50 Shades of what?
We have all heard of this story at some point in our lives- whether we have read the book or not. The acclaimed love story of Christian and Anastacia. Sometimes hailed as the greatest romance novel ever written, this book stayed on the NYT best sellers list for a very long time. So what makes 50 shades of Grey such a memorable book and why do people think its one of the greatest books ever written. Let us dive a little deeper into this universe and dissect a few issues on why the book appealed to so many but was somewhat hailed as an equal failure by some readers.
The book revolves around billionaire entrepreneur Christian Grey who develops a relationship with literature student Anastacia Steele. What starts as an innocent interview that Anastacia goes to have with Christian, turns out to a passionate story of love, erotic expression, and emotional insecurity. We all battle with our own demons but this story reveals underlying issues in the lives of these two individuals that reveals their own demons. Two different people from very different walks of life who try to work out a relationship that might, or might not work eventually.
What makes 50 Shades of Grey a good book?
So, what makes this book a very nice book that has appealed to millions worldwide?
- It is fantasies fulfiled
From the erotic nature of the book to the billionaire boyfriend to instant sparks exploding between two people at just the sight of each other, this book simply put: fulfils the desires of very many people. The book takes you to a eutopia and leaves you yearning for more.
- It is also relatable
As author E L James takes you to this eutopia, he still keeps you in the real world, where people have struggles, disagree and are even torn at crossroads quite often. This makes the book balance the effect of fantasy and reality and present you with an outlook that will make you think, do I really want this life in 50 Shades of Grey or is my life in itself just good enough?
- It shows us the battles in our mind
The book also breaks down what goes on in our minds. How far are you willing to go for someone you love? The dilemma between breaking your principles and staying with someone you love? The crossroads of sacrificing what you believe in or sacrificing who you love. Even as the book excites you with all the nicely written romance paragraphs, it gets you thinking, what would I have done if I was in their shoes? And what am I doing in my life when I am at a crossroad like that?
However, there is also a section of readers who have thoroughly critiqued the film based on these premises:
- Depiction of love and sex
The book has been criticized by several people by its depiction of sex and its relation to love. The depiction and glorification of BDSM have also been said to have been quite extreme. The choices that the characters make as well has been pointed out as not necessarily being the very best choices that point towards true love. This, some readers feel that overall, makes 50 Shades of Grey to change from being a love story to being a sexual story. But with the world we live in: who could blame them?
Well, that just about sums it up, 50 Shades of Grey is undoubtedly a good book, but like anything in this world, it has its fair share of pitfalls. But I will let you be the judge of that. If you have read the book, share with us what you think. If not, grab a book, have a read, and tell us what you think.