dont like it ..dont read it Showing 1,151-1,200 of 1,896

[Mary]

This thread has managed somehow to remain fairly civil for most of the discourse given the widely varying opinions on this book. I have stated repeatedly that I thought the books average at best, needing a good deal of editing and books I will most likely never read again. Christian is not my idea of a great hero, but I can see the appeal especially for those in his age bracket. I personally do not believe that reading about a fictitious character makes people seek out a similar personality in real life. With the number of books I have read throughout my lifetime, whoever I chose would have to be pretty schizophrenic. I love the character of Healthcliff even though he would be the LAST person I would seek out were he real. I love John Thornton in Gaskell's North and South, even though his character at the beginning of the book is rude, judgmental and thin-skinned. While I also love Mr. Knightley in Emma, for most of the book he is pretty boring because he is so good. Tortured heroes provide for great character study and development.

[Mary]

Jenna wrote: "ughh and damn it i said i didnt wanna argue tonight i have a massive headache and the arguin is just commin out anyways"

I hope you feel better soon Jenna!

[Lor]

Mary wrote: "This thread has managed somehow to remain fairly civil for most of the discourse given the widely varying opinions on this book. I have stated repeatedly that I thought the books average at best, ..."

I agree about the tortured heroes, Mary. I love reading about broken characters but Christian just left a pretty bad taste in my mouth for some reason. =/

[Jenna]

Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "ughh and damn it i said i didnt wanna argue tonight i have a massive headache and the arguin is just commin out anyways"

Lol, you know, it's so funny how none of us know each other, ..."

see its still different u are the in the class that likes the book and im in the class that doesnt but hell we've managed to play nice and enjoy each others opinons

[Mary]

Kris wrote: "Lol, you know, it's so funny how none of us know each other, but we create 2 races of people here: Ones that hate the book and ones who don't. We may have everything else under the sun in common, but our love/hate for Christian freaking Grey is all there is on that exists here!."

I guess I must be biracial. ;o) I don't LOVE Christian. But I do find his character interesting. Ana less so. She was less flushed out as the heroine.

[Mary]

Lorie wrote: "I agree about the tortured heroes, Mary. I love reading about broken characters but Christian just left a pretty bad taste in my mouth for some reason. =/ ."

I understand. Pip from Great Expectations left a bad taste in mine. ;0)

[Kristin (KC)]

Lorie wrote: "Well yeah I didn't mean to be personally offensive. I guess I'm just so used to talking about it with friends and they don't care what I say, haha. =) My bad on that!"

Don't worry about it. I'm sure coming to a thread where most readers liked a book that u didn't, you'd make sure to pack some ammo ;) but, as far as we are concerned here, everyone's opinion counts! I can TOTALLY see where you're coming from. Real life Christian would be way too crazy for me. My husband is the complete opposite entirely, and that didn't happen by mistake. But I had fun with the book. Not my all-time favorite, but fun enough!

[Kristin (KC)]

Mary wrote: "Kris wrote: "Lol, you know, it's so funny how none of us know each other, but we create 2 races of people here: Ones that hate the book and ones who don't. We may have everything else under the sun..."

Haha no Mary-- you're a shade of Grey!!! (so corny, I know lol)

[Mary]

Kris wrote: "Haha no Mary-- you're a shade of Grey!!! (so corny, I know lol) ."

Oh that was a pretty good one Kris!

[Kristin (KC)]

Jenna wrote: "Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "ughh and damn it i said i didnt wanna argue tonight i have a massive headache and the arguin is just commin out anyways"

Lol, you know, it's so funny how none of us know..."

Damn straight! Except now you have a headache, dammit! :(

[Lor]

Kris wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Well yeah I didn't mean to be personally offensive. I guess I'm just so used to talking about it with friends and they don't care what I say, haha. =) My bad on that!"

Don't worry ab..."

