CRUISE Book Review: 50 SHADES OF GREY as reviewed by Chinelo Ude

By Chinelo Ude

So after trying very hard not to read this book I have finally succumbed to it and read it—to my surprise I did not see the so-called-soft-porn. I was given the book as a birthday present for my birthday with a note that said “it’s about time you gain an open mind, learn from Ana.” I was given the trilogy. After the reviews I read about the books the sex, the grammar, and the context, I decided to re-gift my book and I gave it away—still wanted to stay close minded. I found myself in Dublin with nothing to do and the first book within my reach and I picked it up, within eleven hours I have finished the first book—now graving for more of Grey. This might not be a review you think you would receive from the book but I am offering what I saw from it. What my-over-thinking-over analyzing-self think about the one number book in the world 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James.

Before going into the review I will point a few things out, the major grammatical errors are not as worse as many pointed it to be, after all is it not through books and literature do we explore new ways of doing things? New words, new meaning, new ways to speaking—soon enough “LOL” might make it to the dictionary.

As for the sex, apart from the playroom (red room) I do not see any time else porn about it. They only entered the playroom a few times in this whole first book. Rest assured talking about sex was open—it is the 21^st century it should be open.

I want me some Christian Grey! But since I can’t have him I will decode him. 50 shades of grey attempts to show the example of the perfect woman and what a man wants from that kind of woman, it shows the fantasy of every woman and man on the planet. For the man, a woman that will be willing to do everything they want, how they want it, and will be there no matter what and try to understand why they want it but still do it. It gives the man the woman that learned everything she knows from him. It gives the man a sense of pride and power. Men do not want an experienced woman but one that still has a lot to be taught. For the woman, it gives the woman the troubled soul we would all like to safe and claim ownership to it. The man that knows how to control us to a limit, the man that is willing to compromise and meet us in the middle—as long as we are willing to do as they want to a limit. Let’s not forget the money, power, freedom and gifts showered on us.

As Anastasia’s mum said “men are not a mystery, take them at their word and stop over analyzing things”—what all women do. When we analyze what a man says from what he does we get ourselves in trouble.

Anastasia Steele stole Christian Grey’s heart and attention not because of her beauty but simply because she did not pay attention to him. When she first met him; she thought she was meeting either a middle-aged man or an old man, but she meets this very young handsome man in his twenties but still her task at hand was getting the best information for her best-friend and roommate Katherine Kavanagh. She focused on her interview and I believe that got Christian’s attention. He was surprised by her bravely, innocence, her lack of interest in his wealth, and her lack of knowledge of who he was. He was also captivated by her beauty, her intelligence, and her simplicity.

Christian Grey the perfect image of the perfect man from the outside but what lies beneath the perfect man is a troubled soul that the only way he knows how to control it is to not be emotionally attached to anyone. He relieves his anger about his dark upbringing by engaging in erotic sexual acts where he is in completely control of his subject. Although, Mrs. Robinson is brought in as the woman that introduced him to his darkness—what saved him from destructive teenage years, I believe that Christian Grey would have still found a way to this darkness—this is the only way to exercise perfect control over any human being.

This form of self-indulgence also makes the reader wonder if it was because of a woman, perhaps his birth mother, or possible the people that took him in before he was adopted by the Grey family that is responsible for his dark side. Something will need to be said for his choice of “sports” to exercise control over women.

This is only the first book and how the next two will pen out I do not know but I am now eager to find out. I will go fishing for the last two books 50 Shades of Darker and 50 Shades of Freed.

Will I say this is a must read book for all? It is a book that attracts several different kinds of group if read with an open mind. It might not fit your style if you can’t let go to the overly controlling Mr. Grey or you are tired of how easily Miss. Steele give in to him. Also if you do not have an open mind about sex or the topic of sex this is not a book for you.