50 Shades of Grey

[Mayk]

Everyone I know is talking about these books... I haven't looked yet still suffering through the Marriage Plot...

Are you reading them? Thoughts?



edited for spelling.... eek!

 

[Missy]

Re: 50 Shade o's Grey

I haven't read them but my aunt read the first one and said it was awful. Worse than a Harlequin romance novel (which I have no experience with either LOL).

 

[Circe]

Re: 50 Shade o's Grey

It's somebody making a profit from fanfic. I'm kind of impressed that Stephanie Meyer has resisted the urge to sue. Even more so that her studio has. Do you supposes the same studio purchased the rights to this one?

I've heard Robert Pattison's name being floated as a possible candidate for Christian Grey. If they make that happen (and given that he seems to, a) be aware of how insane everything surrounding this is, and, b) nevertheless be perfectly happy to play both sides against the middle, I think it's an actual possibility), I'll see it just for the meta of it all. But reading it? No. From what I've heard, it wasn't even very good when it was fanfic, and I doubt the experience of paying for it would make it much better.

 

[vc10um]

Re: 50 Shade o's Grey

It's somebody making a profit from fanfic. I'm kind of impressed that Stephanie Meyer has resisted the urge to sue. Even more so that her studio has. Do you supposes the same studio purchased the rights to this one?

I've heard Robert Pattison's name being floated as a possible candidate for Christian Grey. If they make that happen (and given that he seems to, a) be aware of how insane everything surrounding this is, and, b) nevertheless be perfectly happy to play both sides against the middle, I think it's an actual possibility), I'll see it just for the meta of it all. But reading it? No. From what I've heard, it wasn't even very good when it was fanfic, and I doubt the experience of paying for it would make it much better.

100% agree, Circe. My friends in the literary world (one of whom wrote some admittedly fantastic Twilight FanFic, much better character development than SM could have dreamed!) are positively baffled that they haven't sued the pants off this woman.

But seriously...should be RPatt and KStew in the lead roles since they played the characters from which these were based, anyway!

 

[Mayk]

So interesting.. I can't tell you how many people have told me about these... the girls at work reading.. then my mother.. then a woman at the gym this morning is on book three.... and my SIL (which sould tell me everything I need to know )... and my mother's best friend.. mind you my Mother is 69... and her friend the same!!!!

 

[mrs jam]

I went to an adult store here to buy something green for St. Patrick's Day, and they had a display of anal beads with a sign that read, "As Seen in 50 Shades of Grey." The saleswoman told me that this is the first time she has ever averaged about a dozen women a day coming in to buy anal beads and butt plugs, and they all tell her they read about it in the book.

I downloaded and read the trilogy. I'm way too immature for erotic literature. I giggled my way through them until my husband demanded to know WHAT I was reading. I told him it was a little ditty about zip-ties and silver butt plugs. I would be down for the zip ties but would have to say no thank you to butt plugs and/or anal beads.

 

[Skippy123]

I have not read it; I heard it was poorly written but I do see FB status updates talking about it often!!!! I feel like I am not in the know but oh well. lol

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

i really tried to read it because of all the "talk" about it.

i only got halfway through. very poor writing. the female character sucked (was not likable). the story was not even interesting enough to keep me reading. Horrible.

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

i really tried to read it because of all the "talk" about it.

i only got halfway through. very poor writing. the female character sucked (was not likable). the story was not even interesting enough to keep me reading. Horrible.

I felt this way about Twilight. Now that we know it was fanfic, I completely understand why! Looks like I won't be reading this book either.

 

[Autumnovember]

I read these books a while ago so its kind of funny to see how much they are blowing up.

I liked them a lot but I did skip over a lot of sex scenes because after a while, it just got boring and kind of old.

If you have watched twilight, you will see that the characters are exactly those from twilight. The author is a huge twilight fan so she wrote the books based around Edward, Bella, Jacob etc and she's actually gotten a lot of criticism for it.

The other complaint from other people is that its poorly written but I guess that's more of an opinion than anything else.

ETA: wrote this before reading replies.


Also want to add that there are MANY actors who are wanting the role of Christian Grey and I mean, MANY. I don't think robert pattinson is gonna get it, either.