Well, yeah I mean I have no clue how he turns out. Just heard some stuff from friends and read some stuff on blogs. I've had family members who have been in abusive relationships though so I guess when I read some things in the first book it kinda hit too close to home if you know what I mean. I know it's fiction, I totally understand that, but meh. =(

[Kristin (KC)]

Lorie wrote: "Kris wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Well yeah I didn't mean to be personally offensive. I guess I'm just so used to talking about it with friends and they don't care what I say, haha. =) My bad on that!"

D..."

Gotcha, the book is definitely a trigger for you. See, we really never do know exactly where people are coming from. There are a few topics in books that I stay away from altogether bc reading should not cause anxiety! :/

[Jenna]

Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "ughh and damn it i said i didnt wanna argue tonight i have a massive headache and the arguin is just commin out anyways"

Lol, you know, it's so funny how n..."

yea and the bf just came home from work they cancled his over time so this is the first full wkend we will have with each other in a long long time so im gettin off here :) lookin forward to aruging with u all tomorrow hehe :P

[Mary]

Lorie wrote: "Well, yeah I mean I have no clue how he turns out. Just heard some stuff from friends and read some stuff on blogs. I've had family members who have been in abusive relationships though so I guess when I read some things in the first book it kinda hit too close to home if you know what I mean. I know it's fiction, I totally understand that, but meh. =( ."

Your experiences with family members certainly makes you more sensitive and aware of abuse and that is bound to have an impression on how you view abusive and/or controlling characters. We all bring our background to the table when we discuss literature. I am sorry your family members had to go through anything disturbing or harmful.

[Kristin (KC)]

Jenna wrote: "Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Kris wrote: "Jenna wrote: "ughh and damn it i said i didnt wanna argue tonight i have a massive headache and the arguin is just commin out anyways"

Lol, you know, it's s..."

Nighty nite, Jenna! Feel better :)

[Kristin (KC)]

Mary wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Well, yeah I mean I have no clue how he turns out. Just heard some stuff from friends and read some stuff on blogs. I've had family members who have been in abusive relationships thou..."

Beautifully said, Mary. I agree...

[Karen]

Lorie wrote: "I've had family members who have been in abusive relationships though so I guess when I read some things in the first book it kinda hit too close to home if you know what I mean."

I can totally understand that.

[Lor]

Guess I should have mentioned that before so everyone didn't think I was completely bloodthirsty!

[Kristin (KC)]

Lorie wrote: "Guess I should have mentioned that before so everyone didn't think I was completely bloodthirsty!"

No way, Lorie! You do not have to give your personal reasons for not liking a book; you're one hundred percent entitled to voice your opinion! I guess the insult on the readers is what got to us, but it's understandable why you feel so strongly on this matter and why you would consider someone crazy for finding this attractive.

Everyone see things through different filters, so we didn't look at Christians behavior as a threat - and I can see how you, and many others, would.

[Mary]

Lorie wrote: "Guess I should have mentioned that before so everyone didn't think I was completely bloodthirsty!"

Well I am sure it is difficult to discuss. I understand where you are coming from now though.

[Christine]

Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

No, the characters aren't extremely like the characters in Twilight. I didn't like Twilight's characters and I did like 50 Shades.

The problem here - and I keep trying to express this in different ways - is everyone reads a different book.
It's sort of like when five people witness an accident on the street. The cops interview them, each witness tells a completely different story. One focused on the driver. One on the pedesterian who was hit. One on the car.

When we read a book or anything for that matter, we interpret it through our eyes.

I expected characters exactly like Twilight when I tried the sample of 50 Shades and was shocked when they weren't anything like those characters.

Twilight?
Bella - 16/17 in high school, lives with her Dad, new girl in town, lonely, falls for vampire, but keeps his secret, wants to be immortal and be with him forever.

Ana - 21/22 - lives with her roommate, graduates second in her class, with honors, has written a thesis on Tess of the D'Urbverilles, and has not one but three job interviews at publishing houses in Seattle set up when she graduates. Falls for reclusive mogul who is 26/27 years old, with a secret and a love of kinky sex.

Edward Sullen - vampire, has powerful family, reclusive, lives with family, goes to high-school, plays vampire baseball, falls for girl...but resists because she is mortal, breaks up with her, then comes back...

