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50 shades of Grey?

twingletwingle Posts: 19,322
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Anyone read this or the trilogy? The book has been mentioned twice in my FB feeds over the last week so googled but doesn't sound amazing.

If read what did you think?
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    Rosie RedRosie Red Posts: 8,446
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    It's awfully addictive. Or addictively awful.

    It started out as fan fiction, and it shows. It does hold a certain fascination and I've downloaded it because I want to know what happens. But it's really not well written. The repetition is irritating.

    It just proves that you don't need to be a great writer to have a best-seller. There isn't even that much of a story to it - the main plot seems to revolve around a back-story. It's selling because of the sex, which is also described with constant repetition.

    It's held enough of my interest to guarantee that I'll buy the third book though.
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    the_lostprophetthe_lostprophet Posts: 4,173
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    I haven't read it and don't plan to as it's not my thing at all but there are some hilarious reviews slating it on the UK Amazon. Apparently it's bad even by the standards of erotic fiction. People are saying the characters are 2D and overall it's just poorly written.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 37
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    Rosie Red wrote: »
    It's awfully addictive. Or addictively awful.

    It started out as fan fiction, and it shows. It does hold a certain fascination and I've downloaded it because I want to know what happens. But it's really not well written. The repetition is irritating.

    It just proves that you don't need to be a great writer to have a best-seller. There isn't even that much of a story to it - the main plot seems to revolve around a back-story. It's selling because of the sex, which is also described with constant repetition.

    It's held enough of my interest to guarantee that I'll buy the third book though.

    I've read all three and I agree with everything you have said above! It is badly written but I kept on reading as I wanted to find out what happened.
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    MuggsyMuggsy Posts: 19,251
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    I thought I might to read them, but the readers' reviews on the Waterstones site were so scathing that I haven't bothered.
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    alsmamaalsmama Posts: 4,564
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    So what does happen? Tell us here then none of us need bother reading bad literature!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,282
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    I haven't read this trilogy but I like the 3 book covers. They look cool.
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    twingletwingle Posts: 19,322
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    Thanks for your replies. So I gather it is absolute tosh yet addictive :eek: Funny now I am reading about it all over the place in the media and online. So there does seem to be a buzz about it so may give it ago :D
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    TH14TH14 Posts: 11,719
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    I'm on the second one now and really enjoying it. It's such a rip off of the twilight books though and if you didn't like the twilight series then I doubt you will enjoy this
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    BathshebaBathsheba Posts: 6,654
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    From the excerpts I have read online, it is laughable.
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    TH14TH14 Posts: 11,719
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    Bathsheba wrote: »
    From the excerpts I have read online, it is laughable.

    It's a light read really, not particularly well written but it's not bad at all
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 977
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    Hi...

    So is it worth starting? I've got the book but haven't began reading yet...
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,156
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    TH14 wrote: »
    I'm on the second one now and really enjoying it. It's such a rip off of the twilight books though and if you didn't like the twilight series then I doubt you will enjoy this


    I disagree - I read the 1st Twilight book and didn't enjoy it at all, I found the 50 Shades series far more engaging. A load of old tosh, as others have said, but strangely engaging tosh! :D
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    CELT1987CELT1987 Posts: 12,358
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    Two people at my work are reading it!:eek:
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 37
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    I see lots of people reading it on my way to work!
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    TH14TH14 Posts: 11,719
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    I disagree - I read the 1st Twilight book and didn't enjoy it at all, I found the 50 Shades series far more engaging. A load of old tosh, as others have said, but strangely engaging tosh! :D

    I think Christian and Edward Cullen are two of a kind with all their hangups and Ana is very similar to Bella in the sense that she never thinks she's good enough. I think there's many similarities but obviously 50 shades is intended for a much older audience
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,156
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    I disagree - I read the 1st Twilight book and didn't enjoy it at all, I found the 50 Shades series far more engaging. A load of old tosh, as others have said, but strangely engaging tosh! :D
    TH14 wrote: »
    I think Christian and Edward Cullen are two of a kind with all their hangups and Ana is very similar to Bella in the sense that she never thinks she's good enough. I think there's many similarities but obviously 50 shades is intended for a much older audience


    Yeah thanks for that! :p
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    TH14TH14 Posts: 11,719
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    Yeah thanks for that! :p

    Lol, it's 'Mommy Porn'
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,156
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    TH14 wrote: »
    Lol, it's 'Mommy Porn'


