Most of us know the story surrounding Fifty Shades of Grey and the infamous Christian Grey. I don't know why E. L. James gave her main male character characteristics that would make people hate him, but she did. Let me go down my mental list. It's short so it won't take long.Stalker - checkControl Freak - checkBut added to the list is something I think most people missed or wanted to ignore. Here's the extra I've added to my list.Victim of emotional/mental abuse - checkVictim of physical abuse - checkVictim of sexual abuse - checkE.L. James hated her character so much to have this as his background story. For him to turn out as well as he did confounds me. Yes, I know what most people will think of what I've said, they'll think 'what a load of bullshit.'But, no it's not. You think about it. (Sorry for revealing spoilers if the below is.)His first love interest was a Dominatrix who seduced him or should I say beat and mind-fucked him into believing that having kinky sex was the NORM. He never ever experienced what a loving, caring relationship should be - not until Ana. Also, he was fifteen when the older woman took control of him. Now I don't know where you come from, but can you say 'statutory rape'. That is sex abuse.This abuse went on for years. I understand Christian and why he chose to have Submissives.Control is a precious thing to someone who has lived with abuse. When you have to fight for control because you have no control over what your abuser's doing, you will choose any way you can to gain it. Some people gain it by abusing drugs and alcohol, having promiscuous sex, cutting, or my personal choice - food. For Christian Grey, it was to be in control of his life and anyone who came into it. -shakes head- I can't blame him for that.Yes, he was into things most normal people aren't into, but the people he had relationships with consented to do this stuff with him - just like Ana did. When she asked him to stop, he did. He didn't go around beating up people who didn't deserve it, he didn't touch kids, he didn't do a lot of things that, sadly, a victim of abuse can go on to do.Also, with the stalker thing, he was a billionaire who had the power to get whatever information he needed. Does it make it right what he did? No. But Ana certainly didn't seem to mind even if she was pissed off with it. She wasn't stupid. She knew it was stalking, but I think she had an understanding of what Christian was like. She was attracted and gave him chances.Now, if it had been some stranger that had tracked her down and had found out all her personal details I'd be grossed out. But, Ana, actually held all the power - not Christian.Let's talk about Ana.Ana was a woman who had never had a boyfriend. Apart from a broken family - her life was pretty much perfect. Then she got roped into doing an interview and meet Christian Grey. They were both attracted to each other, enough to want to have sex with each other straight away. Now, that doesn't worry me, because if they had met in a nightclub, they probably would have slept or 'fucked' as Christian likes to say, on the first night. It would have been a one-night-stand. Relationships can be made on less. She also wanted to experience what other women had already experienced and, although I admit to never having the sex she had, she was open-minded. And, maybe, in being open-minded, she gave Christian what he needed to be able to save himself from the monster he was becoming. He was slowly destroying himself.Ana had the ability to make others laugh. She was friends with everyone and saw only the best in people - even people who meant to harm her. She made Christian happy, angry and frustrated, sometimes all at the same time. She was actually quite strong - she never signed the contract and she set her limits. Christian listened. As I said, Ana, had all the control - it was subliminal, which is why it was so easy for people to hate Christian, because his fight to keep control of Ana and their relationship was obvious.Now for the contract.I'll be honest - I knew nothing about BDSM, so I did some research. And, I think I'm possibly looking at the same thing E.L. James saw, unless she interviewed people who are into it.Now according to Wikipedia, a contract should be made between the Dominant and a Submissive before they even agree to 'play'. It sets out the terms of what each will or won't do. There are safe words because this kind of playing has the ability to fuck with your mind without you being aware of it until it is too late.When I first read about the contract while reading the book, I was appalled to say the least. I seriously thought, 'You're giving him the right to beat you.' But, after reading this I thought differently. You see, Ana had every opportunity to tell Christian to get lost, but being fully aware of what he was into, after seeing the 'Red Room of Pain', she went through the list. At the back of her mind she was aware of what she was getting into, even if she tried to pretend she didn't.And, let's face it, she liked almost everything that he did to her, except for the thing that sends her running towards the end of the book.A lot of people think the book is about the contract, but I didn't feel that way. I felt it was about their relationship. It was about a girl, who took on a man, who thought he was a monster - when in truth, he was the survivor of a brutal upbringing. Now I have to admit some of the writing was seriously bad and started to piss me off. I really don't see the need for the 'oh my's' the 'holy fucks' or that damn inner goddess crap. It would have been better without it. There was also a lot of repetition - blushes, flushes, smiling shyly, to name a few.I could go on for awhile longer, but this is my longest review, and I think I've said what I wanted to say. Now for my rating.Three out of five stars.This review can be found at http://magicalmanuscriptsandwritingthings.blogspot.co.nz/
A Reader's Heart
Focuses on reviews of Young Adult novels with honesty and integrity. My ratings and reviews vary on how I feel about the book.
