Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Fifty Shades Trilogy by E L James ~ an email & my thoughts



Title: Fifty Shades Of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed
Author: E.L James
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Shades of Grey
Publication Date: May 2011, Sept 2011, Jan 2012
Book Source: Own purchase


50 Shades Of Grey Synopsis: When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - 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 adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.


I bought and read the Fifty Shades books separately but decided to review them together for expediency and in attempt to keep it non-spoilerish. Yes this is a bit on the long-ish side but cut me some slack, I'm reviewing 3 in one and I have a lot to say; I'm trying an email format as well as including my thoughts. I'm giving the series a hot damn 5 stars overall, even though books 1 and 2 were probably my favourite. 


From: Teddyree

Subject: Appreciation

Date: June 6 2012

To: Christian Grey & Anastasia Steele

Dear Mr Grey and Ms Steele

Are blindfolds, spanking and restraints the new flowers and chocolates??

My heightened libido would like to say an appreciative thank you for the experience in your new and *cough* fascinating world. 

Thank you seems so ... inadequate when so many words come to mind. 
Delicious, kinky, enlightening, embarrassing, passionate, addictive, salacious, emotional, sensual, set-the-sheets-on-fire HOT. 

Ana can I tell you how much I appreciated your descriptions regarding the delectable Mr Grey, I applaud your negotiating skills, your sense of humour and adventure but I have to tell you even my palm was twitchy with your persistent use of holy crap. Surely a literature student is in possession of a more extensive vocabulary?

Your internal monologue had me in giggles but I confess to hoping (on the odd occasion) that your inner goddess would strangle you into submission. *snigger*

The email communication between the two of you cracked me up, sweet, funny relief to offset your tumultuous relationship and the emotional whiplash. 

Mr Grey, you would have to be one of the most complex, mercurial, desirable, infuriating, controlling, smug, intense, hot, sexy, vulnerable men I've read about. Definitely 50 shades of messed up! I was profoundly sad for your damaged little boy and overjoyed to watch you grow, play, trust and love. 

Thank you Mr Grey for introducing me to some beautiful classic music, this is one I loved, it gave me goosebumps (nothing to do with the fact that it was playing in the "Red Room of Pain")

 :

I relished reading about your dark desires, hence my unladylike haste moving from one book to the next. But as much as I'd love to continue extolling praise and enthusiasm I will have to leave it there. I have a pressing need to find some fluffy handcuffs ;)

Teddyree CEO The Eclectic Reader, Appreciative Voyeur


Random Thoughts:
Ok it's not the best writing but I wasn't reading this series for its literary merit. The compelling, sensual, erotic, dark, emotional nature of this story had me overlooking many editorial annoyances.

As you get to know Christian you understand the reason behind his lifestyle choices, his determination to maintain control and cope with his traumatic past. There's no science basis linking BDSM lifestyle choice to past abuse but I found the psychological aspects really fascinating.

Contracts, rules, soft and hard limits, safe words, HOT sex but there's so much more to this series than lashings of erotic sex. For me this was at heart a romance, with a side of kink but for a relative newbie to the genre like me it was plenty good enough to turn me into warmed honey. There's tender moments too; chasing the sun, when Ana cuts Christian's hair and trying not to get spoilerish ... a deserved ending.  

Now this won't be for everyone and I'm certainly no expert in the genre but if you're a little apprehensive about the content ... breathe easy, or easier. Whilst there's mention of some extreme BDSM, the extreme doesn't eventuate. Bondage and spanking are mixed in with your garden variety 'vanilla' but if the mention of "anal beads or butt plugs" has you running for the hills then feel free to thank me for the warning.

My inner goddess is not embarrassed to admit she loved Fifty Shades, in fact was addicted to it, craves more and is a little bereft that the Christian/Ana journey is over. However I have a feeling my attention-less, housework-less, meal-less family will appreciate my return. 

If you'd like to listen to the playlists from all three books check out this link


Visit E L James' website to find out more about this author and her work



41 comments:

  1. Brilliant review Sheree....exactly how I felt about this series but I just couldn't quite put my feelings into words like you have. The emails between Christian and Ana were something I really enjoyed in the Fifty Shades series....so I love that you've emailed them as you have.

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    1. Thanks Karen, after I decided to just do one review, I couldn't stop, so much I wanted to say :)

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  2. While I don't think this series is for me, I did enjoy your entertaining review :) It helped me get a better understanding of the appeal of the series so hopefully should anyone at the library be brave enough to ask me for similar books, I'll be better informed. I have heard that these books are lite compared to the average BDSM erotica. Thanks for sharing your well thought out review.

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    1. I've heard quite a few people who like the BDSM erotica genre say that these are tame and quite frankly that's fine with me LOL

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  3. Loveeeee your review!!! I have been on the fence about this series and now I have a better view! Thanks!

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  4. Great review! I admit, I won't ever read this series since it doesn't appeal to me . . . but I'm sure many will love this book judging by the hype.

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    1. Thanks Erin, yeah it's really getting a love/hate following, not too much indifference out there

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  5. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING REVIEW!! :) Love the e-mail and couldn't have described it better myself. I'm a huge fan of Christian, oh my gosh. A good kind of 50 shades, wink wink! I was a little sad when it was over too :(

    :) Excellent Miss Teddy!

