<p>Shades of Gray is a wonderful book. I bought it a few months ago and after I read it gave it to a 13 yr old who thought it was a “real page turner”. I also heard the interview and the mix up is super! as it is so educational and interesting.</p>
<p>If 50 shades of Grey can get people to read or write good erotica, I am all for it. I know that I ahve been recommending Anais Nin to people that liked the book. I just can’t brong myself to read more bad writing. I trudged through Twilight but I will not trudge through bad porn.</p>
<p>Sucker here. I downloaded the book on the recommendations of several colleagues(Professors)duh! I was very suprised at the content and don"t understand how it landed on the NYT bestseller list. It is not the type of book I ever read, but sorry to say it was a quick read and I downloaded book 2 to find ourt what happens. I have never read any twighlight or fanfic, BTW what is fanfic?</p>
<p>fanfic = fan fiction<br>
Fiction written by fans of a TV series, movie, book, etc., using existing characters and situations to develop new plots.</p>
<p>Shades of Grey for a 13 year old??!!!</p>
<p>So glad someone started this thread…thought I was an alien; have zero interest in this type of, dare I say, “literature”??..especially poorly written, fan fiction…</p>
<p>Someone in my house, however, downloaded this onto their own kindle (which is really my account so I get the notification)…I KNOW who it is!!! (and it’s not my husband…)…and I was thinking it was a little racy for a 19 yr old (never mind a 13 yr old???)</p>
<p>The YA book Between Shades of Gray and Fifty Shades of Grey are two different books. Shall we say two ENTIRELY different books. For a 13-year-old, yes to Between Shades of Gray and absolutely not to Fifty Shades of Grey. Absolutely know which one you are getting.</p>
<p>Thanks for clearing that up, ignatious. I was about to blast that poster!</p>
<p>To make it more confusing , there is also a “shades of gray” as well as between & fifty.</p>
<p>
Also a ya book.</p>
<p>So Rodney it may be an honest mistake lol</p>
<p>
[What</a> Exactly Happens in Portland’s Heathman Hotel in 50 Shades of Grey?](<a href=“http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-28691-what_exactly_happens_in_portlands_heathman_hotel_in_50_shades_of_grey.html]What”>http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-28691-what_exactly_happens_in_portlands_heathman_hotel_in_50_shades_of_grey.html)
And to think we missed this last weekend!
:rolleyes:</p>
<p>I saw a little while ago a blog post that took a list of signs of domestic abuse and recounted all the instances in the Fiftey Sades books that matched those signs. That helped influence my views on this book</p>
<p>Worst $$$$ I ever spent! I was a sucker too…regretfully!</p>
<p>Thanks for this thread. The books stay so long on the best sellers list for Kindle I thought I was missing something. This reminds me I’m not.</p>
<p>I would recommend reading them. They have been a topic of discussion at every gathering I have attended in the last few months, ranging from church supper group to neighborhood happy hour. It’s fun to weigh in.</p>
<p>It’s funny how many posts there are slamming books never read and yet it’s managing to be a best-seller still. I’d never heard of fan fiction and had no interest in teenage vampires-Ann Rice did vampires right. But although I heard about the bad writing, I had more than a passing interest in the kinky part ;)</p>
<p>First-the storyline continues and things change a lot after the first book. Second, the author clearly got a better editor after that first book because the writing improves. Third, what people comparing the scenes to domestic violence don’t understand is what the male character repeats over and over throughout the series-the SUBMISSIVE has all the power-from WHAT they will be doing, to WHERE, WHEN, and HOW. It’s ALL consensual, in every way. In domestic violence, it’s the other way around and not the least the same. Also, “The Story of O” is nothing like this. These characters fall in love. In “O” the woman gives everything away, including her very happiness, to her dominant and gets nothing in return. In “Grey”, they do all sorts of kinky stuff but still walk around in sweats, have arguments, cook dinner, go shopping-in other words, even doms and subs have real lives-the author gets a lot right.</p>
<p>I guess it’s fun to mock readers of the books, but as MomofWildChild says, EVERYONE is talking about them. It helps to know what exactly they’re talking about, but I suppose “talking about” can also mean looking down your nose at readers. </p>
<p>Eh. I’ve always relied on what catches my interest, not what list or club thinks I should or shouldn’t be reading.</p>
<p>I fell into the thought that the next two books get better, NOT. dont waste your money. Also I would not want my 21 and 18 year olds to read these.</p>
<p>I agree that the books improve after the first one- still not great writing- but there IS a story and some character development.</p>
<p>“Also I would not want my 21 and 18 year olds to read these.”</p>
<p>An 18-21 yo would be an adult, and thus allowed to read what they wish, no? My own 22 yo is reading them, and I did remind her that they are FICTION but it’s really up her her. I would no more tell a grown child what to read than what to wear or what to eat. I would offer advice if ASKED, and I DID tell D to keep in mind that this is FICTION, not to assume it’s reality-based. But I assume she knows that, just as she knew Harry Potter wasn’t real either.</p>
<p>My 22 yr old, a voracious reader, spent her own money on the book. It still sits half-unfinished (judging by the position of the bookmark) on the coffee table. This is the kid who read the entire Hunger Games trilogy in a day. Hmmmm… Luckily for me, this kid does not need a reminder what is fiction and what is not.</p>