 

[mrs jam]

I enjoyed the Twilight series, except for the last book. That one bored me, and I don't think I ever finished it. I enjoyed Meyer's partial draft of Midnight Sun (the story from Edward's perspective) much more than the Twilight narrated by Bella. I wish Meyer would recover from her hissy fit and finish it. For any Twilight fans who haven't read it, the link is on Meyer's website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/pdf/midnightsun_partial_draft4.pdf

The Fifty books are the best (and by far, not the dirtiest) pieces of Twilight fanfiction I've read, but that's not saying much. While I had my moments of liking Edward Cullen, I disliked Christian Grey immensely. His character is such a laughable smorgasbord of personality disorders. But hey, I read all three, so I can't bash the author too much.

 

[Skippy123]

i really tried to read it because of all the "talk" about it.

i only got halfway through. very poor writing. the female character sucked (was not likable). the story was not even interesting enough to keep me reading. Horrible.

I felt this way about Twilight. Now that we know it was fanfic, I completely understand why! Looks like I won't be reading this book either.

okay I haven't read Twilight and probably won't! I know people love the books though!

 

[vc10um]

I enjoyed the Twilight series, except for the last book. That one bored me, and I don't think I ever finished it. I enjoyed Meyer's partial draft of Midnight Sun (the story from Edward's perspective) much more than the Twilight narrated by Bella. I wish Meyer would recover from her hissy fit and finish it. For any Twilight fans who haven't read it, the link is on Meyer's website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/pdf/midnightsun_partial_draft4.pdf

The Fifty books are the best (and by far, not the dirtiest) pieces of Twilight fanfiction I've read, but that's not saying much. While I had my moments of liking Edward Cullen, I disliked Christian Grey immensely. His character is such a laughable smorgasbord of personality disorders. But hey, I read all three, so I can't bash the author too much.

mrs jam, if you're interested and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend "Ithaca is Gorges," which is the best piece of Twilight fanfic I've read. It's New Moon written from Edward and Carlisle's perspectives, they narrate alternating chapters, and it's pretty fantastically done. It follows the cannon of the original as well. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

In the meantime, I will STILL not be reading 50 Shades.

 

[Haven]

This is one of the worst books I've ever read in my life.
And it is poorly written. That is a fact. No opinion there.

I bought it because my oldest friend who NEVER reads wanted to read it, so I said I'd read it, too.
Terrible. Awful. I laughed out loud a couple times, it was so bad. The sex scenes aren't even good enough to be redeeming. If you write erotic fiction and you can't manage to call your vajayjay anything other than "down there" or your "sex", you are in the wrong genre.

Don't even get me started on the inner goddess bs. I wanted to beat her inner goddess with a mallet by the end of the book. STILL, I stuck it out because of my friend. I haven't known her to read a book EVER, so it was worth the pain.

There's fluff and there's sh*t. This book is sh*t. It's even worse than Twilight, IMO, and that's not an easy task.

The thing that I REALLY want to know from women who love this book is WHY? I'm not talking about the writing, I'm talking about the actual story. What is exciting about Christian Grey? Is it his money? It can't be the fact that he's so effed up he won't let women touch him, and he actually wants to see the woman he cares about in real pain. Can it? I understand the BDSM world, but she didn't even write that storyline very well. It's clear she's never actually engaged in the lifestyle herself. This isn't really about a dom/sub relationship, it's about a guy who needs some serious help, and a woman who thinks so little of herself that she falls in love with him. What's so sexy about that?

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

i really tried to read it because of all the "talk" about it.

i only got halfway through. very poor writing. the female character sucked (was not likable). the story was not even interesting enough to keep me reading. Horrible.

I felt this way about Twilight. Now that we know it was fanfic, I completely understand why! Looks like I won't be reading this book either.

okay I haven't read Twilight and probably won't! I know people love the books though!

To ME personally, they are very poorly written and far to easy of a read. I needed something to catch me, but had a friend (we were at he beach) push me to read it. I read 150 pages and was like 'Yep, I just can't do it anymore!'

 

[Mayk]

This is one of the worst books I've ever read in my life.
And it is poorly written. That is a fact. No opinion there.

I bought it because my oldest friend who NEVER reads wanted to read it, so I said I'd read it, too.
Terrible. Awful. I laughed out loud a couple times, it was so bad. The sex scenes aren't even good enough to be redeeming. If you write erotic fiction and you can't manage to call your vajayjay anything other than "down there" or your "sex", you are in the wrong genre.

