So, after a year of hearing about these books, I decided I had to know what everyone was talking about. I read all three books this summer, and well....
I am going to get straight to the point. I don't really get what the big deal is. I am not entirely sure why these books have topped so many others in sales (including my beloved Harry Potter series which makes me want to buy mass copies just to set the world straight again). The plot was predictable, especially if you knew that it was a fanfic of Twilight, since it was essentially the same plot. Truth be told, I didn't hate it, but I found it to be far from the literary genius I was told it was.
Meet Ana Steele. Quite, shy, naturally beautiful girl book nerd. She gets roped into helping her best friend out with a favor when she is sick. She goes to interview Mr. Christian Grey for the university's student newspaper. Turns out he is hot, really hot. She is infatuated by/with him from the start, but clearly believes he is out of her league.
Meet Christian Grey. Ridiculously successful CEO, who upon meeting her, is instantly obsessed with Ana. He is your classic "beat the expected odds" adopted child. His birth mother was crack whore and he was rescued by a doctor after they found him locked in the apartment with her dead body when he was four. So, that is kind of a spoiler, but not really. It becomes very obvious he is messed up psychologically when you find out about his red room of pain.... (Note, before anyone who is into S&M gets all soap-boxy on me, I am not saying that lifestyle choice means you are psychologically messed up. Christian admits to it, and in fact, that is the reason for the title of the book.)
Okay, also not a spoiler since every person who picks up these books is, at least at this point in their publication, well aware that there is some interesting sex going on in this book. Actually, I am not sure that interesting is the proper adjective here. Perhaps it is because I have been desensitized by the television, pay cable, and the Internet, but the sex in this book, while far beyond my personal comfort level, wasn't all that bizarre to me. The contract, yeah, that was weird. I also think that since I knew there was kinkiness in the book before I read it, I found it less shocking. In fact, I picked up the book expecting much stranger things, the way people were talking about it. Is it weird sex? Yeah. It is a power struggle dynamic in strange relationship thing I don't really get? Yeah. But in all honesty, it could have been much worse. I think stranger things happen in college than in this book, but what do I know...I went to a state school.
So, while I didn't hate it, I definitely had some major issues with it. Like the frequency of sex. Now, it is my personal belief that unless you are a porn star acting in a underdeveloped plot, relationship issues cannot simply be sexed away. While a good tumble in the sheets may make you forget why you are mad at someone temporarily, the issue still arises. Well, Christian Grey needs to fix all problems by screwing Ana's brains out (or whipping them, flogging them, corking them in?). So, all these women who are like "I wish I had a relationship like them....I wish my significant other loved me like Christian loves Ana....", if this is your true desire, simply remove your backbone and be willing to cave into his every carnal desire. I mean, you don't really need one in a relationship like that anyway. You're on your back most of the time and when you are not, he can prop you up with the chains and handcuffs.
It is my belief that the reasons these books have reached the popularity level they have are as follows:
1. People were told not to read them because they were immoral.
2. Christian Grey is rich, handsome, and is willing to change EVERYTHING about himself to make Ana happy. I am pretty sure that is what every woman wants.
3. There are many unhappily married women out there.
So, all in all, like I said, I didn't hate them. I actually found the email exchanges between the characters really cute and witty at times. Those, actually, seemed like the most realistic aspects of the relationship to me. But, I have once again learned my lesson. If there are screaming fan girls telling me how good a book is based solely on the lead male character, I should beware. Damn you Twilight fans, you got me again!
As for the covers, they are kind of neat. Simplistic, highlighting the event that is most focused on in that particular book; and by event, I clearly mean sexual encounter. Are these books worth a read? Hard to say. I personally would buy Harry Potter and read it all over again. After all this time? Always.
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