(22) Fifty Shades of Grey

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy by EL James
Publisher: Vintage
528 pages
Genre: Romance/erotica

Synopsis: When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Review: There is a ton of buzz about this trilogy, its been on the news, and seems to be all the rage with bored housewives so I had to see what all the fuss is about.  Interestingly people have very mixed feelings about this book, I've seen nightmare reviews that blast the writing and everything else about it and then others who rave about it.  I think I fall somewhere in between.

I've read a lot of romance books in my time and this follows your typical pattern in that Ana is a virgin when she meets Christian Grey who tempts her and they start a hot romance.  The difference with this book is that Christian's erotic tastes are hardcore BDSM.  Christian is a Dominant looking for a submissive.  He isn't looking for love or romance he is looking for a slave.

Of course since this is a romance novel and not an erotic book what Christian wants and what he winds up with are two different things.  Christian finds that he might have to think differently if he wants to keep Ana Steele.  While some of Christian's "kinky fuckery" is fun and games other parts of it scare the hell out of Ana and leave her confused and unsure.

If you liked the Story of O but wanted a bit more sunshine and roses this might be a good book for you.  If you are offended by the kink stay far away from this series, because the kink is plentiful, graphic and hardcore. I still can't figure out why this book is all the rage these days but maybe its just something new and different in the romance genre.

All in all I liked this book.  I found the characters entertaining and Christians messed up background intriguing.  It will be interesting to see where this trilogy goes.