Just a little rant....
Tonight i was i was trying to distract myself from my life and i came across this review of Fifty Shades Of Grey. I’m going to out it out there. I liked the books. I don’t care what you think that makes me. Im not ashamed. This review was pretty accurate. It didn’t bother me. It was the reactions to it that made me fume lol. I just dont understand. These people are mad because the book is successful due to its hype…but by debating it in this way, they’re continuing to hype it up, making it controversial and making people want to see what the fuss is about. Personally I don’t see the fuss. It’s a book. It’s not written that well. But it is entertaining. When I get my shit together I want to analyze it from a gender studies point of view. But in the meantime, I wanted to say the below comment haha. I couldn’t post it on the site coz I’m using my iPad and it wouldn’t let me. So it’s going here.
“I find this debate so interesting. It seems most of the ‘haters’ have issues because they went into it with expectations that it would be the holy bible of literature. 10 millions copies sold would definitely have u thinking that way. As someone who actually enjoyed the books, I could sit here and argue that it was amazing but it wasn’t. It was poorly written. It is repetitive. It is about nothing but a relationship. But did the book itself ever promise to be anything but that? It was born out of fan fiction so clearly it was never going to be up there with the standards of Kafka, Orwell, Murakami, Chekhov, Eugenides etc. Yet it still sells. If u read it for what it is, then its fine. I find that the teen sort of language actually works for the book because this couple is actually stuck in an adolescent world. Christian is described as Never having gone thru his childhood and therefore reacts to things like a child. Ana, let’s not forget, is just passed being a teenager. And their relationship is about growing and learning…so all those repetitions, and constant referrals to body language that have readers jumping up and down… I dunno…I think it worked for the story. it’s about sex, so clearly body language is gonna be mentioned a lot… It certainly didn’t make me want to burn the books. The book never promises to be about anything but two people sorting their unusual shit out and trying to make it work. Frankly, I’m more pissed that Twilight didn’t get this reception. I find it far more offensive because Its supposed to be about more- vampires. Basically the vampires are just an excuse to prolong Bella’s virginity until she can be suitably married. And build sexual tension. At least with fifty shades there is none of this dancing around. I didn’t find this review to be offensive. It’s an opinion, just like this is mine. However from the reactions to it, I do find it funny that instead of just being able to enjoy a simple book and take what you want from it, there is a whole world of judgement. you get placed inside a box as someone without a brain, who is pathetic and lonely and waiting desperately for The One if u read a romance novel and GOD HELP YOU you enjoy it. Not that I’m inferring that is what this reviewer has said. I love romance novels. I love sitting there thinking about the gender implications, the way our society views relationships and tropes and all that shit. I don’t read a romance novel and wistfully hope to find a prince charming to rescue me. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it, or that I am any less intelligent in doing so. Quite frankly I find it ridiculous that I have to even argue this point. I don’t normally. For uni I read fucking “spot goes to school” and i read it on a train and coludnt have given a shit.
Everyone said that Harry Potter was for kids when it first came out. Clearly not just kids enjoyed that. Fifty Shades is not even close to Harry potter, but taken as it is- a different approach to exploring romantic relationships, is it really THAT bad? Yes it has Many issues. Yes, It’s not the best thing I’ve ever read, but I would read it again because it was enjoyable anyway. People need to chill out and stop being so offended by other peoples opinions and just freaking read what you read without giving a shit if someone is judging u. An opinion is just that- an opinion. It’s not a law for how things are. So chill out.
