50 Shades of Grey Trilogy...... is it sooo good? - YouLookFab Forum

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50 Shades of Grey Trilogy...... is it sooo good?

andi

I came across a South African magazine called Grazia (I think). In the mag, there was an article about a book called 50 Shades of Grey......its part of a trilogy. Apparently, every woman should read it..... Has anyone read it, and should I bother to read it?

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21 replies

Latest reply was from catgirl

bj1111

Veteran

hilarious review of the trilogy complete with gifs

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/340987215

srly, literotica.com for whatever floats your boat.

Gaylene

Veteran

My sister was handed a copy of this book while on vacation. Since she had finished all the other books she had with her, she ended up reading it (well, sort of). Her assessment: "the dumbest book I've read in a verrry long time. I kept skipping section after section because it was either boring or just plain stupid. On the other hand, given all the money that the author has made, I'm kicking myself for not having written this..."

Given my sister's less than sterling recommendation, and the Goodreads review (which I found hilarious), I think 50 Shades is going to be quite far down on my list of books I want to read.

andi

Ok tx.....I won't bother, literotica aint my thing. I love reading, but I dont have time to read junk.... If however, I here about a good book, then I make it a point that I'll read it. Perhaps the book appeals to 20 year olds.....

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I read somewhere that it began as fan fiction (of Twilight, I think?) that was then self-published as an e-book on Amazon, so I think it both lacked quality editorial control and also had rather juvenile origins.

However, I have been pondering what sort of novel *I* could write that would sell like that... sadly I lack the erotic imagination of a 14-year-old, which is probably who these books most appealed to...

Echo

Veteran

I read about half of the first book and gave up. Absolutely dreadful. Redundant, sounds like it was written by a semi-literate 8th grade girl, no captivating plot (well, or much of any plot). If you are looking for soft porn or even romance there are better reads. I regret wasting the money and to this day wonder WHY it is selling so well.

Girl X

(website)

Veteran

If you've ever read anything even remotely close to erotica, run fast and run far from 50 Shades. But if you've never read any erotica, and maybe never even heard of the genre - try it, the novelty of it might get you through the writing.

(I've written about the 50 Shade phenomenon here: http://www.gurgleslurp.com/?p=559 and a follow up here: http://www.gurgleslurp.com/?p=614 )

anne

Veteran

Since I don't approve of porn of any sort, there is no way I am going any where near this! And yes, I am condemming it unread, but so be it.

Irene

Veteran

I have read a few pages just out of curiosity... It's Twilight, and then they have sex too and it's described. He can't be more perfect (rich, famous, young, intelligent, good-looking and such a great lover). She couldn't be more average yet special, just like any average young adult reader.

It's not targeted at teens though, it's targeted at women in their thirties-forties, in the middle of a mid-life crisis and bored with kids, the house and a husband with an ever growing beer gut. Which was the surprising readership of Twilight as well, by the way.

I've heard it's too soft to be porn and too detailed to be romantic, in the broader sense. So it's everything and nothing at the same time. I really dislike authors that don't go all the way in their risks.

Deborah

Veteran

Wow this book is everywhere and I have heard so much about it...but from what I hear the values it promotes are so different them my own that I have no interest in reading it, or lining the pockets of the person who wrote it:)

