major issue of sex as power and the roles assumed by the main characters is stereo-typical; an older experienced man asserting his dominance over a young and inexperienced woman. Boo.
In case you were wondering, the answer is yes. I’ve already started listening to 50 Shades Darker. Damn you trilogies. I can only hope that E.L. James is indeed a creative soul and a feminist and will give Anastasia the upper hand against those “steely grey eyes” at least once. Christen seems like he could use a good flogging. Blindfolded, of course.
Her writing is awful. If you want to read a beautiful novel try Alice Bliss – it knocked my socks off. Poignant, smart, funny and touching.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I’m reading Written on the Body right now and it is beautifully written as well.
Read the hunger games Faith….and if you want to jump ahead of the ‘next hunger games’ phenom read the Divergent Series (currently 2 books, amazing). As for 50 shades…….you confirmed my opionion that they’re not for me!
I definitely would recommend the Hunger Games books…I read them long before the movie came out and totally devoured them.
If you want to read them, I would love to hand my copies over.
Over these next 2 weeks I’m going to be madly de-accessionning (sp?). If you’re in the mood for some handmedown books, clothes, kitchen stuff etc., come on over!
xo
Hey my love. a joy to read your blog, as always! I have to agree that the Hungergames books are much better than the movie! And 50 shades of LAME is horrible to read! If I hear the phrase, “fisting his full set of hair” one more time I will literally vomit. At the same time.. excuse me, but how much money did she make off this? And why haven’t we sat down and taken sex tales to the next level and earned that money? Shame on us. 😉
I have been considering a sex blog…;)
I am not remotely interested in those books…too many well written ones to use my time that way.
I felt the same way about the Twilight series. The writing was *so* bad….yet I couldn’t put them down!
I feel the same way about trends and I haven’t read Fifty Shades yet. (I haven’t even read The DaVinci Code yet.) I did find a list of well-written alternatives to Fifty Shades of Gray at the Arts Hub of Australia website. I may have to check those out.
This was such an embarrassing book, not because of the erotica, but because of the writing. I think of this as acceptable bondage. Does anyone say they are reading deSade?
I may be the lamest one here… I couldn’t even hold on for the supposed “good parts”. I read the first 60 pages and couldn’t make it any further. Worst thing I have ever read.
I fully agree, kind of ashamed I listened to the whole thing. I need to amend the post to include the fact that I didn’t get more than 2 minutes into the second audio book when I realized I couldn’t give it another minute of my life.
ps NOT the lamest, you’ve got good sense!