50 shades too late

Saturday, August 18, 2012 Permalink
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I wasn’t initially going to bother writing about the book. After all, what on earth could I say that hasn’t been said already? But then I remembered this blog is ALL ABOUT ME. It’s the place where I share the thoughts pre-occupying my mind and acts as a virtual sounding-board, offering me a cathartic release from the mess marinating in my mind*. Or something.

I actually hadn’t even planned to read this book (or the series) by E L James. I first remember the hype earlier this year and hadn’t bothered to learn anything about the damned thing. In fact, until I started reading it I thought it was about a middle-aged woman. Glimpses at articles implied that married and middle-aged women everywhere were in raptures over the content, so I figured it was about an older woman and hot gigolo; or a woman being seduced into a sexy affair by a younger man. Or something.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/RockafellaSkank/status/235359700198232064″]

So, you can imagine my surprise when I discovered it centres around two twenty-somethings. It took no time at all to see the similarities to the Twilight series and I guess it’s astoundingly popular for the same reasons. Sassy but shy, demure and virginal young woman (Ana) and (older) wealthy enigmatic experienced man (Christian Grey). *Sigh* Yes, that old chestnut.

When I wrote about Twilight I bitched about the stereotyping of Bella Swan into some powerless uncoordinated awkward damsel. I could say the same about Ana Steele. Exactly. Urgh! (And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Who The Fuck constantly forgets to eat, other than disempowered female characters in books, allowing their menfolk to lord it over them to ‘keep up their strength’?! Though admittedly not always for kinky bedrooms games!) 

Earlier this year I confessed to reading Mills & Boon novels as a teenager while visiting my grandmother. They were all the same back in the 1980-early 90s. Virginal (though headstrong) young woman meets charismatic wealthy (but sexily dangerous) man. The woman was weak. The man strong, his Achilles Heel – of course – being the young virgin in question.

Now I doubt that Mills & Boon novels still feature 20 something virgins and surely governesses are a thing of the past. Mostly. But, I don’t doubt that the underlying theme remains.

A lot of people have commented on the poor writing in 50 Shades and I also found myself perplexed. The writing’s accessible (like the Twilight series) but the narrative is like this first person stream-of-consciousness writing; as if someone actually forgot to edit the bloody book. (Scarier still, I’m worried that my blogs come across EXACTLY THE SAME WAY! Faarck!)

Sex scenes, sadomasochism aside (I mean, each to his own, quite frankly). I must confess I just don’t get the dominant / submissive thing. I know poor old (wealthy, sexy) Christian has his reasons and I’m sure we eventually uncover the traumas of his childhood. But, how can he seriously want someone to sign a confidentiality agreement (implying that he believes what he does is not seen by everyone as ‘normal’) but then be seriously surprised when Ana baulks at the spankings/whippings.

It is a book of contradictions. The first person prose allows us to understand that Ana finds kneeling, not meeting Christian’s eyes and calling him Sir as being debasing. So why does she do it? And why do so many LOVE the book?

I believe it’s that age-old thing about we girls loving the ‘bad boys’. Why?! Because of course WE will be the one that changes them. WE will be the one who make them see the error of their ways: whether they be serial womanisers, workaholics, drug-users, into kinky sex, or wife-beaters.

I know I sound cynical and I am. I said it elsewhere…. leopards, spots etc. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not attracted to the bad boys myself.

Bizarrely it took me three nights to get through 50 Shades – unheard of for an obsessive reader like myself. It was a sign that I struggled a bit with the book. Indeed I almost put it down a number of times, BUT… it did ‘get me in’ a bit cos I wanted to know what Ana would do (and admittedly if Christian WOULD change his *ahem* masterful ways!).

The fact that there are two more instalments obviously mean that the story of Christian and Ana continues.  I’d be shocked as hell if Christian can be lured away from the Red Room of Pain. So… while I won’t stalk my local library waiting for parts 2 and 3, I suspect I will borrow them when I come across them because it seems, after all, that I’m just a romantic at heart and I wanna see if the girl gets her guy!

Have you read 50 Shades?

*accidental alliteration
PS. I also wrote about ‘Shades of Grey’ in my diet blog. Sort of.

 

18 Comments
  • unreformed chocoholic
    August 18, 2012

    Not reading it, dont like the whole disempowered woman thing! I love a powerful woman. I also love a powerful man…………….now that would make a better book!

    • Debbish
      August 18, 2012

      Yes Ruth… the S & M stuff wasn’t too bad (you know… whatever) but the non-physical stuff upset me more! I’m not a big fan of the ‘girlie’ girl!

