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50 Shades of Utter Garbage

Evilsprinkles

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
31
Location
UK
Let me begin with the caveat that I never really wanted to read the book, and I knew that it would be terrible and appalling before I even set eyes on it. I'm further appalled by the fact that it's now the best selling book in the UK, EVER. Now, it might be the best seller ever--BUT that doesn't mean everyone who bought it, actually liked it. I am thankful that I didn't actually buy it, I was sent an .pdf version, something I never usually read. I prefer an actual book in my hand.

My reasons for reading it were related to my work, it was certainly not a choice I'd make to pick up a copy and read it for fun. I also read it, because as someone who's into the alternative lifestyle, I wanted to see how the book painted someone in that lifestyle. I found myself shaking my head and blinking almost constantly, it's so disparaging, misogynistic, and projects someone into BDSM, as a mentally ill person with issues due to an abusive past. I was truly horrified.

Not only that, but the grammar, depth of character, and realism of the personalities in the book, were so shallow and predictable, it left me feeling completely exasperated by the time I got to the end.

I have written a review for it on Goodreads, which I'll link here, again with the caveat that it contains spoilers, and I have been quite profane with my language. If you don't like brutal honesty and direct language, I don't suggest you read my review. Again, it contains spoilers.

I'm certainly not going to be reading the other two books in the trilogy, because I think I've seen quite enough. It is my sincere hope that people don't think people into BDSM are going to be wired like Christian Grey. As it happens, I'm going to be a guest on an Internet radio broadcast, picking apart the book, what's realistic, what isn't, and hopefully to address some of the really big misconceptions presented within it.

I may share the podcast link once it's aired, if anyone would want to hear it.
 
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I tend to agree with you. My biggest pet peeve with 50 Shades is that, while the Bella & Edward relationship was horrifyingly self-destructive, Bella was a kid. Ana is old enough to know better, inexperienced sexually or not. It's not cute when someone cell phone stalks you, and most of books 2 and 3 are her "fixing" him despite barely addressing any of his actual issues.
 
I tend to agree with you. My biggest pet peeve with 50 Shades is that, while the Bella & Edward relationship was horrifyingly self-destructive, Bella was a kid. Ana is old enough to know better, inexperienced sexually or not. It's not cute when someone cell phone stalks you, and most of books 2 and 3 are her "fixing" him despite barely addressing any of his actual issues.
I haven't read the other two, and I certainly won't be. What really concerns me, is the sheer amount of people reading the trilogy, that may well think that's how BDSM related relationships are conducted, and that's it OK to be that way. They're certainly not, and it certainly isn't. E.L James has a LOT to answer for, although there is a strong element of personal responsibility as to what people believe from books, but then, that never stopped people irrationally believing in god, after reading the bible.
 
I've heard and read so much about this book. It's even going to be made into a movie. In my country, it already sits on the top ten best selling list. I don't feel compelled to read the book after reading the synopsis to it. I'm not really curious about BDSM and I'm not into romantic novels either. I guess people who read this book must also enjoy the Twilight series.
 
I've heard and read so much about this book. It's even going to be made into a movie. In my country, it already sits on the top ten best selling list. I don't feel compelled to read the book after reading the synopsis to it. I'm not really curious about BDSM and I'm not into romantic novels either. I guess people who read this book must also enjoy the Twilight series.

I am horrified to know it's the most read book EVER, in the UK. It makes me feel ill just thinking about it.
 
I am horrified to know it's the most read book EVER, in the UK. It makes me feel ill just thinking about it.

That is....special. I don't know what to say to that.

You are right that this is NOT how things go in the BDSM world. Not ever person into kinky sex had a tragic childhood, has control issues, or a grand canyon-sized amount of sheer self-loathing.
 
I'm not a fan. I found the writing so painful to read that I didn't care about the plot. Although I finished the first book (curiosity killed the cat) I will never, ever, ever, ever read another thing that woman writes.

What I find really scary though is that college campuses are filled with girls reading 50 Shades in the hallways and tell people that it's their favourite book during literature classes! Oh my.

That's not saying that if you enjoyed 50 Shades, you're a bad person. It's just not my cup of tea.
 
The series is extremely popular here in New Zealand too. I haven't read any of the books but have read some of the articles and online reviews and was kind of disturbed that so many women find the male protagnist attractive. o_O From what I've read from the reviews he sounds like a deeply disturbed controlling psycho and not attractive in the least.
 
The series is extremely popular here in New Zealand too. I haven't read any of the books but have read some of the articles and online reviews and was kind of disturbed that so many women find the male protagnist attractive. o_O From what I've read from the reviews he sounds like a deeply disturbed controlling psycho and not attractive in the least.

His only redeeming feature is that he offers utter financial abandon, and even that's questionable as a positive characteristic, kwim?
 
The book was crappy, I mean I suppose the story was average, BUT the writing was terrible and the characters were so obvious it was sad. I've read about 10000000 other books that were better. The problem is, people who NEVER read read this book because of all the hype, and I suppose if you never read, it probably seems like a good book.
 
The book was crappy, I mean I suppose the story was average, BUT the writing was terrible and the characters were so obvious it was sad. I've read about 10000000 other books that were better. The problem is, people who NEVER read read this book because of all the hype, and I suppose if you never read, it probably seems like a good book.

I was wincing all the way through it, because the grammar was so dreadful. It's typical of people though, to like terribly written mass made crap. It's not just books, you've got movies, TV shows and magazines that attract the masses, because it's easy to digest, cheaply fashioned rubbish.
 
I've yet to read it but don't feel strongly compelled to. Being a writer, I'm incredibly picky about writing. I put a book down right away if it isn't up to my standards, which are not something I can clearly define. It doesn't have to have perfect grammar (I've read books, such as "Rule of the Bone" which do not have great grammar but are still awesome) or a perfect story. But it has to be believable and it has to look like the author put some serious love into it. I picked up one of the Twilight books a while back and felt the exact opposite. The writing was total crap, worse than most of my first drafts. It was pathetic to me that someone would have cranked out a book like that. I once heard she wrote it in under a year, which is pretty disgusting to me. I've been working on my first novel for six years now. I think that sort of art should take a long time.

I don't know how long the author spent on 50 shades, but based on people's reaction to it, I imagine it would give me a similar feeling as the Twilight series...
 
Well, 50 shades came from Twilight fan fiction. So Twilight's been around for what 6 years? The she wrote the fan fiction then from there she wrote 50 Shades. It couldn't have taken much longer than a year.
 
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I started the book, but I have only got to chapter 2 so far. I usually do not get into the hype of needing to read the most popular books out there, but my friend insisted that I read it because it was so good. If a book is good, I will usually start reading it and I won't be able to put it down however, I have not noticed that with this book. I hope it picks up and I enjoy it.
 
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