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    1. Awww thanks Rachael, did I miss your review?? hmmm what to read next LOL

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  6. I enjoyed your entertaining review :)

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  7. Yaaaaaaaaaaay someone that mentioned and loved the music also, love that.

    I think we may have felt exactly the same on this trilogy Teddy, so happy to see your review. I am so over all the debate and honestly have been a little angry on no one mentioning a huge part of the book, music. It is so much more than hot sex.

    The emails were a huge favourite for me also.

    Loved your review ;-)

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    1. I know, out of all the reviews I've seen no one mentions the music and it was such a big part of the book. Yippee love that you loved that too ... have you reviewed them Marce? I'll have to come look!

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  8. Awesome review, Teddy! When I write my Fifty review I hope I can word it half as well as you have here.

    I am so tired of hearing people say this series is just "porn." There is A LOT more to these books, as you said. In fact, the naughty parts are not even the first few things that come to mind.

    Thank you so much for following me! We do indeed seem to have similar book tastes. :)

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    1. Thanks Gin and I totally agree, by the time you get to book 2 it's more about Ana peeling back Christian's layers and negotiating new mutually beneficial comfort levels!

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  9. I read about the tampon scene and no thanks. Heard that the author does not understand bdsm either, she uses it all wrong

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  10. Your review was so damn clever that I'm jealous I didn't think of it!!! You nailed the reasons why I moved quickly from 1 and 2 and currenlty reading 3. I love Christian's vulnerability.....and yes, my inner goddess would like to throw a thesaurus at Ana!!

    You rocked this one and frankly when I review it...I'm just going to point everyone to your review!! :D

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    1. LMAO I wanted to do an email review after reading book 1, but it took me half a bloody day to combine it with books 2 and 3 without spoilers.
      Wahhh you know I love your reviews!

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  11. I think I would just rather wait for the movie, but your review was a hoot!

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  12. A great review, I'm still not sure I will ever read it but I loved your view of it!

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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    1. Thanks Shelleyrae, let me know if you do :)

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  13. I've finished books 1 and 2 and have to get to book 3 at some point. It's interesting to see everyone's thoughts on this series. I read another review where book 1 was her least favorite and book 3 was her favorite. So far they have been ok for me other than Ana's inner goddess irritating the heck out of me! lol.

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  14. I really enjoy reading reviews where the reviewer can see more to the book than just sex! Loved reading your take on the book. I loved all 3 and was really sad when they were over. When I talk about the books, it's not about the sex, it's about the amazing love story that had so many elements to it. There were definitely things that annoyed me (eg. overuse of certain phrases) but I easily overlooked them because I was enjoying the story so much. Really wish people wouldn't stop at book 1....then they would see that Christian wasn't just a control freak...he was lovely!

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    1. Exactly!! I'm so glad to see others feel the same :))

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  15. I loved reading your review, Teddyree and the email was a nice twist(and related to the story as I understand it) :) However I do not believe that 50 Shades is meant for me, but I do feel a little less apprehensive now. For me it's not really the BDSM thing scaring me off. It is all the writing about this being Twilight fanfiction and the fact that I do not read erotica :)

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    1. Don't let the twilight fanfiction hoopla scare you off Mari, it wasn't even on the radar while reading these books but if erotica isn't your thing, I understand that. It wasn't mine either but I've decided I'll be reading a bit more now LOL

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    2. I just think sex is boring in stories, for the most part. I can only think of one or two authors that have written sex scenes that I enjoyed reading mostly I just skim those scenes they're often just a big cliche. Yeah, I'm picky when it comes to sex in books. That is perhaps a part of why I like YA so much. More story and less sex in YA ;)

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  16. Can I just say that I love the style and content of your review? ;-) Your e-mail to the characters is fascinating and laugh-out-loud funny. I am cracking up over "50 Shades of Messed Up," and I loved your references to your heightened libido (I can't think of a better selling point ;-)) and to that fact that a literature scholar should possess a more extensive vocabulary.

    I have avoided this book so far. I am not scared of the prospect of twisted sex, but I've been told the writing is bad, and that IS obscene. *LOL* Your review has opened my mind a bit, though. I may give the first book in the series a try and see whether it grabs me.

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    1. thanks Stephanie, glad I could sway you just a little ;)

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  17. What can I say Sheree?! This is a great review and I totally loved it! If I didn't want to read 50 Shades before I do now. Glad that in your opinion there was more than just sex in the book. There has to be some substance, right?
    Well goddess, thanks for the much needed laugh this Monday morning :)

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    1. glad I could brighten your Monday Jenny. Let me know if you do read it!!

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  18. Your creative review has definitely piqued my interest....I've read several others mention the "not so good" writing, and I'm afraid that might bug me.

    Maybe I'll wait for the movie, too!

    But I LOVED your review.

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    1. Thanks Laurel-Rain ... glad you loved my review LOL

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  19. So far your review tempts me more than all the others!

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  20. It seems like everyone seems to be gobbling up the whole series at once!!

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  21. I do love your review style here.
    This series has really got hype status here in UK.
    I am not one to go with hype usually, but when every other status on Facebook is about Mr Grey (many from folks I didnt realise were readers)I just had to download all 3 books.

    I look forward to reading them after you fab review.

    carol

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