      Deb

  • Juliana Sherman
    August 18, 2012

    I have and still will make reference to Mills & Boons novel but with the kinky sex to go. I do confess to reading those in my teens but after a few they are all the same. Without spoiling it for you Debbie, I struggled through the third not only because of my 3 children demanded my attention but I got over the hype and …. I d say sexual tension I suppose . So I guess it’s really made for those middle aged sexually frustrated women in a relation or married . We are certainly not virginal to say the lest, ( after a few kids), lol, but looking to spice whatever it is we needed excite our mundane lives. I’m not into dis empowerment, get enough of that at work with Drs and Bosses including my husband ways telling me how they want things done. Not that I do them but let them think that they got their way. …. Lol that’s not submissive but smart . Lol
    Thanks Debbie for your view. Always loving what you have to say. Juliana xxxx

    • Debbish
      August 18, 2012

      Thanks so much Juliana. I love the notion of smartly manipulating the bosses etc so they THINK they have the power!!!

      By the way I googled Mills and Boon and think they go under the Harlequin name now and there seem to be lots of different options.

      Will let you know how I go when I get to the other two!!!

      Deb

  • KCLAnderson (Karen)
    August 19, 2012

    Haven’t read it and probably won’t.

    THIS: “The writing’s accessible (like the Twilight series) but the narrative is like this first person stream-of-consciousness writing; as if someone actually forgot to edit the bloody book” makes me think that my own book is probably similar (in style only)!

    • Debbish
      August 19, 2012

      Not at all Karen (re the style). In 50 Shades, in some point the main character is narrating every thought that comes into her head. The positive is that we know EXACTLY what she is thinking, but it was strange – felt naive on the writer’s part or something. (Can’t quite articulate it.)

  • Mel
    August 20, 2012

    I read it and loved it. I got a little obsessed with them actually and read all three over a weekend.
    Sure, an extra edit or two wouldn’t go astray and the author needs to find a thesaurus, and if I knew Ana & Christian IRL Id slap some sense into her & give him some choice words but its FANTASY. And fantasies come in all forms. If feminists want to get their knickers in a twist then they don’t have to read the book. For me, I’ll take a hot billionaire coming to “save” me from a mundane life with a personal shopper, house cleaner & Audi. Id even trade with a few spanks.

    • Debbish
      August 20, 2012

      I’m sure I’ll read the second two at some point Mel. And indeed Christian does sound very alluring. I was reading something the other day about making the books into movies and a lot of debate on who should play the lead characters!

  • Marion
    August 20, 2012

    Hi Deb! Like I said on your other blog, I really don’t get the hype. Haven’t these women obsessed with this book ever read a really raunchy book before??? Or didn’t they own up to those reading raunchy books!? Honestly, I haven’t read the book, but the storyline has been done countless times in at least four decades now. The only main difference is that now–at least in the U.S.–formerly prudish women are discussing it at book clubs! How funny! It’s just hilarious to think of snobby suburban women openly discussing this book! 😀

    🙂 Marion

    • Debbish
      August 20, 2012

      Very true Marion. I think it’s the same here in Oz – people quite taken by it and I guess it’s the type of novel that doesn’t usually hit mainstream / bestseller lists!

      Deb

  • Satu
    August 20, 2012

    Good review, Deb! Hard to say whether I will read the book. I guess that if I stumble upon it in library, I may read it purely out of curiosity.

    I spent my youth reading Mills and Boons (Harlequin series in Finland) and historical romances. Couldn’t get enough of them. 🙂 I think Mills and Boons have evolved since the eighties and the virginal governess theme is not so common anymore. The sex scenes are also more explicit than in my youth.

    I haven’t read the Twilight series because when I watched the first movie I found it extremely boring. My younger sister (37) loved it though..

    • Debbish
      August 20, 2012

      I have to admit Satu, I only read it because it was there (at the library). I wouldn’t have bought it!!!

      Deb

  • kelley @ magnetoboldtoo
    August 22, 2012

    determined to finish it so I can bag it properly. I didn’t read Twilight and was, rightfully so, blasted for bagging something I didn’t know anything about.

    I have been known to completely annihilate a book in a day, but this thing is taking me weeks. I can only take 1/2 hr a time. True story.

    (BTW I am finding the sex scenes rather childish…)

    • Debbish
      August 23, 2012

      I know Kelley, there was something rather naive or childish about them – I felt Twilight was a bit the same (though I was hooked!). Very formulaic in a way…

  • Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky
    August 22, 2012

    I have just finished the third book. I obviously found them good enough to continue reading! They certainly weren’t the best I’ve ever read, but I kept turning pages. I found the first book… ahem… inspiring. Let’s just I’m going to be giving birth to a 50 Shades baby in March LOL !!!!
    There was a bit of thriller in the second/third books, which I appreciated, though it was a little clumsy.
    The third I found much more focussed on romance, than sex, and there’s plenty of room for that in life too 🙂

    • Debbish
      August 23, 2012

      I’m sure I will end up reading all three Kylie, so look forward to the others…. Are you going to name bub after a 50 Shades character? (Or perhaps the world will be inundated with Christians and Anas over coming years!)

      Deb

  • Trish
    August 25, 2012

    I haven’t read it but want to – just so I say I did – in case I missed what all the fuss was about.
    Never read Twilight , never will.

    • Debbish
      August 25, 2012

      I was a bit the same Trish. Don’t think I was sucked in (which unfortunately I was with Twilight) but I do kinda want to know what happens now!

      Deb

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