Fifty Shades - "We Deserve Better"

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ApK

Pretty sure those things are not always mutually exclusive.

What I meant is the writing is very adolescent. I read alot of romance and I read some erotica so I recognize a author who knows her stuff and have thoroughly research her work and one who is obviously knows nothing about what she is writing. I just found the writing to be very YA instead of an Adult novel. If I didn't know she was a married woman I would of thought her waaay younger.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

thanks for the link it was really funny

as a woman, I too have also read lots of romances/erotica (though in the m/m genre, heh). I've never been a fan of twilight, so I don't think I'll be a fan of this either.

I read a lot of m/m too. I have read some articles on the "phenomenon" of straight women reading m/m in large numbers, but apparently it's not as big as this 50 Shades thing. Or perhaps antecedents like slash aren't as well-known.

Maybe because they're poorly written, most people can relate to the language? Isn't there a saying somewhere how media reflects current society?

I think the general reading public isn't all that sensitive to the quality of writing. They want something that is easy to read and has a fast-moving, interesting plot (and, in the case of erotic writing, pushes the right buttons). Look at some of the bestselling authors of the past such as Robin Cook--facile writing, cardboard characters, but it it effortless to read, interesting, and moves fast.

[wyndslash]

well, maybe there'll be more erotica books in the mainstream market after this 50 shades thing

generally speaking, a lot of movies and some books out there can be considered as "fan fiction", but some are really good as to be considered as "standing alone", if that makes any sense. i just think that the term is sometimes used in a derogatory manner, as in the case of 50 shades.

[applesauce]

It should have been tagged YA. It was beyond lame, They where a pair of emo teens, fight have sex fight have sex repeat. I wanted to put the pair of them over my knee. I finished all 3, I rarely give up I thought it has to get better. It never did. It was written no better than a dime store bodice ripper. That tho is not what I disliked, I am not a snob when it comes to writing styles, Many a dime store book has been enjoyed by me. I think I prefer books with romance involved written by men on a whole. Less flowery and emo. Yes I am female but I follow the school of get a can of harden up princess, and can not stand snivilling. My 19 year old twins have more maturity than both of them put together.
I wanted a Harold Robbins or Sidney Sheldon not very tame sex and lots of emo rubbish.

Do people seriously think jealous petty out of control men who act like 2 year olds are hot. seriously.

applesauce

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by applesauce

It should have been tagged YA.
applesauce

I agree. Never read Twilight, so maybe that explains it. But I have read some erotica, and this was not.

This is even being mentioned on legal publications! Here is what I read today:

It doesn’t have to be perfect. No offense to James, who I’m sure is a very nice person, but her writing makes Twilight look like Shakespeare by comparison. While the literary community is up in arms about what this means for the decline of our civilization, James is filling a need (and making the aforementioned community seven figures).

Spoiler:

I found the whole baby thing hard to stomach. For those that have not read the books, she gets pregnant and he gets mad that SHE didn't use birth control. I had fertility issues (which is why I am Sydney's Mom), and if my husband had reacted in that way when I told him I was pregnant, I think I would have shot him. Really.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Spoiler:

I found the whole baby thing hard to stomach. For those that have not read the books, she gets pregnant and he gets mad that SHE didn't use birth control. I had fertility issues (which is why I am Sydney's Mom), and if my husband had reacted in that way when I told him I was pregnant, I think I would have shot him. Really.

Warning Major Spoiler so don't read my reply unless you read the third book or don't care.

Spoiler:

I also had a hard time with that. I too am infertile but out of all the romances and erotica books I ever read I have never seen a hero react like that! It was like in that moment he showed his true colors. I was appalled that he went to his ex and then came home drunk. That would be grounds for divorce in my book.

It wasn't even her fault according to the GYN the shot ran out early and I was hoping after he calmed down they would talk this through and he would see it wasn't her fault but again this is never resolved because she is then trying to rescue Mia from her psycho ex boss then suddenly after she is nearly killed the Baby is something he wants?!?. That is the problem with this book conflicts are never resolved and it's frustrating and a waste of the reader's time. Any good Author knows you don't leave loose strings like that in the plot.

[QuantumIguana]

50 Shades of Grey does seem to have an inordinate number of 1-star reviews. 27.4% of its 2,604 reviews are 1-star reviews. In contrast, of Twilight's 5384 reviews, only 13% are one-star.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

50 Shades of Grey does seem to have an inordinate number of 1-star reviews. 27.4% of its 2,604 reviews are 1-star reviews. In contrast, of Twilight's 5384 reviews, only 13% are one-star.

Different audience. Twilight is really a teen series while Fifty Shades is an adult series.

[applesauce]

Spoiler:

I know the whole baby thing. it took 10 years of infertility treatment to finally get my twins. but seriously they never talked anything out like adults he said no she did it he threw a fit they fight have sex NOTHING is resolved like adults

OOOOooooooo i feel so clever worked out the spoiler button

applesauce

[Xanthe]

It just seems to me that the folks who love this book are the ones who haven't realized that the romance & paranormal genres have been hotbeds (if you'll excuse the pun) of eroticism and sexcapades for about two decades now.

I mean, I've read so many rambling, poorly-written sex scenes over the years that I normally just skip over them now in a novel, unless there's a bit of dialog that has some relevance to the storyline. Sort of like "been there, read that, got the T-shirt".

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

It just seems to me that the folks who love this book are the ones who haven't realized that the romance & paranormal genres have been hotbeds (if you'll excuse the pun) of eroticism and sexcapades for about two decades now..

Longer than that. Have you read the original Bram Stoker Dracula, or any other Victorian-era vampire story? the eroticism is less blatant, but very clearly there, particularly in the illustrations.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Longer than that. Have you read the original Bram Stoker Dracula, or any other Victorian-era vampire story? the eroticism is less blatant, but very clearly there, particularly in the illustrations.

Oh, yes, I've read earlier works, including Victorian porn. My point, though, was that the graphic depiction of intercourse, sodomy, fellatio, etc., has been present in the romance/paranormal genre for quite a while now, so these Fifty Shades books aren't breaking any new ground for anyone who's been reading books in the genre throughout their lives. That's why the fuss about them makes me laugh, and I'm sure has its author laughing all the way to the bank. It was her luck that someone new to the genre got the word-of-mouth started about her book and kicked off the sales.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Longer than that. Have you read the original Bram Stoker Dracula, or any other Victorian-era vampire story? the eroticism is less blatant, but very clearly there, particularly in the illustrations.

Dracula erotic? No way! In fact, the way it's written is just rather well DULL.

[BeccaPrice]

I've read (but have no cites for) that Victorian vampire novels were the equivalent of today's "mommy porn".

And what's considered dull today was quite exciting in it's time.

[phenomshel]

I apparently have dense friends. I have no intention of reading any of these, especially after the Chicago Tribune review linked in Sydney's Mom's post. (Although come to think of it, since I never agree with the Trib. reviewers, maybe I should rethink that...LOL). Anyway, I recommended AGAINST it to a couple of my friends who went on to read it anyway...and adored it. I'm just thinking, "to each her own, and I don't want to argue with you but apparently you're even less critical of what you read than I am, and that's saying something!" I am notorious for not critiquing my reading or my (limited) tv shows that I watch, I like what I like and I don't analyze it too deeply most of the time. But this just seemed not my thing from the start. *shrugs*.