    Rub it in, why don't you?! I'm off to re-read Twilight now, to get back in touch with my youth! :D
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    twingletwingle Posts: 19,322
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    TH14 wrote: »
    Lol, it's 'Mommy Porn'

    LOL that is funny as the face book news feeds mentioning it was from young mums
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    ViridianaViridiana Posts: 8,017
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    How did did this pile of s*** ever got published?. You really need to a a fat middle american mother of 3, completely dead to life, to not find all of the characters utterly repulsive. And it's so badly written that M&B read like masterpieces next to it.
    It's not even good guilty pleasure trash, it's boring as hell.
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    Beau_SoirBeau_Soir Posts: 1,811
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    If this book is the standard of published work these days, then I am astounded. The writing is utterly appalling with the repetition of 'holy cow' 'crap' and 'goddess' literally every other second. For example:

    "pulling off his boxer brief his erection springs free. Holy cow"

    My friend loaned me her copy.She warned me it was awful and had failed to finish it, but I was willing to give it a go. I didn't finish it either, largely because of the non existent storyline, lack of character development and sex scenes tht sound like they have been written by someone who has not only never actually never had any sex whatsoever, but also that has never had any human contact. Here is one example:

    "My inner goddess frowns at me. You can do this, she coaxes – play this sex god at his
    own game. Can I? Okay. What to do? My inexperience is an albatross around my neck. Picking up a spear of asparagus, I gaze at him and bite my lip. Then very slowly put the tip of my cold asparagus in my mouth and suck it."

    I read it to someone at work who thought it was a spoof of a
    Sex scene. In short, if you are thick and have never had sex, you may enjoy it.
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    ViridianaViridiana Posts: 8,017
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    LOL, What about. Not really a spoiler but this is about as sexy as this Christian guy gets.
    "....he reaches over to his bedside table and grabs a foil packet, and then he moves between my legs, spreading them further apart. He kneels up and pulls a condom onto his considerable length. Oh no...Will it? How?

    "Don't worry," he breathes, his eyes on mine. "You expand too."
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    Regis MagnaeRegis Magnae Posts: 6,810
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,156
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    Beau_Soir wrote: »
    If this book is the standard of published work these days, then I am astounded. The writing is utterly appalling with the repetition of 'holy cow' 'crap' and 'goddess' literally every other second. For example:

    "pulling off his boxer brief his erection springs free. Holy cow"

    My friend loaned me her copy.She warned me it was awful and had failed to finish it, but I was willing to give it a go. I didn't finish it either, largely because of the non existent storyline, lack of character development and sex scenes tht sound like they have been written by someone who has not only never actually never had any sex whatsoever, but also that has never had any human contact. Here is one example:

    "My inner goddess frowns at me. You can do this, she coaxes – play this sex god at his
    own game. Can I? Okay. What to do? My inexperience is an albatross around my neck. Picking up a spear of asparagus, I gaze at him and bite my lip. Then very slowly put the tip of my cold asparagus in my mouth and suck it."

    I read it to someone at work who thought it was a spoof of a
    Sex scene. In short, if you are thick and have never had sex, you may enjoy it.


    Say what you mean, why don't you! :p

    If you've read all of this thread you'll no doubt have noticed that some posters (myself included) have enjoyed the Fifty Shades trilogy. I can't speak for the others but I certainly don't consider myself to be thick, and whilst not going into specifics I think I can confidently say that I'm what the Daily Mail would euphemistically describe as "sexually active". Maybe you took it too seriously? I personally thought the tone of the book was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and that was the spirit in which I read it. Yes it's a light read and it's not going to be nominated for any literary awards but that's what I wanted when I read it.

    I notice that you're relatively new to DS - have you considered posting on the Politics forum at all? ;)
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    Beau_SoirBeau_Soir Posts: 1,811
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    Say what you mean, why don't you! :p

    If you've read all of this thread you'll no doubt have noticed that some posters (myself included) have enjoyed the Fifty Shades trilogy. I can't speak for the others but I certainly don't consider myself to be thick, and whilst not going into specifics I think I can confidently say that I'm what the Daily Mail would euphemistically describe as "sexually active". Maybe you took it too seriously? I personally thought the tone of the book was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and that was the spirit in which I read it. Yes it's a light read and it's not going to be nominated for any literary awards but that's what I wanted when I read it.

    I notice that you're relatively new to DS - have you considered posting on the Politics forum at all? ;)

    Perhaps I was a little harsh at the reader demographic, apologies!:D

    However it really grates that someone with no discernible writing ability can get published. I also don't think it was tongue in cheek at all, she really just is an appalling writer.
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