(This is another guest post by our friend Shannon here in Atlanta. Thanks, Shannon!)
Ok, Judgy McJudgerpants, before you get all high and mighty on me, let me explain. I will read almost anything that is getting a lot of attention just so I can be part of the conversation. That’s it. Now that that is out of the way, let’s get started. This book is way out of the realm of my typical read. Based on the pictures on the covers of other romance novels (which is the category I assume this book falls within, but I’m basing that categorization solely on the fact that the book contains a lot of “love” scenes). I expect the plot line to go something like this: high society gal falls for sweaty, muscly stable boy and forbidden love ensues, married gal falls for wind swept, muscly sailor man during an ocean voyage and forbidden love ensues, etc.
Fifty Shades of Grey definitely has a forbidden love, not in the expected social or marital status clash one might typically expect, but more of an internal screaming at the main character “Are you out of your f’ing mind! Didn’t you see the Dateline specials on this!” kind of forbidden love. With the disclaimer of my minimal exposure to romance novels in mind, it is possible that I expected too much from this book (like a believable romance or a main male character worth fantasizing about). But I didn’t like it, and I don’t see why it has become such a sensation.
Bear with me as I give you the basic plot. Inexperienced in love heroine, Anastasia, meets the young, incredibly handsome, mysterious, billionaire, Mr. Christian Grey, during an interview for her college newspaper, and it is sexual tension love at first sight. Anastasia soon finds out, though, that Mr. Grey has a dark secret and that, in order to have a relationship with Mr. Grey, she must agree to his terms. Mr. Grey presents Anastasia with a contract in which Anastasia will agree to essentially follow all orders given by Mr. Grey, those that you would expect in this kind of book (i.e. sexual activities – read whips, bondage, etc.), as well as orders regarding what to eat, when to sleep, what to wear, and spare time activities. Failure to follow any order given by Mr. Grey results in punishment. Anastasia is consumed by her intense sexual desire for this man and need to form a meaningful relationship, but she struggles with not really wanting to participate in the control/punishment aspects of the relationship that Mr. Grey so desires.
I have heard a lot about how obsessed women have become with this book. The radio station that I listen to in the morning did a segment on this book and caller after caller raved about this book and the rest of the series. Frankly, I don’t get it. Some of the “love” scenes are kind of hot, but that’s about it. Mr. Grey’s need for control is, in my opinion, just plain creepy, and I don’t think it is believable that an intelligent, witty young lady would fall for this man. At one point in the book, Mr. Grey spanks Anastasia for rolling her eyes at him. I’m not talking about a playful swat on the rear. He bends her over his knee and hits her multiple times accompanied by the very condescending conversation where he asks her to repeat why she is being spanked as if she were a child.
What I really hate about the book is that it seems to encourage this tendency that women have to give into their insecurities and create a beautiful vision of who a man is, or could be, based on isolated positive events while overlooking more obvious warning signs. In order to get wrapped up in the story line about Anastasia’s struggle with loving this man on a basis deeper than his money, good lucks, and sexual prowess, you have to focus on the positive attributes that the author gives Mr. Grey’s character. It seems that he really does care about Anastasia on some level. He certainly gives her a lot of attention and doesn’t want her to leave him. He gives to charity, so maybe he has a good heart deep down. He tries new life experiences as his attempt to try to give her more of a relationship. But, oh ya, didn’t he just order her around like a child? And isn’t she always fearful about what mood he’s going to be in when she sees him or how he will react to things she tells him? And aren’t most of the gifts he gives her for purposes of keeping track of her? She can’t even tell him a joke for fear that he might not think it’s funny and will get angry. Run for the hills, Anastasia. Run…for…the hills.
There’s also a subplot about discovering what has happened in Mr. Grey’s past to turn him into this control crazed man, but this book barely scratches the surface of that issue. I suppose you have to read the second and third books to get those answers, but I have a feeling the final answer won’t be all that interesting. Feel free to give me a spoiler alert in the comments if I’m wrong.
