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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not understand why people criticise 50 Shades but have read all three books.

64 replies

alteredbeast · 12/02/2015 17:07

I read so many threads about how awful 50 Shades is. So why did these people read it? Or even all three books?

I think some people secretly enjoyed them but can't admit it to themselves or others. They have to assume a 'I hate 50 Shades' false identity to cover their shame.

Those that stopped reading early on, fair enough. But those that read all three can't really expect to be taken seriously.

Yes they are badly written in places, repetitive etc. But I think they've created a snobbery. It is possible to like a wide range of literature and have read these for fun, curiosty about the hype, a turn on etc

OP posts:

Hakluyt · 12/02/2015 17:09

I never criticise any book I haven't read.

TheWitTank · 12/02/2015 17:14

YANBU. I couldn't even get to the end of the first one it was so dreadful. No way I was going to read the others.

Sallystyle · 12/02/2015 17:15

I read one and that was more than enough to be able to criticise all of the series.

I read the first one because I wanted to see what the fuss was about. The writing was so appalling and the sex scenes so dire I could not carry on. Not to mention he is abusive and Ana is as dull as dishwater and reading about abuse is wrapped up as romance is not my thing.

I read a lot of crap myself, but this was just crappy crap.

As for your question I am interested too in what reasons people give for hating the books and yet reading the whole series.

As a rule I don't like book snobbery. I like some chick lit and often feel silly when I put a chick lit book on my goodreads for some stupid reason. So I think your point about people reading the whole series and pretending not to like them because they are ashamed is probably very valid.

fessmess · 12/02/2015 17:16

For me it's that the reader can infer what they chose to when reading a book. A film takes on the pov of the director therefore this film COULD be portraying abuse in a positive light. Don't know as I've not seen it. Mind you I have read the books and they were rubbish beach reads. Still read all three of them mind you!!

GooodMythicalMorning · 12/02/2015 17:17

I read all three. They were ok. Not serious writing so didnt read it as that. Just light chick flick stuff. It didnt blow me away but it wasnt completely awful.

GooodMythicalMorning · 12/02/2015 17:18

For me they got better as they went along. Third was more enjoyable than the first.

Thurlow · 12/02/2015 17:20

YANBU.

The criticisms that particularly get me are along the lines of "anyone who found them interesting or 'exciting' must have an incredibly dull sex life" That's nice, lets slag people off for what they do like.

Fwiw, I do enjoy a fair bit of trash and I didn't mind the first book. It was quite silly, and on the trashier side of trash, but it wasn't the worst thing I have ever read.

The second and third books take that prize. I only skim read the third one, and that was only because I'm incapable of giving up without knowing the ending once I'm so far into something.

SoonToBeMrsB · 12/02/2015 17:21

I read the first and was willing to leave it at that but my friend read all three and hated them, so urged me to keep going just so I could be as disgusted as she was.

They are truly terrible books.

Cherriesandapples · 12/02/2015 17:21

I disliked the first book but read all three. I had bought them together as they were on special offer. I have rarely stopped reading a book from cover to cover even if I don't like the book. I read super quickly though so it is not that much effort to carry on. I really didn't like the book and I love erotic fiction and all sorts of dodgy books! I wanted to see what happened. Also I was about to give birth and was bored senseless! I feel that the controlling abuse aspect was present until the end and the sex scenes were the worst I have ever read.

Schoolaroundthecorner · 12/02/2015 17:23

I read 3/4 of the first one. I only read that much as I couldn't believe here was so much fuss about it if it really was that bad and I assumed it would improve. It didn't. My main complaint isn't the subject matter of the book, although I do have issues with the relationship portrayed, but that it's so badly written. I cannot understand the hype at all.

wigglesrock · 12/02/2015 17:27

I've read them all, they are poorly written shite but so are lot of books. I read the first one very quickly, started the second one, almost couldn't believe the way the "plot" was going, same with the third - I bought them all in one lot. At least I only wasted two evenings reading them, I've wasted a lot longer on books that I should have given up on.

