Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

It’s the book that many young adult women are reading, but aren’t actually talking about. They ride the subway, sit in a cafe or lounge in Central Park, hidden behind their electronic readers. I saw these same ladies react to what was written, smiling, giggling and swooning as they read. After sneakily taking a peak at one woman’s Kindle, I read this title: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. I took note.

A couple of weeks passed and many of my girl friends were asking, “Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey yet?” I would say no and ask what it was about. Curiously, I received obscure responses, the most popular being a “you’ll like it… just read it.” The mystery of it all intrigued me, so I added it to my Summer Reading List.

I finished Fifty… a few days ago and finally understood what all the fuss was about. It’s not the story line. This novel is – to put it mildly – sensuous. It follows two people, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. It tells their story, providing a well-detailed account of their relationship. They meet, it’s epic and they start dating… well, not dating exactly, but they spend a lot of intimate together (if you know what I mean). Eventually we learn that Mr. Grey has a secret to tell. Once he does, it changes everything between the couple. (I know I’m being slightly vague, but I think it’s best to start Fifty… with as little information as possible).

I will say that I found both Ana and Christian compelling characters. It’s odd. I didn’t think I’d relate with either of them given the context of their situation. James challenges the reader in that way, and made me think about why relationships can be so darn difficult. It’s not just about logistics (like communication skills or timing). We all come into them with baggage. Initially, certain subjects are off-limits or we set certain limitations. In Fifty… we see Ana and Christian let the past go so that they can really learn to trust each other. I liked this.

It’s not the best novel I’ve ever read, but I liked it well enough to purchase the second title in the trilogy. More to come on book 2.

Have any of you read Fifty…? I’d love to hear what you thought.

 

 

 

 

 

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