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The Book Club I joined read this book prior to my joining. I am now going to the movie premier with them so I thought I better read it to be up-to-speed.

I cannot believe how obsessed I am with this series. I read the first one in 2 days.

The writing is not great and the author uses some really stupid phrasing. It's unbelievable that a woman who has finished college has never experienced an orgasm.

But somehow, despite all these negatives, I have been sucked into caring about these characters. I'm embarrassed. But I can't put them down. I am halfway through the second book and I told my SO that I plan to read all evening.

Aside from being ignored through this reading marathon, he is quite amused by the sighing and squirming I am evidently doing while reading.

I'm a 54 year old grandmother - how did I let these books get to me????

NL

I have the first book and have tried several times to get into it. But I just can't tolerate the juvenile quality of the writing. It's so bad.

I'm intrigued by the story however, and may go to see the movie. Post and let us know what you think of it!

[This message edited by gypsybird87 at 2:11 PM, February 5th (Thursday)]

I agree the writing is bad. But somehow I still got sucked in. This is definitely not my usual taste in literature.

I cannot imagine that the movie could live up to the book without having an NC 17 rating. They managed an R, so it can't be as racy as the book. Which mostly leaves the poor dialog and the incredibly stupid inner monolog of Ana (Inner Goddess).

NL

I agree with Gypsy.

I borrowed the book from a friend and attempted to read it, but I couldn't get more than 20 pages in because of the horrible writing. I may go see the movie just to see what all the fuss is about, but I'll likely wait until it comes to video/Netflix.

Ok you guys, this is the funniest thing I have ever seen on the internet. I think the review of the second book is even funnier.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/340987215

Jana-

Thank you. Just thank you. You win the internetz for today.

I have the first book and have tried several times to get into it. But I just can't tolerate the juvenile quality of the writing. It's so bad.

same here. And I can't believe how many people have read it like its the only book they've read all year. It makes me sad.

Jana-

Thank you. Just thank you. You win the internetz for today.

I had to stop reading the review of the second one and go compose myself for a few minutes. I want to be best friends with the author of those reviews.

You are welcome.

I read the review - it was funny. It made some excellent points. And it was very condescending.

I admitted that I was embarrassed that I got sucked into this. As far as it influencing me in real life - duh. It's fiction (although poorly written) and it's not about real life of course.

Most of the stuff I read is fiction. I would never experience any of it in real life - nor would I want to. I have read some great works of literature, pulp, and everything in between. I love to escape, even when the circumstances are completely ridiculous.

Carry on with the bashing.

NL

yep, it IS poorly written.

Some people love the series....probably because they are being introduced to the kinky sex topics for the first time.

Others can not get over the domineering and poor way Grey treats her.

I am HOPING the movie is screen written a little better.

Thanks for that review Jana. I tried to read it but I couldn't get past the insipid characters. This was my favorite line in the review:

It's about two attention-starved individuals with the emotional maturity of toilet paper convincing themselves that their relationship is 'like, the best thing ever, OMG'.

I went to barnes and nobles last week and saw 2 enormous mountains of these books.

I read the first one and I did not think it was that great. It took me a while to get through it. After the hype I kept thinking it would get better but it did not. Maybe the sequels did it, but I kept looking for great and only found mediocre. I hate to admit it, but I was bored half way in.

Anyone catch the 50 Shades of Buscemi trailer?

I got sucked into the first book in spite of myself, but they announced the movie while I was reading the second, so I figured it was a reprieve from having to finish reading the series and stopped mid book. I'll definitely check out the movie.

I don't really care if it's great literature/film, but I'm a sucker for keeping up with the culturally relevant.

Anyone catch the 50 Shades of Buscemi trailer?

Watched that yesterday - could NOT stop laughing! Especially when he's in that red convertible! OMFG!

Anyone catch the 50 Shades of Buscemi trailer?

Yup!

Here's a review of the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2p00R8r5zQ

As for the book - well, I read it when it was knocked down to 50p or something and it was utter trash. I don't think I have ever read such awful writing masquarading as a "book". I found myself rolling my eyes, sighing heavily, muttering "Oh for goodness sake!!" umpteen times. I hated the two dimentional cardboard cut-out characters and the subject matter was, frankly, unashamed abuse. It was far worse than the Mills & Boon garbage my friends' mums used to read. I wasn't going to spend another quid to read two more of the same crap. I wouldn't read them if they were free, or if someone paid me to read them. Fifty Shades of Shit, imo.

I just hope that men realise this crap for what it is. And that when a woman says no, she doesn't mean yes. This is a book (and film) about rape and control. And any woman who has been abused would feel sick that this is being dressed up as "entertainment".

The good reads review was brilliant.

[This message edited by UKgirl at 4:31 PM, February 12th (Thursday)]

OMG, so funny. She said everything I thought and said about the first book, which I didn't finish. As a person who a) was raging feminist in her day, and b) is someone who for much of her life earned a living as a writer, I just couldn't justify the time--or risk losing the brain cells I would have killed by banging my head on any available surface. Needless to say, I did not advance (???) to the second and third books.

Speaking of crap, if I ever, ever ever have to hear/read the words "inner goddess" again, I'm going to construct a pyre out of tampons and maxi pads, light it, and toss unsuspecting women into it. My inner goddess will cap yours in the face if you don't shut the fuck up

A gazillion times, YES!!!! The book was awful and from what I've read, the movie is worse, if that's even possible.

I'll admit I've never read the book. But I have some hilarious associations with it now..

My first encounter with the book was at an airport. A lady at our gate was reading it. It just caught my eye and I went back to chasing my kids. Then, on the plane, at cruising altitude, I was caught between juggling crayons for one kid and readjusting the other - and I saw this list between the seat cracks in front of me.

Now I'm not one to spy on the people in front of me, but the bulletpointed list caught my eye and a very naughty word jumped out at me. I skimmed the list and had one of Ana's "OH MY" moments, thinking the lady was reading a guide to BDSM while her 9 year old son sat next to her. I looked at teh title of the book and saw it was the same one in the airport that a completely different person was reading.

Had BDSM guides gone mainstream? this is odd.

THEN at the next airport, a very professional looking woman was reading the book. By now I'd caught onto this secret-not-so-secret BDSM club that veiled its presence by being completely open

About a year later, when everybody started talking about the upcoming movie of it, I thought this is really weird and not very on-the-sly for a BDSM club and looked the book up on Amazon

And read the most absolutely hilarious review ever about Ana and Christian riding off, orgasming, on horseback

Oh and once I found out it was all just Twilight fanfiction given new character names so she could sell it - BAM the whole thing clicked. The content, the lists, everyone's jokes and complaints and addiction to it. I could likely tell you 90% of its content just by it being fanfiction of the BDSM variety. Fanfiction was my first ethnographic research project (made for interesting class presentations for my thesis)

Oh and once I found out it was all just Twilight fanfiction given new character names so she could sell it

I've heard that before and don't get it. Now granted, I only saw the first two Twilight movies, because my then-stepdaughter dragged me to them. And I only read about the first 25 pages of 50 Shades, because it was so awful... but I don't get the correlation. Is there a love triangle in 50 Shades? Or is it just that our heroine (of questionable intelligence, in both cases) has fallen for someone so dangerous and outside her normal life?