JudgeyHotPants · 12/02/2015 17:29

I also read the first few chapters of the first book to see what the fuss was about, and soon gave up because it was so dire It's probably the most badly written book I've ever read. I'm not a literary snob and I generally love trashy fiction but you can really really tell that Fifty Shades started life as a Twilgight fan fiction.

Stinkle · 12/02/2015 17:29

I started reading the first one. Everyone I know was going on and on about it and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about but lost interest and abandoned it.

I hate leaving books unfinished and went back to it a few times, but it just didn't click with me so I gave up completely.

I have seen quite a lot of snobbery about it, mainly from people I know who read the books at the time and now the film's out have pronounced them to be utter bollocks read by sad people who need a life. It annoys me, as I don't see why they can't just say they don't like something without insulting people who do.

NatashaGurdin · 12/02/2015 17:29

I did the same as Hakluyt I read them so that I could criticise them and they are terrible, the writing is awful and repetitive and they portray an abusive relationship.

There is so much better representation of the genre that people could read instead.

This started out as Twilight fanfic and that's where it should have stayed.

VikingVolva · 12/02/2015 17:31

YABU

You have to have read a work (in its entirety, or enough to be sure it's a fair sample) in order to make worthwhile comments.

It would be beyond ridiculous to criticise works you've not read (though if you've read some of David Lodge's fiction, it's not totally unheard of in university English Departments)

ghostyslovesheep · 12/02/2015 17:32

I've not read Mein Kampf but I'm fairly sure Hitler was a cunt ...

CaptainAnkles · 12/02/2015 17:34

I read all three even though they were cack which was obvious from the first page. I do read some utter rubbish tbh.

Dunkling · 12/02/2015 17:35

Well, how can you criticise a book you haven't read? Also, sometimes you might read a book, hate it, but still go on to read sequels to finish what you started/add to your reading knowledge/be able to criticise in an informed manner what you have started.

So really, only those that have read all three can be taken seriously.

Zucker · 12/02/2015 17:35

YABU, I can allow for people that have read all 3 to criticize them. They're not to all tastes obviously. What I can't stand is people that criticize them and haven't read a single page of them. Looking at you DH

TheFairyCaravan · 12/02/2015 17:36

YABU

I downloaded them on my Kindle before we went on holiday. Books 2&3 were the only books I hadn't read in my library by the end of the holiday, the Internet was too slow to connect to Amazon let alone download a book, so I read them. They were shit but tbf I've learnt my lesson I always have far too many books in reserve now!

Dunkling · 12/02/2015 17:41

Ghostylovesheep

Yeah, but you can criticise Hitler but not the actual book... well in an overall way on it's message yes, but not it's actual content.

For that reason my 14 year old son who wants to read it has been told yes, I have no problem with that when he asked my permission. Merely for him to gain an insight into what was the monster behind it (I did at first thinking I might have raised myself a little Nazi!). He does in fact just have somewhat of an obsession with WW1 and 2 facts.

WorraLiberty · 12/02/2015 17:41

YANBU it makes me laugh OP

When the books first came out, some of the excuses from Mnetters about why/how they came to read them were hilarious

Much like the Daily Mail. So many people read it but apparently, no-one actually buys it.

peppersaunt · 12/02/2015 17:42

Oh my (said in breathy girlish voice) was it awful (only made it through one). Haven't forgiven 'friend' for recommending it!!!

ilovechristmas1 · 12/02/2015 17:45

never read any of them

and have no intention of going to the cinema to watch either

it must be me but i cant think of a worse film to go and see surrounded by all those people,i think i would just squirm my way through

Sallyingforth · 12/02/2015 17:46

Just like some of you folks above, I read a large part of the first book until I realised it wasn't going to get any better. Then gave up and wiped it off my Kindle.
But for those who enjoyed it and read all three books, good luck to you. I'm sure it does no harm.

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