100 pages in...
It's always a little dangerous to review/critique works of fiction when you yourself aren't necessarily qualified to do so. I know I have written stories but I am by no stretch of the imagination an author, I'm probably not a good writer if truth be told. But I am currently reading (a loaned copy) of Fifty Shades of Grey.
I missed the hype of this book (not sure where it was but it must have been somewhere), so was surprised to see so many reviews of people saying "I read this because of the hype". Hay ho can't have your finger on the pulse all the time.
I was loaned this book by a work mate (who I suspect found this book "exciting" and slightly "subversive") and was keen to share it with others. Why me? Well we do share some similar thought patterns, but I wasn't keen from the start. Reading the blurb on the back I knew I wasn't going to like it. Don't do romance or books that centre round a romantic/sexual theme... well I do but there has to be a good storyline around it. Shanghai in the 1930s, China in the 1940s, hell even a leper colony in Crete. You get my drift. This book promised nothing of the sort. It is meant to be a kinky, DBSM style story, but that part has only just kicked in; and what I have read it's all a little too cliched. I just hope the author has had the sense to research what BDSM truly involves, rather than the "slap and tickle" + mind games that has already been written about.
I will try my best to write a well rounded review once I have finished the book. It's easy to say "don't like it" but to say why and what parts you didn't like is a little harder as I may just find out.
Thanks for reading :)
I missed the hype of this book (not sure where it was but it must have been somewhere), so was surprised to see so many reviews of people saying "I read this because of the hype". Hay ho can't have your finger on the pulse all the time.
I was loaned this book by a work mate (who I suspect found this book "exciting" and slightly "subversive") and was keen to share it with others. Why me? Well we do share some similar thought patterns, but I wasn't keen from the start. Reading the blurb on the back I knew I wasn't going to like it. Don't do romance or books that centre round a romantic/sexual theme... well I do but there has to be a good storyline around it. Shanghai in the 1930s, China in the 1940s, hell even a leper colony in Crete. You get my drift. This book promised nothing of the sort. It is meant to be a kinky, DBSM style story, but that part has only just kicked in; and what I have read it's all a little too cliched. I just hope the author has had the sense to research what BDSM truly involves, rather than the "slap and tickle" + mind games that has already been written about.
I will try my best to write a well rounded review once I have finished the book. It's easy to say "don't like it" but to say why and what parts you didn't like is a little harder as I may just find out.
Thanks for reading :)
Chapter 10
I am angry, really angry that this book is a bestseller - how is this drivel a bestseller??? By chapter 10 I have almost thrown the book down several times. Plot holes - there are a few. Contradictions abound.
I am also angry that such a deep subject like BDSM can be treated so lightly and with no research done on it. Romance and BDSM do not go together - very different mind sets. I only know a little about the subject having spoken to someone who was into some of that stuff. But if I were into it I would be upset that that's what people think it is about.
I really don't know how I can review this book objectively
I am also angry that such a deep subject like BDSM can be treated so lightly and with no research done on it. Romance and BDSM do not go together - very different mind sets. I only know a little about the subject having spoken to someone who was into some of that stuff. But if I were into it I would be upset that that's what people think it is about.
I really don't know how I can review this book objectively
I am this close to giving up
I say again how is this a bestseller? Why are people so happy to read such poorly written stories!
I get it is meant to be fantasy, but it's so full of cliches it's painful. Have some intelligence and maturity when writing about sex. But then it's also a romance story, although is throwing money at someone and being a high powered business man, romantic?
Also how can someone so nonchalantly say oh I was 15 on of my mom's friend seduced me and made me her submissive for 6 years!!! - Hang on that's sex with a minor - statutory rape and continued submission - that's abuse. Is it ok because he was a boy and it was a she who did the seducing? More lazy writing that panders to today's "it's ok because it is a woman, therefore it's safer"! Maybe he takes the lady to court.....doubt it, but I can all but hope. I did throw the book down at that point so incensed at the way that part of the story was delivered.
I will give it one more go, but this is hard reading. I am dreading telling my friend I didn't like it at all, I am having to think of a quick and non-preachy way of saying "it's rubbish and should never have been published and I am worried that so many people like this book". I think I have boiled it down to "I didn't like it because I think the author is a poor writer". *sigh* I wish I could just follow the trend sometimes.
I get it is meant to be fantasy, but it's so full of cliches it's painful. Have some intelligence and maturity when writing about sex. But then it's also a romance story, although is throwing money at someone and being a high powered business man, romantic?
Also how can someone so nonchalantly say oh I was 15 on of my mom's friend seduced me and made me her submissive for 6 years!!! - Hang on that's sex with a minor - statutory rape and continued submission - that's abuse. Is it ok because he was a boy and it was a she who did the seducing? More lazy writing that panders to today's "it's ok because it is a woman, therefore it's safer"! Maybe he takes the lady to court.....doubt it, but I can all but hope. I did throw the book down at that point so incensed at the way that part of the story was delivered.
I will give it one more go, but this is hard reading. I am dreading telling my friend I didn't like it at all, I am having to think of a quick and non-preachy way of saying "it's rubbish and should never have been published and I am worried that so many people like this book". I think I have boiled it down to "I didn't like it because I think the author is a poor writer". *sigh* I wish I could just follow the trend sometimes.
A little calmer today
I'm still plugging away at this book. It has at least recognises the abuse he suffered at 15, but using it as an reasons for being into BDSM is a little dubious. In fact it probably didn't need to happen at all, being adopted could have provided all the mental instability required for the "I can change him" bit.
I still don't get why people like this book so much, are they that sheltered that anything like this is a "must read for any woman".... I do have some very pretentious sounding book in my collection and generally stay away from mainstream books so I know I am coming across as very snobbish. But the writing is so bad and storyline so thin I can't understand why (as I have said before and must stop repeating myself).
I am trying to formulate a decent review for this book, I am also thinking about reading other books with similar subject to see how it can be written.
I still don't get why people like this book so much, are they that sheltered that anything like this is a "must read for any woman".... I do have some very pretentious sounding book in my collection and generally stay away from mainstream books so I know I am coming across as very snobbish. But the writing is so bad and storyline so thin I can't understand why (as I have said before and must stop repeating myself).
I am trying to formulate a decent review for this book, I am also thinking about reading other books with similar subject to see how it can be written.
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