Fifty Shades of WTF?

[Diotima73]

Sigh. Yes, I read the trilogy. I was tired of being left out of the conversation. To quote Maude Lebowski: "The story is ludicrous." And yes, he fixes the cable. Many times. In a redundant way.

But, I have started to wonder if I have become a NF fanatic. For those of you who have not read the books, (and I do not suggest you do), Christian Grey includes in the S&M contract with Anastasia Steele that she will work with a personal trainer, the explanation being that what he has in mind for her requires a level of physical health above the norm. Unfortunately, she never does meet with the trainer, which was disappointing. I was so curious as to what the training regimen would be. Yoga? Parkour? Zumba? Weight training? Nordic pole walking? The shake weight? Oh, please tell me the shake weight is part of the routine!

[namelesswonder]

Haha it totally would be, just to humiliate her. I did not read the series, but I read an author's chapter by chapter breakdown of it. It sounded absolutely awful (both the writing and the glorification of an abusive relationship).

[KellyElizabeth]

I read the first one, and have boycotted the rest thus far!!

[RaeVynn]

Here, a marvelous treatment of the 50 shades of yuck...

[EmCee]

The trilogy was required reading for book club; The writing was horrific but I don't mind a trashy novel every now and then.

I won't speak to the story line as I seem to have a less-than-popular opinion about the relationship

[Ferocia]

The shake weight? Oh, please tell me the shake weight is part of the routine!

I would have laughed my ass off at that. haha!

As far as the reading went, I was underwhelmed. It could have been a good story, but I eventually started skipping over the raunchy parts.

[Ruckus]

Having never read it (I opened it up to a random page in a bookstore for sheer amusement, but that's it), I fail to see why anyone would pay for it (no offense if you did) because you can find erotic Twilight fanfiction on the internet for free. Yes, it is Twilight fanfiction. If you open to the copyright page with all the fine print, it gives her (probably fanfiction.net) handle.

(the relevant part starts at 1:45, but the whole thing is pretty good).

[silverpeacock]

Alex reads twilight was one of my favourite youtube series... I didn't know he did 50 shades too. I haven't and won't read them. I have nothing against S&M, it is a lot of fun, but I don't want to just read about it.

[Diotima73]

All good points and quite true. I read it for the same reason I first picked up the Harry Potter books. It was so wildly popular, that I was curious to find out the appeal. The difference, however, is I actually enjoyed reading the Potter books and found some merit in them. The sex in Fifty Shades is quite tame, and the prose is redundant. I was surprised by how many plagiarized sentences I found in the books, one notable one being: "I finally understand what all the fuss is about." (Thelma and Louise! Do you really think I am not going to catch that? What do you take me for?) I have not read the Twilight series, but when I described some of the more irritating tropes in the book, she said "oh, that is just like Twilight."

[Laney]

I was reading the negative reviews on Amazon, so funny! I read all of these before they were such a huge thing and I told everyone to not read them... No one listened.

Best review ever:

"I'd rather read the iTunes user agreement than continue to read the 50 Shades series"

XD

[namelesswonder]

The problem with 50 Shades is it's NOT an accurate depiction of a sub-dom relationship. If you read the language used, the main character views all of it as ABUSE and reacts as such (crying over being spanked, for example). It's really sick, IMO.

</soapbox>

[BeckyBuckeye]

The problem with 50 Shades is it's NOT an accurate depiction of a sub-dom relationship. If you read the language used, the main character views all of it as ABUSE and reacts as such (crying over being spanked, for example). It's really sick, IMO.

Full disclosure: I haven't read them. But knowing what I do about them, that's my problem with it. BDSM is fine and can be healthy, but not when characterized as it is. Or so I've heard. I think instead of making BDSM look like normal sexuality (which it could have done), it makes it look like domestic violence and abuse.

[katpower]

I read the first one, just to see what the fuss is about.

My conclusions:

1) terrible writing

2) boring porn

3) tame (and inaccurate) BDSM - try Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series if you want some good kink!

[Ruckus]

Alex reads twilight was one of my favourite youtube series... I didn't know he did 50 shades too.

Alex Reads Twilight is actually how I found him, and I regret nothing. He hasn't done 50 shades (yet), but I really hope he does.

[GoGo]

...

[mkolbe2]

I couldn't get past the horrendous writing style.  Dunno if that's just me.

[I-Jo]

The problem with 50 Shades is it's NOT an accurate depiction of a sub-dom relationship. If you read the language used, the main character views all of it as ABUSE and reacts as such (crying over being spanked, for example). It's really sick, IMO.

</soapbox>

I haven't read it- I heard it was pretty ... well bland in the BDSM department.  I'm by no means an expert but from my understanding it was very vanilla and no accurate. 

 

i can't bring myself to bother reading it since I have heard the writing was so terrible.  

[maeggieakamegan]

I was told to read it by a co-worker, so I started it. I think it was around page 68 or so when the guy starts to explain the whole arrangement to the chick and I just couldn't read any more.

 

The way he explains it just disgusted me to no end. I'm not a submissive person by nature and I can't tolerate when others are either. And to be fair, I have control issues to say the least.

 

When someone thinks that they are god's gift to woman kind and they can do whatever the fuck they want, yeah, no, sweety. You're just a pretentious prick. (That's what my interpretation of the guy's mentality anyway)

[I-Jo]

being a sub takes a lot of trust and it's something to be shared.  Being dominate over someone because it's HOW You have to do it... just isn't my thing.  

 

I couldn't consider myself a submissive person- but I have no issue being submissive to someone when that's what we agree on.  There is something very liberating about making NO decisions.  But in my world- that does not extend into full time.  Time and place for it for sure. 

[wideeyed]

being a sub takes a lot of trust and it's something to be shared.  Being dominate over someone because it's HOW You have to do it... just isn't my thing.  

 

I couldn't consider myself a submissive person- but I have no issue being submissive to someone when that's what we agree on.  There is something very liberating about making NO decisions.  But in my world- that does not extend into full time.  Time and place for it for sure. 

This.  I am not submissive AT ALL.  Many of the subs I know in long term Dom/sub relationships are very strong women.  But there is an incredible freedom that comes with being able to LET GO OF THE CONTROL.  I haven't read the book.  Nor will I.  There's much better BDSM erotica available.  BTW, I am not really a sub.  I am what my  husband calls an uppity-bottom.

[superjenni]

Has to be yoga.  She only mentioned her inner goddess about 383 times per book.

[I-Jo]

I am what my  husband calls an uppity-bottom

 

that's a great way to describe it.

 

<3

[wideeyed]

that's a great way to describe it.

 

<3

He's pretty awesome with words.  It's why I married him

Now if only I could convince myself that DOMS (pun SHOULD be intended) was the GOOD kind of pain.

[CrisciMalosh]

Now if only I could convince myself that DOMS (pun SHOULD be intended) was the GOOD kind of pain.

No kidding LOL... I love me a good spanking, but DOMS, uhg.