Fifty Shades of Grey

Author:  E.L. James

Publisher:  The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House (2011)

What does the author say?

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My review:

In the first book of the trilogy, EL James, has taken her fan fiction from Twilight and created an easy read that has been coined “mommy porn” by some agencies.  Since I enjoy all types of romance, including the Twilight series, I picked the trilogy up for a quick weekend read.  I was not looking for any semblance of literary genius.  I was looking for the quick read equivalent to watching an afternoon of the Soap Opera Channel.  Taking that into account, EL James delivered just that to readers. 

Calibers of romance stories vary for all readers, even in this trilogy.  Many women look at the storyline to take them away to fantasy land.  Yet others, myself included, blush with the knowledge that yes there are really men that exude the dominance of Christian Grey (albeit without the bankroll) and women who are the young, inexperienced ingenue that have a flair of dominant personality but prefer to be bedroom a submissive that smiles inwardly when she pleases her man. 

E.L. James has created two main characters you nearly hate to actually love. Christian Grey is our dominant hero with a tortured past.  He strives for perfection in all he does and wants to control everything he touches in order to keep the order (“ala perfection”).  Anastasia Steele gets us to commiserate back to times when we were young and didn’t know the power a woman can actually hold over a man’s emotions and desires.  She makes us laugh as she wonders in amazement how she can change the palm twitching Christian with her innocence. 

We are given a strong dose of their meeting and first four weeks of courtship.  We are reminded of the “don’t” of first relationships.  We are reminded of our first time…and don’t we all wish it could be as good as Ana’s.  Christian is our Bill Gate’s billionaire with a pension to share his wealth with others less fortunate – his pay it forward for what was given to him from age four.

The support characters are incredible touches that only add to the storyline.  Each support character has substance and meaning, they aren’t just on the pages for background.  We get to meet them and enjoy their individual personalities even if only for a page or two.  EL James is even able to create connections with characters who we never actually meet – some we hear only one side of the conversation with a name attached.  Not one character is introduced without a positive purpose in mind.  If not for use in this first book, but to appear once again later in the trilogy and fulfill the purpose.

I’m amazed at the readers that fail to acknowledge that yes everything that does happen in this story (sexually) is possible and does occur for those in the lifestyle on a regular basis.  The fact that a de facto unenforceable contract exists as well as non-disclosure agreements and unstable personalities introduced such as Leila is nothing new for society.  We are introduced close up and personal to the inner workings of Ana’s mind, just as we were introduced to Bella’s thoughts/images in Twilight.  The thoughts may be immature and ungrounded – but keep in mind she is only 21 years old to his 27 years old.  He’s a Harvard drop out that grew up fast with memories of caring for himself and protecting himself at the age of 4.  For a reader to deny Christian his bossy nature and self-preservation techniques he’s created for coping would be against human nature in the real world.

On the downside, I will admit that the missed editorial edits for grammar/punctuation did get a bit distracting.  It is easy to see why this book has shot to the top of the best seller list and why the series will remain on the list as a whole – EL James ends her story immediately leaving us with a need.  Her ending was equivalent to waiting for the season opener of Dallas after JR was shot.  Even if you hated the story, you just can’t help but want to find out what happens after the belt came out.

Spoilers …

Yes, filling the book with eight hot and steamy sex scenes might be a bit much but when you consider the time frame and the sexual tension that is created from page one it is amazing Ana and Christian ever get out of bed.  I’d like to point out that a good spanking can be more than delicious when coming from a man you love, being flogged on a cross or the crop passing over your little bits is even hotter.  Ana even has the patented lower lip bite down to a science and will melt many a Dominant’s heart to nibble away…but having a man that is willing to take his time and listen to your wants and needs is even better.  Ultimately, he does provide what an ideal Dominant is yearned to provide – guidance, self-assurance and the ability to just plain take control but will bend if that bending enhances his submissive’s life.  The only scene downfall was letting Ana leave after the spanking with the belt.  I was able to truly understand her despair - she was trying to please the man she loved with complicit silence.  She was lost within her mind.  What happened is truly possible - leaving her alone to think might have looked normal and good but anyone in a D/s relationship knows the possibility of losing your ability to safeword and the horrible sub-space drop following anything so intense especially for someone with so little experience such as Ana.  Shame on Christian.  So I guess these really aren’t spoilers, more so a comparison and contrast with some real life scenarios.  Feel free to tell me how you feel or if you think this is all dreamland.

Disclosure: This book was self purchased. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligations to write a positive review. All opinions expressed herein are the blog authors.  These opinions may not necessarily agree with the author, publisher, publicists or other readers of this blog.  This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.