Don't even get me started on the inner goddess bs. I wanted to beat her inner goddess with a mallet by the end of the book. STILL, I stuck it out because of my friend. I haven't known her to read a book EVER, so it was worth the pain.

There's fluff and there's sh*t. This book is sh*t. It's even worse than Twilight, IMO, and that's not an easy task.

The thing that I REALLY want to know from women who love this book is WHY? I'm not talking about the writing, I'm talking about the actual story. What is exciting about Christian Grey? Is it his money? It can't be the fact that he's so effed up he won't let women touch him, and he actually wants to see the woman he cares about in real pain. Can it? I understand the BDSM world, but she didn't even write that storyline very well. It's clear she's never actually engaged in the lifestyle herself. This isn't really about a dom/sub relationship, it's about a guy who needs some serious help, and a woman who thinks so little of herself that she falls in love with him. What's so sexy about that?

Well I can see I will be skipping this one... so glad I asked!!!! Haven... your response made me giggle..... Listen.. don't read the Marriage Plot either.. it's so freaking painful... and I am horrible if it's bad and I start there is something wrong with me.. I think I have to finish... I will keep looking for my next book.. after I finish suffering through

 

[TravelingGal]

This is one of the worst books I've ever read in my life.
And it is poorly written. That is a fact. No opinion there.

I bought it because my oldest friend who NEVER reads wanted to read it, so I said I'd read it, too.
Terrible. Awful. I laughed out loud a couple times, it was so bad. The sex scenes aren't even good enough to be redeeming. If you write erotic fiction and you can't manage to call your vajayjay anything other than "down there" or your "sex", you are in the wrong genre.

Don't even get me started on the inner goddess bs. I wanted to beat her inner goddess with a mallet by the end of the book. STILL, I stuck it out because of my friend. I haven't known her to read a book EVER, so it was worth the pain.

There's fluff and there's sh*t. This book is sh*t. It's even worse than Twilight, IMO, and that's not an easy task.

The thing that I REALLY want to know from women who love this book is WHY? I'm not talking about the writing, I'm talking about the actual story. What is exciting about Christian Grey? Is it his money? It can't be the fact that he's so effed up he won't let women touch him, and he actually wants to see the woman he cares about in real pain. Can it? I understand the BDSM world, but she didn't even write that storyline very well. It's clear she's never actually engaged in the lifestyle herself. This isn't really about a dom/sub relationship, it's about a guy who needs some serious help, and a woman who thinks so little of herself that she falls in love with him. What's so sexy about that?

Ha, you're brave. With all the hoopla, I downloaded the sample chapters for Kindle awhile back. There were two chapters for free. I could barely slog through one and gave up.

Hands down the worst writing I have EVER read. Honestly, I read the first twilight book which I thought was bad writing (and never bothered with the rest of the books) but this made Twilight look like War and Peace.

So only having read the first chapter, I have to say it too much for me to even suspend reality. A guy who is the head of a company that employs 40,000 people and is only 28 years old is usually not a hottie. He usually resembles Mark Zuckerberg (which some of the gals and I who discussed this book were saying.) Or maybe Jerry Yang. Not someone who I want spanking my bum.

Plus this way this girl spoke...something like damn, double damn, double drat, or double somethingrather. I was already sick of it in the first chapter.

I agree Haven, it is a FACT that this book is extremely poorly written (and yes, I could determine that by reading only ONE chapter). It makes me feel for all of the authors who are writing far more brilliant books, which probably will never see the light of (publishing) day. Still, somehow she struck a chord in many many women. Personally I don't get it.

 

[Haven]

MayK--That's good to know! I'm sad to hear it, as I absolutely LOVE Middlesex. Although, there were moments while I was reading Middlesex when I thought, "Eugenides knows how good he is, and now he's just showing off." So, I can see how he might go on a bit longer than necessary!

Sorry for the overly emphatic anti-50 Shades rant. I was so excited for a good piece of erotica, and so bummed that it was horrible. I think the thing that really gets me is that I know a lot of non-readers who are reading this, and it's just such a shame--they could be reading something good, and they don't even know what they're missing. That's the reading advocate in me, though. I feel like I'm watching McDonald's supply Big Macs to hordes of starving people. Filling, but cheap and totally lacking substance.

But seriously, don't waste your time. There's much better erotic fiction out there.