Most of us know the story surrounding Fifty Shades of Grey and the infamous Christian Grey. I don't know why E. L. James gave her main male character characteristics that would make people hate him, but she did. Let me go down my mental list. It's short so it won't take long.Stalker - checkControl Freak - checkBut added to the list is something I think most people missed or wanted to ignore. Here's the extra I've added to my list.Victim of emotional/mental abuse - checkVictim of physical abuse - checkVictim of sexual abuse - checkE.L. James hated her character so much to have this as his background story. For him to turn out as well as he did confounds me. Yes, I know what most people will think of what I've said, they'll think 'what a load of bullshit.'But, no it's not. You think about it. (Sorry for revealing spoilers if the below is.)His first love interest was a Dominatrix who seduced him or should I say beat and mind-fucked him into believing that having kinky sex was the NORM. He never ever experienced what a loving, caring relationship should be - not until Ana. Also, he was fifteen when the older woman took control of him. Now I don't know where you come from, but can you say 'statutory rape'. That is sex abuse.This abuse went on for years. I understand Christian and why he chose to have Submissives.Control is a precious thing to someone who has lived with abuse. When you have to fight for control because you have no control over what your abuser's doing, you will choose any way you can to gain it. Some people gain it by abusing drugs and alcohol, having promiscuous sex, cutting, or my personal choice - food. For Christian Grey, it was to be in control of his life and anyone who came into it. -shakes head- I can't blame him for that.Yes, he was into things most normal people aren't into, but the people he had relationships with consented to do this stuff with him - just like Ana did. When she asked him to stop, he did. He didn't go around beating up people who didn't deserve it, he didn't touch kids, he didn't do a lot of things that, sadly, a victim of abuse can go on to do.Also, with the stalker thing, he was a billionaire who had the power to get whatever information he needed. Does it make it right what he did? No. But Ana certainly didn't seem to mind even if she was pissed off with it. She wasn't stupid. She knew it was stalking, but I think she had an understanding of what Christian was like. She was attracted and gave him chances.Now, if it had been some stranger that had tracked her down and had found out all her personal details I'd be grossed out. But, Ana, actually held all the power - not Christian.Let's talk about Ana.Ana was a woman who had never had a boyfriend. Apart from a broken family - her life was pretty much perfect. Then she got roped into doing an interview and meet Christian Grey. They were both attracted to each other, enough to want to have sex with each other straight away. Now, that doesn't worry me, because if they had met in a nightclub, they probably would have slept or 'fucked' as Christian likes to say, on the first night. It would have been a one-night-stand. Relationships can be made on less. She also wanted to experience what other women had already experienced and, although I admit to never having the sex she had, she was open-minded. And, maybe, in being open-minded, she gave Christian what he needed to be able to save himself from the monster he was becoming. He was slowly destroying himself.Ana had the ability to make others laugh. She was friends with everyone and saw only the best in people - even people who meant to harm her. She made Christian happy, angry and frustrated, sometimes all at the same time. She was actually quite strong - she never signed the contract and she set her limits. Christian listened. As I said, Ana, had all the control - it was subliminal, which is why it was so easy for people to hate Christian, because his fight to keep control of Ana and their relationship was obvious.Now for the contract.I'll be honest - I knew nothing about BDSM, so I did some research. And, I think I'm possibly looking at the same thing E.L. James saw, unless she interviewed people who are into it.Now according to Wikipedia, a contract should be made between the Dominant and a Submissive before they even agree to 'play'. It sets out the terms of what each will or won't do. There are safe words because this kind of playing has the ability to fuck with your mind without you being aware of it until it is too late.When I first read about the contract while reading the book, I was appalled to say the least. I seriously thought, 'You're giving him the right to beat you.' But, after reading this I thought differently. You see, Ana had every opportunity to tell Christian to get lost, but being fully aware of what he was into, after seeing the 'Red Room of Pain', she went through the list. At the back of her mind she was aware of what she was getting into, even if she tried to pretend she didn't.And, let's face it, she liked almost everything that he did to her, except for the thing that sends her running towards the end of the book.A lot of people think the book is about the contract, but I didn't feel that way. I felt it was about their relationship. It was about a girl, who took on a man, who thought he was a monster - when in truth, he was the survivor of a brutal upbringing. Now I have to admit some of the writing was seriously bad and started to piss me off. I really don't see the need for the 'oh my's' the 'holy fucks' or that damn inner goddess crap. It would have been better without it. There was also a lot of repetition - blushes, flushes, smiling shyly, to name a few.I could go on for awhile longer, but this is my longest review, and I think I've said what I wanted to say. Now for my rating.Three out of five stars.This review can be found at http://magicalmanuscriptsandwritingthings.blogspot.co.nz/