Christian Grey - mogul, reclusive, abused horribly as a child, can't stand to be touched, has resorted to BDSM lifestyle to deal with issues, falls for young woman who is witty and honest.

We focus on different things. And it's not a canon fanfic, it's an Everybody's Human fanfic that it was based on - what this means in fanfic lingo is that the only similarities to the original are it's in Seattle, the physical description of the actors who played the roles in the movies, and the names of the characters are used. In other words, Kristen Stewart's Bella and Robert P's Edward played those roles. I didn't oddly enough visualize either in those roles, but I don't visualize people when I read, I get a sensation of what they look like. And Grey's "copper hair" I kept changing to brunette in my head because my kid brother has copper hair and it's a turn off.

What I'm trying to explain to you is we didn't read the same book. No one on this list really did. Some read similar books. Technically we did. It is physically the same one. But since we are unique individuals, and think differently, we read differently.

So the Christian Grey - you saw is not the same one Mary saw, or Jenna saw, or Kris saw, or Alki saw, or I saw. Some people envision Matt Boomer in the role. Personally? I see Alexander Skarsgard. Some people see him as a flawed man who is healed, some as a tortured soul, some as a controlling jerk...it varies. Some as Mr. Darcy in P&P and some as Richard Gere in Pretty Woman.

Personally, I think it is wickedly cool that we all interpret things so differently, but it can be incredibly frustrating at times. Like now, for instance. ;-)

[Mary]

Christine wrote: "Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

No, the characters aren't extremely like the characters in T..."

Great post Christine and so true.

[Kristin (KC)]

Yes, Christine, wonderfully said! We do read the same books but our varying interpretations change it, from one person to the next.

It's that way with just about everything in life, not just limited to books/movies. Really great, philosophical statement :)

[Kimberly]

I started reading this book knowing full well that there was sex in it. I did not however know about all the BDSM in it. But I still finished the book. I liked the writing even if some of you do not. I enjoyed the story that goes with the sex and BDSM. If you are not interested in those kinds of things just dont read the book. no one forced any of you to read a book you do not like. so dont like it dont read it just like movies and tv dont like it dont watch it. problem solved.

[Justine]

Agreed

[Rebecca]

Christine wrote: "Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

No, the characters aren't extremely like the characters in T..."

It is interesting what we get from a book. Although I don't think the characters are identicle to Twilight, I did find many similarities. Particularly the excessive internalised dialogue which focusses on obsessing over the love interest and worrying if she measures up.

I kid you not when I tell you that after reading the first couple of chapters I told my husband that I thought it read similar to Twilight. I was then told that it started our as twilight fan-fiction. My response - that makes sense! Lol!
Absolutely True!

[Ladyacct]

Lorie wrote: "Mary wrote: "Lorie wrote: "I did read the entire book, however, I didn't read the second and third. I don't see how she ended up with all the power when she did everything she didn't want to do to ..."

Maybe her point is that IT IS predictable and therefore something she doesn't want to read?

[Ladyacct]

Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

Karen here ya go:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...

[Ellen]

Ladyacct wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Mary wrote: "Lorie wrote: "I did read the entire book, however, I didn't read the second and third. I don't see how she ended up with all the power when she did everything she didn't ..."

Mary, how can you say you read the entire book when you only read #1? So much more happens in the other two that shapes the ending. I can't believe some of the comments that people make when they've not gone beyond #1.

[Ellen]

Kimberly wrote: "I started reading this book knowing full well that there was sex in it. I did not however know about all the BDSM in it. But I still finished the book. I liked the writing even if some of you do ..."

YEA!!

[Kimberly]

I have now read book two. and from mho she only does what she wants to do. how many women out there say that oral is gross but they still do it happily for their mate. you do things and get comfortable doing them for your love even if at first you said that there was no way in hell you were ever going to do that.
has nothing to do with whom the Dom or the Sub is in that manor. it all depends on yourself. there does not even have to be a Dom or Sub just two loving adults doing what they want when they want.

[Karen]

Ladyacct wrote: "Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

Karen here ya go:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9......"