 

[mrs jam]

mrs jam, if you're interested and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend "Ithaca is Gorges," which is the best piece of Twilight fanfic I've read. It's New Moon written from Edward and Carlisle's perspectives, they narrate alternating chapters, and it's pretty fantastically done. It follows the cannon of the original as well. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Thanks! I'm in serious need of some fun & mindless "fluff" to read!

 

[Mayk]

MayK--That's good to know! I'm sad to hear it, as I absolutely LOVE Middlesex. Although, there were moments while I was reading Middlesex when I thought, "Eugenides knows how good he is, and now he's just showing off." So, I can see how he might go on a bit longer than necessary!

Sorry for the overly emphatic anti-50 Shades rant. I was so excited for a good piece of erotica, and so bummed that it was horrible. I think the thing that really gets me is that I know a lot of non-readers who are reading this, and it's just such a shame--they could be reading something good, and they don't even know what they're missing. That's the reading advocate in me, though. I feel like I'm watching McDonald's supply Big Macs to hordes of starving people. Filling, but cheap and totally lacking substance.

But seriously, don't waste your time. There's much better erotic fiction out there.

Exactly.... and why I was so quick to purchase this one.... so disappointed... still hoping after half way through it will get better.. but it keeps putting me to sleep on the airplane... and the woman that is the main character.. I want to SLAP her!!!

 

[Laila619]

Haven't read the books, and based on the reviews here, I no longer have any desire to. I'll take the word of PSers!

 

[Haven]

MayK--That's good to know! I'm sad to hear it, as I absolutely LOVE Middlesex. Although, there were moments while I was reading Middlesex when I thought, "Eugenides knows how good he is, and now he's just showing off." So, I can see how he might go on a bit longer than necessary!

Sorry for the overly emphatic anti-50 Shades rant. I was so excited for a good piece of erotica, and so bummed that it was horrible. I think the thing that really gets me is that I know a lot of non-readers who are reading this, and it's just such a shame--they could be reading something good, and they don't even know what they're missing. That's the reading advocate in me, though. I feel like I'm watching McDonald's supply Big Macs to hordes of starving people. Filling, but cheap and totally lacking substance.

But seriously, don't waste your time. There's much better erotic fiction out there.

Exactly.... and why I was so quick to purchase this one.... so disappointed... still hoping after half way through it will get better.. but it keeps putting me to sleep on the airplane... and the woman that is the main character.. I want to SLAP her!!!

Hahahahaha! Did you read Franzen's Freedom? I got to about page 200 before I just couldn't read another page. I wanted to slap every single character in that book! I felt bad about putting it down because my college librarian gave me a copy as a thank you for some work I did, but I just couldn't do it anymore.

Life is too short to read sh*tty books.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I can't weigh in on the writing quality because I haven't looked at this book, but my question is, if there is general consensus (among PS'ers anyway) that it's... well... kind lousy... WHY is it so popular? There is much better erotic fiction out there. If that's what you're looking for, why not read something in that genre but of better quality.

As a funny aside, I was in the airport last Sunday night and the woman sitting beside me in the waiting area was reading 50. I thought to myself, if I were going to read this, I would download it to my Kindle rather than having the whole world look at the title and know I was reading it. Woah -- the prude in Dee comes out! But really, if I were a man, I wouldn't sit in an airport waiting area reading a Playboy either--even if I only picked it up for the *articles." Forget Kansas City, perhaps I should get me to a nunnery!

 

[slg47]

I haven't read it...but some of the reviews on Amazon are pretty funny.

 

[Sabine]

I haven't been around much lately but am coming out of the woodwork for this one.

I loved the first book. Couldn't put it down. So yes, I'm one of the masses who got sucked into this. I'm making myself wait till the weekend to download the 2nd because I was staying up too late during the week to finish the first. I also convinced my book club to discuss this book next month.

The writing didn't bother me, which after reading all the responses on here really surprised me.

Miss Haven, you've always had my utmost respect, and I always thought we were like-minded on things literature related, so when I saw how vehemently you felt about it, I just had to chime in that even someone like myself who was an English major and whose taste in lit. does include the classics can still enjoy this bit of trash (and yes, I will concede that as much as I enjoyed it, it was definitely trash).

 

[Haven]

Sabine--I'm so excited to see you on PS! It has been too long!

