Author: Erika Leonard James
Two years. Two years I had stood firm against the world sensation called "Fifty Shades of Grey", I had not read the Twilight sage, nor been the participant of Hunger Games or Games of Thrones. I've always been quite skeptical of works which are their author's first attempt in writing and have received incredible popularity among readers within a short period of time. This time it was different. I saw the trailer of the upcoming film, and I simply had to read the book.
The story as such is quite predictable though rather unrealistic. How often do you see situations in real life where handsome, sexy millionaire goes crazy for innocent, middle-class girl with no sex appeal and previous experience whatsoever? It's like the modern version of the classic love stories, a mix of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, just with more sex, pain and less love and modesty. Without doubt, James has created an interesting story that makes you want to read the next chapter and the one after that as fast as possible, but that's it. From the point of view of emotions and thoughts triggered by the story, most of the things are spread out before you and there's not much to think and left for imagination. Though the author tries to evoke sympathy in the reader by the mysterious and seemingly painful past/ childhood of Grey, it lacks deeper emotions. In places where additional details and a more thorough explanation would be necessary, James crosses them very fast, but then again the bedroom scenes are sometimes more explicit than preferable. Some traits of the other main character, Anastasia Steele, are quite annoying too, for instance, the constant complaining (girl, you chose your fate yourself, nobody forced you, so stop groaning). Her ability to master the art of sex so fast given she had no previous experience is quite unbelievable as well.
