Fifty Shades of Grey

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carolsue
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Re: Fifty Shades of Grey

Post by carolsue »

Lucy wrote:I read the trilogy some time ago. The sex is silly and repetitive, but what is really disturbing about the books is the relationship. For some reason (really EL James is a terrible writer and it is one of the injustices of the universe that she should have outsold Harry Potter) is the relationship. If you read between the sex, you see quite literally an abuser grooming his victim. Christian Grey is the archetype of an abusive and controlling personality, and frankly, I kept waiting for a cute but earnest FBI agent to pop up and rescue Ana from being buried in the back garden also with his 17 other lovers. What concerns me is the way women are conditioned - through this sort of reading material and elsewhere - to think of this sort of relationship as a romantic ideal. Fifty shades of downright creepy, if you ask me.
While I respect your right to like or dislike any book, I take offense at your comment that women are conditioned through this sort of reading material to think of this sort of relationship as a romantic ideal. I loved this book, and I am very capable of telling the difference between fiction and reality.
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Lucy
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Post by Lucy »

I'm sure that you are a very bright, intelligent person able to distinguish fiction from reality, and I certainly do not mean to offend - it is however a valid opinion to question the way women are continually served up an archetype of an abuser in fiction aimed at them. I think we must, in the end, question how so many women end up in an abusive relationship, and cultural conditioning must be part of the picture. We do not live in a vacuum.
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StephanieSarah
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Post by StephanieSarah »

I read the first two books and I have read half of the third book but I can't not seem to finish it. I could not put the first two down. My biggest problem is that there is not much of a story line and it seems mostly about sex. The reason I could not put the first book down was because I wanted to know much control Anna was willing to give to Christan no with just here life but her body also. We absolutely can't not control our life but we can (most of the time) control who we give our bodies to. I don't think I could every trust someone that mush to give all control over my body like that. I just could not image it.
carolsue
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Post by carolsue »

Ana knew that she only had to say "no", "stop" or the safe word and he would stop. No questions asked. That was clearly indicated in the book. I have never trusted anyone that much, but I can understand how Ana could. The storyline was that he was mentally ill because of things that happened in his childhood and Ana was able to "cure" him. They could have left out all the sex scenes (or the reader could page through them) and the love story between Ana and Christian would have been the same, but then there would have only been 1 book.
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Krystie
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Post by Krystie »

I found Fifty Shades of Grey a challenge because I hadn't had read something similar to it before.
In my honest opinion, I think it was written with poor literary skills. It seemed to me like the author was just writing her unrealistic imaginations. The plot was very simple and one dimensional.
Also, I read that she was inspired by Twilight and she had named the characters Edward and Bella in the beginning!
The two novels have some similarities. A rich and very handsome man with a dark secret who falls in love with a girl? It is the main core of both of the books.
madisonteach01
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Post by madisonteach01 »

The story line in this book was as weak as the story line in the movie Magic Mike. There was no time to develop a relationship before tihngs got steamy. I couldn't even finish the first book. It bored me to sleep every time I attempted it. The writing was too simplistic and rushed. A much better erotica is The Sleeping Beauty triology by Anne Rice under the pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure. It has similar themes of domination and love, but with much better writing.
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suzy1124
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Post by suzy1124 »

will it corrupt me ? :oops:
" We don't see things as they are but as we are "

Carpe Diem!

Suzy...
carolsue
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Post by carolsue »

Depends. Are you easily corrupted? LOL I see it as a man who is mentally ill being made whole again by the love of a good woman. I thought it was an interesting story, but not everyone agreed. I don't get into how well or poorly a book is written, I go by how much I like the story. The sex is there because sex sells. It does a little to explain just how mentally ill he was. The book sold so well because everyone was talking about how much steamy sex was in it and people were curious. That's how you make money. Also, it was drawn out into 3 books in order to receive money from the sale of 3 books instead of just one. I got mine from the library and they didn't cost me a penny. I enjoyed books 2 and 3 more than book 1, and I wish there were books 4 and 5. If that reflects poorly on me, then so be it.
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Krystie
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Post by Krystie »

I am really curious to see how the movies are going to be
carolsue
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Post by carolsue »

Krystie wrote:I am really curious to see how the movies are going to be
I am too. My DIL and I already have arrangements to go see it when it comes out. LOL
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Krystie
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Post by Krystie »

carolsue wrote:
Krystie wrote:I am really curious to see how the movies are going to be
I am too. My DIL and I already have arrangements to go see it when it comes out. LOL
I heard it's going to be next summer. They think of some handsome men for Christian's role including Ian Somerhalder, Henry Cavill and Matt Bomer.
carolsue
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Post by carolsue »

Krystie wrote:
carolsue wrote:
Krystie wrote:I am really curious to see how the movies are going to be
I am too. My DIL and I already have arrangements to go see it when it comes out. LOL
I heard it's going to be next summer. They think of some handsome men for Christian's role including Ian Somerhalder, Henry Cavill and Matt Bomer.
I had to google these names as I am not familiar with any of them, but my vote goes to Ian Somerhalder, 100%. He definately matches my mind's image of Christian.
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Krystie
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Post by Krystie »

carolsue wrote: I had to google these names as I am not familiar with any of them, but my vote goes to Ian Somerhalder, 100%. He definately matches my mind's image of Christian.
I agree. But he would have to dye his hair copper because that's how Christian's hair is. I just read they also think of Alex Pettyfer but he looks too young for me. He would be better for Christian's brother.
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Kali06
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Post by Kali06 »

Probably one of the worst books I have come across.
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The Bad ass Poet
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Post by The Bad ass Poet »

Is this book have some deep story line to hook up or just sex as ppl say
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