Thanks for sharing that list. I would like to point out though that most if not all of the items listed as similarities between the books also appear in at least 70-90% of all modern romance books, especially those who feature strong, but tragically flawed male characters.

I could literally list thousands of books that share the same similarities. I think any two things can be compared when looking for ways to find them similar.

Coincidences can be found in many things. I'm actually surprised that FSOG hasn't been more frequently compared to Bared to You, by Sylvia Day. I did find quite a few similarities in the story lines, and it annoyed me when I read it. But, I didn't construct a detailed list of the similarities, I just read it, and moved on.

[Karen]

Christine wrote: "The problem here - and I keep trying to express this in different ways - is everyone reads a different book.."

That was an excellent response!!!!

[Ladyacct]

Ellie for some of us the first book sucked so why pick up two more by the same author with the same characters?????

[Ladyacct]

Karen wrote: "Ladyacct wrote: "Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

Karen here ya go:

http://www.goodreads.com..."

I disagree there are not THAT many similarites in all romance books, 90% of Twilight is in FSoG, take out the vamps and add poorly written unrealistic BDSM sexual/situations scenes. It is an awful BDSM book of the first order.

[Ellen]

Ladyacct wrote: "Ellie for some of us the first book sucked so why pick up two more by the same author with the same characters?????"

I can understand if you didn't like the characters or the direction it was going in. I found the second to be more compelling and grew to care for Ana's & Christian's relationship. For a young innocent, she had lots of control over him. There was a part in the book where he knelt before her and became her submissive. She was shocked by his gesture and knew he really loved her and deep down wanted to change.

[Hannah]

Why is it the women at the school gate can all clutch their copies but I try to start a conversation about Debbie does Dallas and suddenly I'm the ' scary lady you don't talk to ' .... !!!!! Lol

[Karen]

Ladyacct wrote: "It is an awful BDSM book of the first order. "

I would not label FSoG as a BDSM book. It is a romance. It only touches on the BDSM lifestyle. No where in the story are the characters involved in a true D/s relationship. There is only some role playing, and discussion of the lifestyle.

And to touch on your comparison of the books to Twilight, I read the entire Twilight series, as well as the entire three books of FSoG and other than the fact that they both took place in Washington State, and that they both contained elements of romance, I find your list of comparisons weak. I think you could take that list and compare it to just about any modern romance novel out there.

And since you have admittedly not read the entire series, I don't see how you can make inferences to it at all.

[Ladyacct]

I hate to say this but in a TRUE BDSM relationship the submissive is the one with the power as they can stop all action with the safe word and nothing is truly done without the submissive's express permission it's called hard lines - I believe. Therefore, if a submissive can't handle a St. Andrew's Cross that is never done by the dominant or a wooden paddle, etc etc

In Christian and Ana's case I just did not get invested in their relationship it does not matter to me if I EVER read the second or third book - kinda like if I never read the third or fourth Twilight. Won't matter to me at all cause quite frankly I don't feel like I am missing anything. Could really never understand why they stay/stayed on the best seller's list as long as they have because there is much better written in both genres. (in my opinion)

[Ladyacct]

And Ellie there are many Dominants who become or submit to their submissive (for a minute/night/couple of hours) in a few of the more realistic, better written BDSM books I have read. It's one way (usually the quickest and another hot sex scene for the book) for a Dominant to 'make up' or 'convey their abject apology' for MAJORLY screwing up with their submissive.

But quite frankly I don't consider FSoG to be BDSM adult romance - more like amped up YA but not quite adult erotic. One reason would be the almost juvenile way they talk about their bodies and body functions.

[Karen]

Ladyacct wrote: "I never read the third or fourth Twilight. Won't matter to me at all cause quite frankly I don't feel like I am missing anything. "

I never suggested that you finish the series of either FSoG or Twilight. If I didn't like them, I wouldn't have finished them either. But I just don't think you can make some of the criticisms you've made or the comparisons without reading the entire series. That is like a food critic giving a poor rating to a restaurant, after only trying the salad.

