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50 Shades of Grey is written by E.L. James, a woman who is a huge Twilight fan but was annoyed that there was not enough sex in it. So she wrote fan-fiction, and changed the characters’ names and settings. Now 50 Shades of Grey has outsold Harry Potter after getting picked up by a major New York publisher.
What’s it about?
The book tells the story of Anastasia Steele, a virginal college graduate, who meets the handsome and rich Christian Grey. Anastasia finds him gorgeous and smart, and can’t imagine why he is interested in her whereas Christian finds Anna to be beautiful and innocent. She is perfect for the ‘dominant-submissive’ relationship Christian has in mind. Throughout the book, Anastasia is exposed to Christian’s world of kinky sex play and his “Red Room of Pain”
Why the big fuss?
The book has been labeled “mommy porn,” a term which implies that adult women cannot enjoy naughty erotic reading unless it has been heavily repackaged. Some women’s groups have called “50 Shades” shocking and degrading because of scenes in the book describing acts of sexual submission. Others have called the book ’50 Shades of S**t’ because of the negative critical reviews it has received.
Trash or harmless fun?
The interesting part is most fans of 50 Shades of Grey are not sexual perverts at all. These women are lawyers, doctors, accountants and mothers. Smart and well educated women are even coming out and saying this is the best book they have ever read. Some fans have told E.L James their sex lives have improved after reading her book!
If the book sounds silly and outrageous it is because it is escapist sexual fantasy. It’s no surprise that 50 Shades of Grey’ has become so popular with women, who have discovered a woman is writing for their tastes.
