Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

I was totally intrigued by the Fifty Shades of Grey series when my sister told me about it. She and her friends were totally drawn in. While reading the book in public, they would blush at the thought someone might see them and know what they were reading.

I bought the trilogy at Costco with high expectations of the "blushing" sort. I quickly discovered my sister and I clearly don't always like the same books. I had a really hard time getting into the first book because it is so poorly written. I had high expectations for the sex scenes, my sister had assured me I would get some good ideas for the bedroom.

I was totally disappointed. Maybe it's because I already have a great sex life with a wonderful man and I don't need this twisted fantasy of someone wanting me. Or perhaps it was the fact that the sex in the book is so lame I couldn't see it transferring to real life at all. I wonder if the author has ever had sex. A virgin having that much sex, and anyone having that many orgasms, is just completely unbelievable. That much rough sex would leave a person swollen and sore!

The relationship between Christian and Ana is just as ridiculous as the amount of sex they are having. I found them both incredibly annoying. Add to that the fact that Ana does not think or talk like any American girl I know. She is clearly very influenced by her English author who should have set the book in England if she wasn't going to use American English for her American character. Oh and there's the whole 26 year old, hot as hell, severely disturbed, billionaire out to cure world hunger thing to "roll my eyes at". The book reads like it a sexually unexperienced young girl's sexual/relationship fantasy.

I kept trying to figure out what it was about this book that has drawn so many people in. I really don't think it is the sex. I can't imagine that many people being turned on my the whole Dominant/Submissive thing. Christian is to F@#ked up to be prince charming about to carry you off to your fairy tale happy ending. The only thing left is, winning over the unattainable man. Most of us have  experienced a man like that in one way or another, and we all know how that story ends.

When I like a book, I won't put it down. I'll read a 1000 page book in just a few days. It took me almost two months to finish just Fifty Shades of Grey. I had to force myself to continue it so someone couldn't tell me that I stopped reading just when it started getting good. I was told that the third book is the best, but I highly doubt I will find the motivation to finish the series.

If you have a thought on why Fifty Shades has been so wildly successful I would love to hear your theory!