[Mary]

Karen wrote: "I never suggested that you finish the series of either FSoG or Twilight. If I didn't like them, I wouldn't have finished them either. But I just don't think you can make some of the criticisms you've made or the comparisons without reading the entire series. That is like a food critic giving a poor rating to a restaurant, after only trying the salad. ."

Exactly!

[Karen]

Hannah wrote: "Why is it the women at the school gate can all clutch their copies but I try to start a conversation about Debbie does Dallas and suddenly I'm the ' scary lady you don't talk to ' .... !!!!! Lol"

In what universe does FSoG have to do with Debbie does Dallas? I'm not sure how you pull that reference into this discussion.

[Ellen]

Karen wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Why is it the women at the school gate can all clutch their copies but I try to start a conversation about Debbie does Dallas and suddenly I'm the ' scary lady you don't talk to ' ....."

Debbie Does Dallas has NOTHING to do with FSOG. There is NO comparison. My husband showed me that tape about 40 years ago. It certainly was not a romance story.

[Ellen]

Ladyacct wrote: "And Ellie there are many Dominants who become or submit to their submissive (for a minute/night/couple of hours) in a few of the more realistic, better written BDSM books I have read. It's one wa..."

I understand, but I don't consider this book to be about a couple who are into S & M. I think it was a quirk or result because of his childhood. It was all he ever knew. He never felt worthy of anyone's love because of the abuse he suffered. I believe Ana liked a little kink, but not the abuse kind. Some couples enjoy things that others might consider obscene. I certainly don't condone a man abusing a woman simply from a controlling standpoint.It is not about love, but control. That type often ends up dead or living in protective custody. I don't compare Christian to this type of man. I'd love to get a doctor's take on his type of personality.

[Christine]

B3cs wrote:It is interesting what we get from a book. Although I don't think the characters are identicle to Twilight, I did find many similarities. Particularly the excessive internalised dialogue which focusses on obsessing over the love interest and worrying if she measures up.

Here's where I wonder if varied reading experiences come into play? Because the excessive internalized dialogue reminded me of Bridget Jones Diary, Confessions of a Shop-a-Holic, and a lot of chick-lit.
And about every romance novel I've read that's written in first person.

That's actually a typical problem with first-person narratives, you will run into either excessive internal brooding about whether the protagonist measures up, or excessive bragging. A creative writing teacher once told me that you don't want to write in first person - because you'll either come across as pathetic with all your insecurities underlined or a braggart.

It's weird, everything you tell me about this book that is exactly like Twilight underlines how incredibly unoriginal Twilight was. Because, I'm sorry to break this to you - but this true of a lot of C rated romance novels. Sylvia Day's book Bared to You and god, the one I just read, written in 3rd person,
which I've forgotten the name of already..did as well.

[Christine]

Hannah wrote: "Why is it the women at the school gate can all clutch their copies but I try to start a conversation about Debbie does Dallas and suddenly I'm the ' scary lady you don't talk to ' .... !!!!! Lol"

Just don't start talking about Story of O..or the journey of Emmanuelle...I think it was Emmanuelle.

[Christine]

Ladyacct wrote: "Karen wrote: "Ladyacct wrote: "Lorie wrote: "It was a fan fiction was it not? All of the characters are extremely if not exactly alike to the characters in Twilight."

Karen here ya go:

http://www..."

Oh please. Go check out the Amazon.com .99 cent erotica section and get back to me. I've read a lot worse.

Heck, you don't even need the 99 cent section, try the chicklit. Want a list of worst books?

Aphrodite's Initiation Series
The Marriage Proposal
His Indecent Proposal
Bared to You by Sylvia Day
The Story of O - that even had a movie made and was considered the first of the genre, although it's not,
the Marquis de Sade beat it by many years.
There's the Sleeping Beauty trilogy...which some people swear by..
and of course Dom of my Dreams, Bottoms Up.

No, it's really not that bad. But if you are comparing it to Anais Nin or maybe Henry Miller, maybe.

[Elizabeth(The Book Whisperer)]

I didn't like it, but it is wrong to insult those who do. To each his own, right? I probably love books that other people hate too, so what, we all have our opinions.

[Jenna]

i dont get on for one night and im lost lol