[Beau_Soir]

Originally Posted by strictlyfloss

Say what you mean, why don't you!

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!

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.

[sareypoop]

I have just finished 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and found it boring and repetitive with no storyline. I wanted to throw the book across the room everytime I read 'cocked his/her head' or 'inner goddess'. My suggestion is don't bother!!!

[TH14]

Originally Posted by sareypoop

I have just finished 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and found it boring and repetitive with no storyline. I wanted to throw the book across the room everytime I read 'cocked his/her head' or 'inner goddess'. My suggestion is don't bother!!!

It's not a patch on The Twilight series which I think it's clearly based on but it's good for a light read.I'm saving the 3rd one for my summer holiday and will go back to reading 'proper' books for a while

[unpretty]

I'm not a literary snob by any means, but this book does seem to be scraping the barrel somewhat. It's not even good porn. The sex scenes sound very clinical in their descriptions - she might as well be describing a smear test.

To each their own though.

[Beau_Soir]

Originally Posted by unpretty

I'm not a literary snob by any means, but this book does seem to be scraping the barrel somewhat. It's not even good porn. The sex scenes sound very clinical in their descriptions - she might as well be describing a smear test.

To each their own though.

Yes, the continuous description of 'foil packets' is some what of a passion killer.

[strictlyfloss]

Originally Posted by Beau_Soir

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

Lol, apology accepted!

[Viridiana]

Originally Posted by Beau_Soir

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

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.

I totally agree. And for sure this was not tongue and cheek at all, this is fan fiction, and this is the way all fan fiction is written. I have nothing against fan fiction per se, people that look for it want something specific, they are not looking for literary excellence. That's why it's simply baffling how something so appallingly bad ever left the confines of the Twilight fetish and became a published work.

[Residents Fan]

Originally Posted by Rosie Red

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 haven't read the book, but this article on "50 Shades
of Grey" made me laugh by quoting truly
dreadful lines from the book:

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2012/04/05/...f-grey-quotes/

He’s my very own Christian Grey flavor Popsicle.” “Hmm… he’s soft and hard at once, like steel encased in velvet, and surprisingly tasty…”

"Why is anyone the way they are? That’s kind of hard to answer. Why do some people like cheese and other people hate it? Do you like cheese?”

"I lick my lips, and he’s watching me intently,
his eyes hooded."

Ladies, if you want some, ehem,
arousing reading, there are much better writers out there, like Anais Nin and Marguerite Duras, or even
Nancy Friday's collections of women's fantasies which have some fascinating psychological comments on the human mind along with the sexy stuff.

[strictlyfloss]

Lol I have to confess I did actually skip quite a few of the sex scenes!

[Beau_Soir]

Originally Posted by strictlyfloss

Lol I have to confess I did actually skip quite a few of the sex scenes!

Isn't that most of the book?

[strictlyfloss]

Originally Posted by strictlyfloss

Lol I have to confess I did actually skip quite a few of the sex scenes!

Originally Posted by Beau_Soir

Isn't that most of the book?

Nooooooo! I did actually get into the story, and wanted to know what happened next. But whenever Christian started to unzip his jeans and rip open yet another foil packet I just skipped the next few paragraphs lol

I take on board all the criticism - in fact I agree with most of it! - but I did still find it an enjoyable read. I just didn't take it too seriously. To me, Fifty Shades is to fiction what Dallas used to be to TV drama if that makes sense. You knew Dallas was a load of rubbish but you still enjoyed watching it to see what would happen next.

Anyway - I've personally gone from Fifty Shades to Kate McCann's Madeleine and I know which I prefer......

[TH14]

They are making a film of 50 shades and are casting now. I also started skipping the sex scenes as they got quite boring after a while and the silver balls thing was a step too far

[MrsOrin]

The story was originally a Twilight fan fic the writer wrote and then changed into this book series.

Which in the first 50 shades book you could tell which character was once a Twlight character.

As for the film Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries wants the role. I doubt the CW network will let him be invloved though due to the sex.

As someone in their mid 20s I don't know anyone who speaks the way Ana does. What 20something girl would talk about an inner Goddess? maybe a more mature woman in her 40s but not a 20something.

[strictlyfloss]

Originally Posted by MrsOrin

The story was originally a Twilight fan fic the writer wrote and then changed into this book series.

Which in the first 50 shades book you could tell which character was once a Twlight character.

As for the film Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries wants the role. I doubt the CW network will let him be invloved though due to the sex.

As someone in their mid 20s I don't know anyone who speaks the way Ana does. What 20something girl would talk about an inner Goddess? maybe a more mature woman in her 40s but not a 20something.

Well that's why I assumed it was all tongue-in-cheek! Cos so much of it was so daft!

Holy cow........

[Beau_Soir]

Originally Posted by strictlyfloss

Well that's why I assumed it was all tongue-in-cheek! Cos so much of it was so daft!

Holy cow........

No, it's just shite!

[MrsOrin]

I think this dramatic reading of 50 shades read by the cookie monster says it all really

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zD8X2q0LQE

[Lainy]

I have them on my tbr, hadn't heard of it at all until people at work were going on about it

[OneTreeHillFan]

I have read the first one and I quite liked it, have bought the second and third and will probably start reading the second one tonight. They are oddly addictive.

[Rosie Red]

Originally Posted by TH14

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

There would be similarities, because I believe it was originally written using those two characters. I presume it caused a bit of a ripple in fan-fic and the publishers jumped in quick, had her change all the names and anything that Stephanie Meyer could sue for, and got it in print in double quick time - without any editing.

That's what I can't understand. There is so much in the books that publishers don't want, the repetition being the worst. It's galling that writers can be rejected for the kind of writing they've glorified here.

With a bit of guidance from a good editor, E L James would not be getting the critical disdain that she's getting now, because she has the basis for a good story. Still she's made a fortune and so have the publishers, so maybe they don't care.

And I agree with what someone said about the sex scenes - they are quite clinical and left me cold. Initially, because there was no romance as such, and therefore (imo) no sensuality. Even the eventual romance didn't really help. In the end, it was just boring. I never want to read the words 'foil packet', 'lower lip', 'happy trail', again. To name but a few.

[InsideSoap]

I didn't realise it was based on Bella and Edward. Makes me less likely to want to read it as I cannot STAND Bella and don't want to picture Pattinson's stupid face all the way through the books.

[Rosie Red]

Originally Posted by InsideSoap

I didn't realise it was based on Bella and Edward. Makes me less likely to want to read it as I cannot STAND Bella and don't want to picture Pattinson's stupid face all the way through the books.

Glad it's not just me! I've been put off reading the Twilight books for the same reason.

[Beau_Soir]

Originally Posted by Rosie Red

Glad it's not just me! I've been put off reading the Twilight books for the same reason.

There are plenty of other reasons not to read it aswell, trust me!

[ravensborough]

I've not read this book yet, but what annoys me is that lots of my friends and colleagues used to take the mick because I read romance/chick lit books and now they are all over 50 shades of Grey - and they can't stop going on about Christian Grey!

[SourCherry]

Originally Posted by Viridiana

LOL, What about. Not really a spoiler but this is about as sexy as this Christian guy gets.

Spoiler

"....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."

That TOTALLY makes me want to read it. I can't wait. It sounds horrifically bad

[MrsOrin]

The part where he pulls out her tampon...