Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, by E L James.
I must say, when I heard the hype about these books I didn’t believe it. But women all over the world are sticking their noses into this trilogy and not resurfacing for days. What’s so alluring about it? I downloaded the three books to my Kindle and went to find out.
I am a little bit of a prude. Well. A lot bit of a prude. I don’t like sex scenes in films or television and I don’t enjoy photographs or videos of people getting up to no good. Behind closed doors please, thank you. I’ve absolutely no objection if this is your cup of tea but it doesn’t tickle my fancy at all. But reading – well, I can read just about anything. For someone with an over-active imagination, this is pretty weird. I can’t watch horror films because they keep me up all night but I’ll read anything at all, no matter how depraved it is. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is one of my favourite books of all time and didn’t cause anything more than a few token “oh, that’s really gross” from me as I ploughed my way through it.
In my opinion this is what makes these books so fantastic. Yes, there is a lot of sex scenes in the books. Yes, it is in some instances violent sex but it is never offensive. The language and terminology used is so carefully crafted, it is exciting and fun, not dirty or disgusting.
In the first book (Fifty Shades of Grey), we meet Anastasia Steele, a young college student and her room-mate Kate. She is about to go and interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey on behalf of Kate, for the student magazine. Their first meeting causes scintillation and sparks to fly, and they embark on a relationship. Ana has never had a boyfriend before and treads carefully. Her horror is evident when she finds that Christian’s preference is for BSDM (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission.) We follow Ana through her thoughts and feelings; her trepidation,excitement and most of all her total loss into a man she finds so captivating.
The second and third books (Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed) are a tricky because if I tell you about them, it will ruin the first book for you. You’re just going to have to trust me when I say read… read all of them. I have completely destroyed my relationships with my boyfriend and my colleagues at work as they haven’t heard more than a “sorry, what?” from me for days. I literally have not put these books down. I have skipped meals and sleep to read all three of them in three days. I don’t regret a single thing!
I didn’t really expect much from these books apart from a well written romp but I was very pleasantly surprised. They are touching and moving, your initial distaste for certain characters will either be affirmed or completely shattered by the author. She is a fabulous writer; her ability to set the scene and weave imagery is totally unparalleled. I particularly love the references to Ana’s inner goddess and how she responds to situations. I have started to imagine this in my head too. If the boyfriend comments on another woman being pretty, my inner goddess straightens her stockings and says “Oh yeah? Go and put on your raciest outfit and show him who’s boss!” It’s such a lovely thought to conjour up, and I think all ladies now have a red-lipped high-heeled goddess perched on a chaise lounge in their heads.
Whilst I have never (sadly) been seduced by an extremely wealthy and extraordinarily beautiful man (although, if anyone is offering, I’m game) it is hard not to draw comparisons from your own life with these beautiful stories. I think we all, to a greater or lesser extent, love people who don’t believe they are worthy of love. We are all the sum of our past and we all have foibles and peccadilloes that make us who we are. Although Christian’s are extreme, I can see how a damaged past can echo throughout one’s life in my friends and relationship. The books, as well as being tantalising, are a delicate story of compromise, learning and how much love can give you if you are prepared to put the work in.
An absolute 10/10 from me. I now completely believe and affirm the hype. Writing really doesn’t get much better than this.
