Monday, August 27, 2012

Review: E L James' Fifty Shades of Grey, and Darker

Prelude:

I started reading this book without any information on it what-so-ever, until I got myself a copy of it. To my discovery, this book that everyone has been talking about, is actually an erotic novel. It is also fairly new, and part one of a trilogy. Last discovery but not least, there is an earlier version of it somewhere online. I'm not interested in checking it out but, with that being said I was hopeful for a hole-less story.


Reading the text:

I was eager to get to the bottom of this book, and with my book worm tendencies: I started reading it the moment I got it; just to get it started. I must say, it was a very smooth read. I would go and sit down intending to only read one chapter, to actually end up reading three. I think the some of the wording could have been better, like some of descriptive details. But hey! Each their own opinion.

The story:

So the story goes: An university student, Anastasia Steele, interviews a millionaire, Christian Grey, for her school's news paper. As he is one of the benefactor of the university, will be conferring the degrees at her class' graduation.

Anastasia is as innocent as they come, and is your typical independent and smart lady. Christian on the other hand, is a control freak with issues. Besides that, your typically guy. Undeniable attraction happens between the two, andddd yeah.

Opinion:

Okay, so this book makes me feel Bi-polar! Not because we are reading from Anastasia's point of view into discovering sex and all that. I'm talking the whole book. Like there were chapters I liked, and chapters I disliked. There were moments I enjoyed, and other moments that were just.. annoying or just plain awkward.

Another thing I noticed was the originality of the story. Some events, minor character traits, small details, and location all remind me of another book, (that I'm not going to mention), that disgusted me. BUT, on the flipped side, the author's own stuff was alright.

Now the main characters: Anastasia and Christian, they swayed back and forth with being relate-able characters, to not so much. More Christian, than Anastasia though. Christian, as I said, would be your typically guy. Like he actually remind me of a particular someone, but then, he would have this twist around and do things that wouldn't actually happen. The problem with Anastasia's character is that, she came off a little too perfect, and didn't have any flaws.

I can definitely  say that, this is not a love story. Sure, romantic things do happen, but considering what this was leading up to.... love was not concept here. Above all, I was hoping for this book to be darker.


Verdict:

I give this book 2 and half spankings out of 5 spankings. For making me Bi-polar and undecided if I really want to bother with the other books.

Extra:

Yeah, quick little Google search, and stumble upon this. 

The Hollywood Reporter: Bret Easton Ellis wanted to write the screen play for 50 Shades.



Shades Darker: Opinion and Verdict.

So, I finally decided to read the second part of the Fifty Shades series. Hey! I got it at discount price.

Anyhow, remember all that stuff I said earlier? Well, turns out that my opinion on the first book, does NOT reach the second one. I'm basically saying it proves to be better. Like Anastasia has flaws now! And Christian's characters makes sense as well. And the author's writing is more of her own story. Is it darker? I guess it is by their own standards. (I guess my definition of darker borderlines with Horror... Hey! I like my romance horrors! xP)

After awhile, I don't why, (Besides the names) but Christian Grey in my mind started to be recognized as Christian Bale. When I think of Christian Bale, I think either of Bruce Wayne or Patrick Bateman. So, Christian Grey started coming off as Batman to me. Since we are reading from Anastasia point of view, when Christian went off to his own thing: That was when he went off to be Batman. xD

Another thing I've noticed is that, (As I mentioned, These books are in Anastasia point of view) The way it is written is that, Anastasia, has three conflicting side of her personality:Herself, Her Subconscious, and her, "Inner Goddess." Sound familiar? In Psychology, particularly Freud relating thinking, there is three sides to a person's personality: Ego, Super ego, and Id.
  1. Logical thinking; 
    1. Ego: Herself
  2. Moralistic thinking; 
    1. Super Ego: Her subconscious
  3. Instinctive thinking; 
    1. Id: Inner Goddess            
Unlike everything else, I thought what the author did there was pretty interesting. I don't think I've ever read a book with defined personality aspects emerged into one point of view.

Verdict:

Start over with Three good spankings out of Five good spankings.

Extra:

There has been this buzzed going around how Fifty Shades will have a movie franchise. I think it's ridiculous, I really don't want to see this series to explode like Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games, and so on, and so forth. It would just ruin it, making it lame and disgraceful. Yes, disgraceful.

But if it does turn into a movie I can also see that, Ian Somerhalder, from Rules of Attraction, and Vampire Diaries. (Also books that turned into viewing materials) to portray Christian Grey. As for Anastasia alot of people say, Angelina Jolie... I'm on the fence with that one though.

 

3 comments:

Coopersville said...

Don't change your font colour around. Also, the one you used here is way too dark.

Persephone said...

As I said, I went a shade too dark anyhow. -Fixed btw.

And whats wrong with the changing the colour of the font?

Coopersville said...

If you're going to insist on giving your posts a theme, at least stay consistent.