Not great ....... but not that bad either - although it seems to have created a Marmite response .. your either love it or hate it - I think my assessment is somewhere in the middle. There are several good bits about it and possibly more bad but I have definitely read worse and cannot understand the strong views/emotional responses that it seems to evoke!
Let's agree that it is not well written .... but then that means, in it's simplicity, it has become an "easy" acceptable read for several people who don't usually read - that's a plus.
My absolute favourite aspect is that Mr Grey insists on wearing a condom - E.L James - if just ONE person thinks twice and uses a condom because of your book - your work here is done!
Quite frankly, I got bored after the 3rd or so sex scene - they really did become predictable and lost my interest so much so, that I sped read through all the scenes in books 2 and 3. The Dominant/Submissive relationship was irritating and those against the book would argue that it is shocking to have this glorified in writing BUT fair play to E.L James, she did acknowledge and reiterate throughout the books that this was not what the (annoying) heroine initially expected or felt was "normal".
As a young teenager, with regards to books, I was very lucky to have 3 things at my disposal;
- A voracious appetite for reading
- A monthly allowance from the age of 13
- A magical book store within a few hundred yards of my home (it was a large "Martins" and was opened by the Dr Who of the time - Tom Baker!!!!!)
I was in heaven - I guess in this day and age I would be labelled a "Goth" or "EMO" because I did read a lot of books on what could be considered quite dark subject matters - Dennis Wheatley - devil worship etc, James Herbert - chiller/horror, and who could forget Leslie Thomas - "Arthur McCann and all his Women" ! Along with many other books on the Occult - several books on Cults as well as the absolute classics like Pride & Prejudice, general kids books and many of Shakespeare's plays !
The great thing about books, unlike films, is that there is very little censorship - so although most of these books were definitely adult reads - I began reading them from aged 13 onwards. Thankfully, my parents had absolute faith that I would NOT believe everything I read (probably because they had brought us up well grounded and with the ability to have an open-mind combined with some common sense), hence leaving me strongly opinionated but hopefully, also broad minded around some aspects of life !!!!!!
I am happy to openly admit that some of the sexual scenes would be a bit of a turn on - including those of a certain sacrificial nature (cue the Devil Rides Out) BUT I am not daft enough to consider that I should try it all out (lemmings and cliffs come to mind here) ........ which seems to be the issue many of the "Haters" have against this book .... that some vulnerable people will be caught up in the kind of "dysfunctional sexual relationship" that the book describes between its main characters.
Hello ........ THE BOOK IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THEIR VULNERABILITY !!!
I do sympathise that there are many vulnerable children, teenagers and adults out there who may read the book and be influenced .... but this book clearly indicates that where there is a choice, it is fine AND - where there is not a choice - that is NOT fine (the heroine knees one of the sleazy characters in the balls !)
The reason I mention my previous reading habits is that, my thoughts on this are, that the better informed you are - the more likely you will choose what you think is right for you.
As a teenager, I also read a very sweet, reasonably innocent but equally erotic book titled "15" (by Beverley Clearley, I believe) . I am sure this book is probably extremely dated now but it and the author have stuck in my mind, even though I first read it at aged 15 and probably only twice afterwards at an equally young age. It was pitched exactly right for me - possibly a little steamy for some of its readership but it was all about fairly innocent ....... first, sexual experiences .... and that resonated with me .... that felt right for me.
I personally have no issue with those who choose an alternative sexual lifestyle - my mantra is that you cannot comment unless you have tried it/directly experienced it or at least kept an open mind about what it entails.
The book talks about food a lot so lets have a food analogy - I have never eaten an oyster - I have no desire to eat an oyster as I have a strong gag reflex, do not like the look or the smell of oysters.
I cannot say "I hate oysters" - I don't know, I have never eaten one .... but I have kept an open mind and kept informed and choose not to try them. HOWEVER - even if I did try one and disliked it - it does not mean that I could shout about it and try to put everyone else off trying them, assuming everyone will dislike them - it's all down to personal choice and that ..... I think .... is why the book has become so talked about.
It certainly isn't about the quality writing (sorry E.L. James - it's not quality ... but then I couldn't have written it at all so I am not overly critical !).
I just think it has had it's success due to both excellent marketing AND due to it's foray into a world that is rarely written about, for the general public, thereby offering a "choice" that many may not be really aware of!
I confess that, had she not bought all 3 books out at once, I would not have bothered to have read the 2nd & 3rd books after a period of time - it really is a "forgettable" book (other than the now famous marketing and that I have blogged about it LOL !)
But she did and I was keen to discover more about where the storyline was going and even about the characters (frustrating as they are!)
If I were to give a critical review, it would be to say that she could have kept it to one book, cut out 90 percent of the sex scenes and built on the storyline (though lets face it - one book would not have made her as much money !)
The plot is not bad .... taken from bits of many different classic and popular culture stories; Twilight saga, Wuthering Heights, 9 and a half Weeks (Micky Rourke & Kim Basinger - the eating scene at the fridge for those old enough to remember that one!) Pride & Prejudice - quite frankly too many to mention - even Pretty Woman .....
In fact my recommendation to E.L James would be to copyright Mr Christian Grey, hire a GOOD ghost writer and then do a psychological thriller/chiller on HIS story - the story of him as a child or how his mother came to be who she was - of her Pimp - oh the things that a writer like Harlan Coban http://www.harlancoben.com/ , Stephen Leather http://www.stephenleather.com/ or James Patterson http://www.jamespatterson.com/ could do with that storyline ............ expanding on Mr Grey's early traumatic childhood
Now THAT ...... would be a book I would enjoy reading !!!
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