to admit, I really liked 50 shades of grey...

[OnlyWantsOne]

I read all 3, only a few weeks ago - in a week. I liked them. I now seem addicted to news re the film being released and all things 50 shades. I do get weirdly infatuated with stories etc, greys anatomy, scandal (I consume box sets and whole series in quick time frames and have horrible withdrawal after!)

I've been suckered in hook line and sinker haven't I!?!

What to read now...?

[BastardGoDarkly]

Oh my, YABVU

[Sheitgeist]

YABVVVVVVVU.

FSOG must be the most badly written pile of tosh I have ever had the misfortune of half reading (had to for a book club). The standard of writing was utterly laughable. When I was less than 1/3 of the way through I wanted to gouge my eyeballs out and roast them on a skewer rather than read any more.

Try a real book; your brain will thank you for it.

[OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat]

Didn't you find the appalling writing style unbearably irritating?

I didn't even try to read them, because I had seen enough snippets and reviews saying how bad they were to know not to bother.

I was also a bit about the hype, because it's not like they're the only erotic fiction that's ever been published are they? If you want to read that genre, why not pick something better written?

[Purplepixiedust]

I enjoyed them as did lots of people I know. Not sure I am fussed about the film though. It could be great or really cringy. Somethings are bet left to the imagination.

[squoosh]

YANBU.

If you enjoyed it, you enjoyed it. There is far superior erotic fiction out there though.

[BastardGoDarkly]

Any recommendations squoosh ?

[IdaClair]

Yanbu in that you can enjoy what you like.

But yabu because they really are a pile of shit.

I am conflicted.

[DustBunnyFarmer]

They are shit, but I read all 3 back to back during a torrid time at work when I needed undemanding distraction. They were abysmal but had a weirdly compelling, addictive quality. I felt I had to finish the first one to be sure she had dumped creepy Christian Grey. Then I felt I had to read on to make sure he stayed dumped. The sex was repetitive and dull, but I was completely sold on the retinue of household staff. At the time I was knee deep in shitty nappies, taming a defiant toddler and hanging on for dear life with my full time job. I would have shagged creepy Christian Grey if the housekeeper and helicopter were a cert, though I think my kids (and DH) might have dampened his libido.

[Notmeagain1]

I got drawn in too. Had to read all three of the books. I have no reason why. The plot sucked and the writting was horrible, i just wanted her to say no and LTB. But oh well, she fot knocked upa dn went 3 three books.

Maybe there's hope for me as I was to write in the future.

[TheCunnyFunt]

Yanbu. Yes they were badly written, BUT if you can get past that and the repetitive sex scenes, the story itself is really compelling. I enjoyed them. Although 'panties' instead of pants and also 'my sex' when referencing her fanjo grated quite a lot.

[Notmeagain1]

BTW, I will not be seeing the movie. I prefer my imagination on what happened than what spin Holiwood put on things. Which most of the time are nothing like the novels , imo.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I take it you don't read much OP?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Good grief, the story was anything but compelling!

[AnyFucker]

I have never read these books

I didn't even know there were 3 of them ?

[AWholeLottaNosy]

On the one hand it's quite enjoyable, slightly racy escapism.

On the other, it's appallingly written, cliched, myth peddling absolute tripe!

What to do...?

[AWholeLottaNosy]

This is a great article about what is so problematic about these books...

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2395932

[AWholeLottaNosy]

If you want to read some better written erotic fiction OP try the author Anais Nin, or for the original. BDSM novel, 'The Story of O'

[Bettercallsaul1]

You don't really like them, Only! This is just a wind up, isn't it? (isn't it?)

[Winterbells]

YABVU! I didn't even make it half way through the first book. They are just wrong on so many levels.

I did enjoy reading Jen Reads 50 Shades of Grey though!

[Canyouforgiveher]

You don't read much op?
Try a real book your brain will thank you

Really?

And how about

I wanted to gouge my eyeballs out and roast them on a skewer rather than read any more.

If I had that reaction to any book I'd see a doctor although in fairness I must admit if I had to read Dickens now I might reach for a fork if not a skewer.

I am well read and well educated and I enjoyed those books too. I don't expect everyone to agree and I don't claim they were great literature or even particularly well written but they were fairly easy reading and fed into a lot of escapist fantasies people have. How bad? OP is perfectly entitled to enjoy them without being made feel stupid. People read different books for differnt things. Reading a bit of crap doesn't preclude reading something better written as well.

And a lot of what is regarded as good literature is awful stuff too.

Op, If you like 50 shades, wouldn't necessarily go to The Story of O. It is extremely extremely mysoginistic by comparison to the fluffy 50 shades of grey (yes I do know it was written by a woman) and involves a lot of fairly horrific pain being inflicted on the heroine. Still it has the merit of being the kind of porn approved of by the literary set.

[Bulbasaur]

Well, if a good majority of the female population didn't agree with you, these books wouldn't be so popular.

Personally, I find stuff like that boring for the same reason I wouldn't watch a porn for the plot.

But if you like it, then by all means don't feel guilty for enjoying it. I'm sure if everyone here listed everything they love, we'd find at least one or two really stupid things.

[OnlyWantsOne]

Like others had mentioned, it wasn't the eroticism that captured my attention. It was the lifestyle, drama, luxury etc


Oh and FYI I have an Eng lit degree. I read, and have done - plenty

[BooDidIScareYou]

I loved them but got bored with the repetitive sex scenes quite quickly, was skipping over those bits to get to the plot /story bits! I know it's not great literature but I found it good escapism, I read to relax not to better myself. I won't be bothering with the film tho.

[londonrach]

They are badly written and i thought mr greg had serious issues and why she got involved with this control freak i dont know. Read it because a lady at work went on and on about it and how she wanted to meet mr grey etc. Glad i didnt pay a penny or it. (Library books). I certainly looked at my work colleague differently since. Second book was the worse book i ever read. The so called sex scenes in all the books were boring (im not a fan away of sex scenes so usually ruins the story) so im afraid i did alot of skipping. The ending of book 3 is laughable. Im dyslexic so read in pictures when i read the words (if dyslexic you know what i mean also smells and colours. I remember the end being very green). Dh read the first book again due to hype and couldnt be bothered with rest saying it was badly written too and almost unreadable. There are loads of really good books at there. Your local library is a great place to start. I get through 2-3 books a week.

[hellsbellsmelons]

I also quite liked the Sylvia Day 'Bared to You' books.
50 shades was OK.
Nothing fantastic. They did get worse as they went on and the happy Hollywood ending was crap. But... Millions of people can't all be wrong!