Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

And yes, I did read it.  Actually I read all three books in E. L. James' trilogy:  Fifty Shades of Grey (Book 1), Fifty Shades Darker (Book 2), and Fifty Shades Freed (Book 3).  

How did it come about that I would decide to read these books, you may ask?  On my flight home from Jamaica earlier this year, I saw the girl across the aisle from me reading this book.  I remember reading the title, seeing the cover picture, and wondering what the book was about.  I had never heard of it at that point.  Strangely enough, not long after I was home, a relative asked me if I would be reading the Fifty Shades of Grey book, and informed me that the book was skyrocketing to the tops of all the best seller lists everywhere, and doing so in record time.  With more than 1.2 million copies sold every week and a movie in the works, the Fifty Shades phenomenon shows no sign of flagging.

Honestly, curiosity got the better of me.  I simply wanted to know what everyone was all fired up about, so I got out my Kindle e-reader and ordered the trilogy.

Since reading these books, I have also seen and heard that there is much controversy surrounding the themes in the books.  The story line follows Anastasia Steele and Christopher Grey and their dominant/submissive "love" relationship.  

Frankly, I have asked myself why those people that rave about these books like them so much, and I am still wondering, to tell the truth.

Here are some of my thoughts:

1.  There are many novels out on the market that include a love story, but I think these books became so popular because the relationship in these books includes some more controversial "love" behaviors, which are described over and over in graphic detail.  

2.  I felt that the writing was fairly juvenile.  Apart from the detailed intimate scenes, I felt like I was reading teen novels.

3.  I would never want to be in a relationship with a man as thoroughly moody, mysterious, and unpredictable as Christopher.  Men are challenging enough without mood complications.

4.  Christians have warned that these books will do damage to an already good relationship and therefore should not be read.  I am not ashamed to call myself a strong Christian, yet if anything, reading some of the ridiculous stuff in the books made me all the more grateful for my wonderful husband, as he is, and for the respectful and devoted way he treats me and cares for me.  

5.  Would I recommend these books?  Nah.  Don't waste your money.  There are too many other GREAT books out there, and there is some part of me that wishes I hadn't wasted my time on these, either.  However, another part of me is glad I read them, because I simply hate not knowing what everybody is talking about.  Call that adult peer pressure or whatever you want, but I succumbed. 

6.  Do not let your non-adult children read these books.  

7.  I wonder if the women that are raving about how good these books are have previously been mistreated by a man, and therefore see Christopher Grey as some sort of white knight.  He is one messed up dude the way I see it, and he couldn't build me a mansion large enough to contain all of his "baggage."

8.  I have wondered if men are reading these books.  

9.  I bet E. L. James is becoming a very rich woman.  

10.  Would I read future books of hers?  See the Fifty Shades of Grey movie?  Probably not.  But I am an adult, and I will make up my own mind if and when the time comes.

  

Have you read these books?  What do you think?