Bit of background knowledge in case you didn't know. It was originally a Twilight fanfiction. And if you've read Twilight and read this book, it is very, very obvious how much it was a fanfiction. The characters of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey are essentially Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen. Her name even gets shortened to "Ana" ala "Bella".
Let's see. A pale brunette, clumsy 'innocent' girl falls for this cold, pale drop dead handsome man. Sound familiar? There were a couple of scenes that felt like a direct copy of Twilight, just with different diction and context.
Guy warns her that's he's bad for her but can't stay away. She's captivated by him even though he's bad for her. She wants him, he wants her. They do it. A lot. A lot, a lot. She asks him if he's noticed how he "dazzles" people. Sound familiar?
She has a best female friend, which I liked the character because she didn't feel like a Twilight copy. And she has a best guy friend who's got brown skin named Jose, and who loves her and wants her. Although there is no love triangle in this story because she is Team Grey all the way! Yay! (That was sarcasm).
Her mom is remarried, and is very out there and does many different hobbies yet never finishes them. This was like literally almost word for word a description of Bella's mom. She has a dad (in this case a step dad, although not the man her mother is currently married too, yeah I know confusing). But she calls him by his first name.
She worked in a hardware store where she really has no place working there because she doesn't do that stuff. Just like Bella working at an outdoor store dealing with all things camping and such. What a coinky dink!?
It takes place in Seattle. Like the same fricken state really?
Once you get passed that you move onto the whole BDSM storyline plot. Something I can't understand why someone would get turned on by spanking among other things the person they're making 'love' to. Or as it's put in the book. They f**k. Hard. And I don't know how someone would be turned on by being humiliated that way and being a submissive.
Without ruining the overall plot she finds out he's into that stuff and wants her to be his 'submissive' but she has to sign a contract and agree to all sorts of ridiculous things like she can only eat foods from a list he gives her. Has to work out a certain number of hours a week, can only wear clothes he buys her, and that's not even getting into the sexual things they have to do.
And she takes up the whole book to decide whether she wants to do this or not. Naturally she falls for him. And he falls for her (although he doesn't ever admit it, at least in the first book, I'm sure later on he does).
But he wants her to be an obedient submissive. She wants him to be the loving perfect boyfriend. And well they both want and expect different things.
It honestly starts to get somewhat interesting towards the end because something big is happening. He's preoccupied with something even with everything that's going on between him and Ana. And in the second half of the book he would provide brief, vague reasons as to why he is the way he is.
But we don't get a complete explanation. And I know that was to set it up for the sequels. So you have it end on somewhat of a cliffhanger. It in my opinion was not a very good cliffhanger because in a way it ends things and yet you know that it 'ends' but there's going to be more. And your left with the last scene which wasn't so much the cliffhanger as what came before it. Her decision as to whether she wants to or not, and whatever problem is happening in Christian's life. And the questions you have regarding him.
Overall I will admit it was somewhat better than I expected. But still not my favorite, nor will it ever be. The writing was very amateur and if anything it makes me hopeful that even someone like me could become an author. Just have to include lots of sex. And it's sold more than Harry Potter, which makes me angry because it is not a well written novel that deserves that kind of prestige.
But whatever. I can talk about it as a novel, but because I haven't read the whole trilogy I can't discuss it as a whole. But overall, it was better than I expected but still not impressive enough. Maybe one day I'll read the following books. But not anytime soon. I have a long list of books I want to finish that are much better and I plan to go there.
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