Fifty Shades of Grey

Note: this post is more for people who have read the books...

This series has swept the nation.  It is the latest Twilight (and is as well-written), but in adult form.  I simply could not stand the series, and I read all three, and here is why.

Personally I thought it was poorly written, even for a "fun read."  The main character's "inner goddess" who frequently pops up to nod in approval or shake her head in disdain was more than annoying and got repetitive.  Once Christian and Anastasia get married, I felt like the plot was forced.  A random stalker and a random car wreck felt like feeble attempts for enough drama to fill 3 books.  Their relationship, and Christian's disturbing background, were far more interesting.

Which leads me to what I did enjoy about the book - I found Christian's story intriguing.  What he went through as a child, and how it has affected him as an adult, was what got me through the three novels.

The book includes lots of graphic sex scenes, which I honestly flipped through without reading.  It did not offend me, but again, I felt it was repetitive in its description.  That's just me.

But here is the real reason I could not stand the series and I get so personally offended when people defend it: Christian's possessiveness and jealousy drove me crazy.  When I say that to people, they always say, "But he gets better!  You have to read them all!"  So I did.  And in my opinion, it doesn't really get much better.  Let me explain, using evidence from strictly the third book.

It begins on their honeymoon.  Anastasia teases Christian by asking if she should take off her top.  Of course he says no, but he continues to say he doesn't like the fact that she is already showing so much skin to people in her bikini (possessive trait number one).  Later, after she actually does take off her top and falls asleep like that, he covers her in hickeys so that she cannot go out in her bathing suit again (number 2).  Further into the book, her father is in a car accident and she rushes to the hospital.  She sits there freezing so her best friend from college offers her his jacket.  When Christian arrives, he is steaming.  He knows better than to mention it in that particular situation, but he does reveal later that he didn't like it (number 3).  When Anastasia does not want to change her maiden name at work, he is so infuriated that he shows up at her office.  Why is she ashamed for the world to know that she belongs to him?  Of course, she eventually changes it to please him.  Last but not least, he never warms up to her best friend, Kate.  Why?  In my experience, it's number 4, a trait that goes with any possessive man.  He doesn't like anyone his significant other cares about because he/she is competition for attention.

I do not want to offend anyone with my opinions on this book.  I am glad people are reading - any time people are talking about books, the English teacher in me is smiling.  I just do not like the fact that Christian is suddenly everyone's dream man when he is, in fact, overly jealous and possessive.  Personally, it offends me, for reasons I will keep to myself (although anyone who knows my past can guess why).

There.  Maybe now I will quit throwing fits in public when people mention this book.  It's off my chest. :)