Okay, now I have a confession to make to you the people of Tonbridge. I'm not particularly proud of this but here we go. You must understand that I did this partly as a result peer pressure and, I'd like to say, out of needing to conduct some literary research, being a bookseller and all. Closer to the truth though was that I was fascinated with the massive hype. Everyone has an opinion about this book and usually it's not a good one, even though it seems that most people commenting have never actually even picked the thing up let alone gazed upon its pages. Yes, I'm sorry, I'm almost ashamed to admit it but:
I'VE JUST READ FIFTY SHADES OF GREY!
The even worse confession is that I actually quite enjoyed it. In fact I've since skim-read the follow up, Fifty Shades Darker and have moved onto the final part of the trilogy, Fifty Shades Freed. I do want to find out what happens to Anastasia (Miss Steele) and Christian (Fifty Shades of.) I wouldn't say that the first book was un-put-downable, if indeed there is such a book in existence, but I did find it compelling reading and not for the obvious titillating bits involving S&M either. That said, being a man more used to M&S, I did find myself laughing out loud and sniggering like a teenager at some of these fruity bits at first. Later though they induce the feeling of: oh, here we go again! Once you've read one chapter about what goes on in the red room of pain (if you've read it this will make sense to you) how much more shocking can it get! It took a long time to come out, because I think that the author, E.L. James, was well aware that she was on to a winner what with the unashamed descriptions of previously taboo goings on in a mainstream novel, but there is a plot and it's quite a good one. Obviously it is by no means the most challenging book I've ever read but, you know, you just can't always read serious literature and Booker prize winners; sometimes you have to lose yourself in something a bit, well, trashy. Essentially though, in my opinion at least, so far in the story (remembering that I'm only two-thirds through the trilogy) it's a good old fashioned love story, where good must triumph over evil... just with added spicy bits. Can't wait to see the steamy film version!...
4 comments:
We look forward to the Fifty Shades window display. Get your designer on the case.
Now there's a thought!!
OK, don't knock something until you've tried it*, but of all the books you have in your shop TB???
* I think it was Mark Twain who said, "Try everything once except incest and ballroom dancing."
I thought that being in the book trade TB, you would have known that these sort of books are known as "Mummy Porn". Not wishing, of course to cast assertions on stay at home, frustrated "mummsies", I hasten to add this is someone else's definition, rather than mine!
You are correct though in what you say, about most people commenting having never actually even picked up the book, so who am I to be judgmental about it?
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