I'm shocked that you loved this book! I really feel like I have a high tolerance for fluff, I mean--I was so obsessed with the first Sookie Stackhouse book that I went out and bought the entire series the moment I finished it. One look at my Goodreads shelves will confirm my love of trashy books. But I don't know, I could not read 50 Shades without being distracted by something in every single line.

I also wonder if the writer is British. At first I just thought her dialogue was evidence that she's never actually heard real people speak to each other IRL, but then after a while I thought, "Is this a British woman attempting to write American characters?" Coupled with the fact that she really is an abysmal writer, it just made the whole thing laughable. And so distracting!

Eh, what do I know? I'm usually the first in my book club to tell other people to get over themselves and just enjoy the book, so really, I am NOT a snobby reader. This was just too much for me.

Maybe I was just terribly disappointed that the sex wasn't better. I do love a good sex scene.

 

[TravelingGal]

Sabine, as an English major, I still enjoy a bit of smut as well. But this seemed beyond trash, the writing was too glaringly horrifying. I couldn't get beyond the words into the story. And this coming from someone who loves a barechested pirate more than anyone.

 

[TravelingGal]

Sabine--I'm so excited to see you on PS! It has been too long!

I'm shocked that you loved this book! I really feel like I have a high tolerance for fluff, I mean--I was so obsessed with the first Sookie Stackhouse book that I went out and bought the entire series the moment I finished it. One look at my Goodreads shelves will confirm my love of trashy books. But I don't know, I could not read 50 Shades without being distracted by something in every single line.

I also wonder if the writer is British. At first I just thought her dialogue was evidence that she's never actually heard real people speak to each other IRL, but then after a while I thought, "Is this a British woman attempting to write American characters?" Coupled with the fact that she really is an abysmal writer, it just made the whole thing laughable. And so distracting!

Eh, what do I know? I'm usually the first in my book club to tell other people to get over themselves and just enjoy the book, so really, I am NOT a snobby reader. This was just too much for me.

Maybe I was just terribly disappointed that the sex wasn't better. I do love a good sex scene.

Exactly.

 

[Sabine]

Sabine--I'm so excited to see you on PS! It has been too long!

I'm shocked that you loved this book! I really feel like I have a high tolerance for fluff, I mean--I was so obsessed with the first Sookie Stackhouse book that I went out and bought the entire series the moment I finished it. One look at my Goodreads shelves will confirm my love of trashy books. But I don't know, I could not read 50 Shades without being distracted by something in every single line.

I also wonder if the writer is British. At first I just thought her dialogue was evidence that she's never actually heard real people speak to each other IRL, but then after a while I thought, "Is this a British woman attempting to write American characters?" Coupled with the fact that she really is an abysmal writer, it just made the whole thing laughable. And so distracting!

Eh, what do I know? I'm usually the first in my book club to tell other people to get over themselves and just enjoy the book, so really, I am NOT a snobby reader. This was just too much for me.

Maybe I was just terribly disappointed that the sex wasn't better. I do love a good sex scene.

I can't believe you like the Sookie Stackhouse books! I could barely force myself to finish the first one because I thought it was so bad! I was desperate for a new series to read and was so hopeful for that series, but never bothered past the first one.

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

Sabine--I'm so excited to see you on PS! It has been too long!

I'm shocked that you loved this book! I really feel like I have a high tolerance for fluff, I mean--I was so obsessed with the first Sookie Stackhouse book that I went out and bought the entire series the moment I finished it. One look at my Goodreads shelves will confirm my love of trashy books. But I don't know, I could not read 50 Shades without being distracted by something in every single line.

I also wonder if the writer is British. At first I just thought her dialogue was evidence that she's never actually heard real people speak to each other IRL, but then after a while I thought, "Is this a British woman attempting to write American characters?" Coupled with the fact that she really is an abysmal writer, it just made the whole thing laughable. And so distracting!

Eh, what do I know? I'm usually the first in my book club to tell other people to get over themselves and just enjoy the book, so really, I am NOT a snobby reader. This was just too much for me.

Maybe I was just terribly disappointed that the sex wasn't better. I do love a good sex scene.

I can't believe you like the Sookie Stackhouse books! I could barely force myself to finish the first one because I thought it was so bad! I was desperate for a new series to read and was so hopeful for that series, but never bothered past the first one.

I'm like Haven...I LOVED those trashy, completely ridculous Sookie books! Haven, give me more reading ideas! PLEASE!