ManidipaM

Veteran

Not read it myself, and don't intend to. However, as a student of literature and an adult who sometimes works in publishing, it's not a phenomenon I could ignore, so I did investigate a bit. Some things to be aware of before you read it/if you decide to read it:
(1) It started as Twilight fanfic --- may or may not float your boat, may or may not matter to you (I read Twilight and enjoyed it; even if I have no wish to behave like Bella... but I know enough people are put off by the gender politics issues in that novel alone, and you might like to know this is more of the same, only more so!)
(2) From what I've heard of it, in terms of reviews etc, it sounds like a Heathcliff-ish hero. Again, for you to decide if that does it for you. Personally, I never could abide Wuthering Heights or Heathcliff --- I'm not a fan of romance that involves heroine reclaiming bad-boy-to-the-point-of-demented-psychopath hero through loving kindness, as I don't think that is either (a) love or (b) works/realistic outside of a Beauty and the Beast fairytale (which is really not the same, because usually the point is the Beast isn't all that beastly and is already reforming self when heroine arrives). But then again, I know many people adore the tragic-romantic Heathcliff type! So if it works for you...
(3) From the one excerpt I read, the writing style is pretty mediocre. Like worse than some Mills&Boons/Harlqeuins/Avon romances or what-have-you
(4) If gender politics and activism of any sort related to human sexuality matters to you very strongly, this is not the book for you! It is rather misleading in its portrayal and outright stereotyping of certain sexual behaviours and communities. Outright boil-your-blood misleading and old-fashioned about it.
Hope that's some help!

BlondeAmbition

I read it after hearing several good things about it from my friends. Interestingly enough nobody mentioned it was pure erotica so I was a bit surprised. The writing is mediocre at best. The behavior of the 2 main characters reminds me of 2 teenagers who are dictated by their hormones, not at all like 2 adults. I didn't enjoy it but I also cannot stop a book once I start reading it so I read it in its entirety - however I do not plan on reading the other 2 books in the trilogy.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I think this thread should probably be moved to Off Topic.

Anonymous

I have no desire of burning out the few working brains cells I have left reading this "fairy tale", but to each their own. I hope I'm not disrespecting any fans!

Inge

(website)

I haven't read the book, so nothing constructive to add I'm afraid.

Ana: I think it's fine to keep this thread in "Book Club" though, we created this category to talk about all things movies and books, not just the titles we select for YLF Book Club:
http://youlookfab.com/2011/12/.....book-club/

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Oh, sorry. Thought this had been posted in "General." My bad.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

I thought book club was for fashion related books. This seems waaaaay off topic.

ETA I re-read the "sticky" for this forum and I stand corrected.

Be that as it may, ALL of the other "main" forums require posts to be related to fashion and style in some way. Even posts in "general" need to be tangentially related to fashion. If they are not (as this book is not) they need to go in "off topic." I thought that was the reason that forum was established?

ironkurtin

Veteran

To answer your original question, the general consensus among reviewers is no, it's junk. The general consensus among ordinary readers - well, since it is a runaway hit, you can decide for yourself.

catgirl

Veteran

I read a sample and couldn't stand it, and I have to say that my esteem for my book club friends who are raving about it has dropped considerably. I knew about the Twilight fan fiction part, but curiosity got the best of me.

It's not the subject but the incredibly poor writing and the totally dimwitted main character that made me want to hurl the book across the room (figuratively, since it was on my Nook). Are women that desperate for a little romance in their lives? It's really pseudo-scandalous, as it's all about an ultimately traditional fairy tale with the S & M thrown in for the thrill factor.

Sorry to anyone who is a fan, but honestly I would not waste the time or money.

Inge

(website)

MamaPickleJuice, thanks for your input.

Angie, Greg and I have talked about this some more, and we have decided to move this thread to the "Off Topic" category after all.

We would like to keep all threads in the main categories on topic, i.e. everything related to fashion and style.
Feel free to start new conversations about non-style related books and movies in the "Off Topic" Category.

To be clear: the Book Club Category is is not only for Book Club titles, so you can still create new threads about fashion-related books and movies in this category as well.

(Ana: I hope I didn't confuse things too much;-)

Marley

Veteran

One of my sisters had a copy of the first one - I picked it up and just leafed through it when I was visiting her - the sexism, the stereotyping, the poor writing - just left me cold. I couldn't believe that women were actually paying to read it. Just. Not. For. Me.

catgirl

Veteran

Just want to add, it's not like I can't fall for a good fantasy - I'm completely wound up over the TV show "Coppers" and I've been head-over-heels for many a fictional character in a book. But horrible writing puts me off every time.

I'd love to hear a different perspective from someone who actually enjoyed these books (though these scathing comments may be off-putting)!