Author: E.L. James
Series: Fifty Shades Trilogy #1-3
Published: January 20th 2012 by Vintage
(first published January 1st 2012)
Page Count: 1700
Genre: Erotic Romance
Shelf: Gift
Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
Title: Fifty Shades of Grey
Author: E.L. James
Series: Fifty Shades Trilogy #1
Published: April 2012 by Vintage (first published 2011)
Page Count: 385
Genre: Erotic Romance
Shelf: Gift
Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads;
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
My Review:
The problem with novels that have taken the world by storm is how difficult it is to write a review after reading them. As a reader, you’ve spent so much time hearing about the novel, both the good and the bad, that you have to sort your own thoughts out from those of others, attempting not to weigh your every idea against those.
This novel is quite simply written but it adds to the aura of the story. James uses very intricate descriptions as a counterpoint to her functional, yet flowing writing style. The simple, natural flow of the novel is also shaken up with the linguistics used by the characters in the dialogue. Being well educated individuals this didn’t seem out of place, but rather flowed naturally with the story.
This author definitely has a way with emotions. James had me giggling and intrigued right from the get go. I don’t remember the last time that I laughed so hard. I also don’t remember the last time that my heart broke like this for not just one, but two characters in a novel. I wore my heart on my sleeve throughout this novel. It was brilliant.
The main characters in this novel were very interesting individuals. One is willing to do anything for a love that the other doesn’t believe exists. I was completely caught up in their relationship, even if it was utterly ridiculous at times. And even if there are things that you’d like to know about the main characters, they’d like to know them about each other so you don’t feel left out.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It was interesting and thought provoking. It was also captivating, enthralling, and endearing.
This novel is quite simply written but it adds to the aura of the story. James uses very intricate descriptions as a counterpoint to her functional, yet flowing writing style. The simple, natural flow of the novel is also shaken up with the linguistics used by the characters in the dialogue. Being well educated individuals this didn’t seem out of place, but rather flowed naturally with the story.
This author definitely has a way with emotions. James had me giggling and intrigued right from the get go. I don’t remember the last time that I laughed so hard. I also don’t remember the last time that my heart broke like this for not just one, but two characters in a novel. I wore my heart on my sleeve throughout this novel. It was brilliant.
The main characters in this novel were very interesting individuals. One is willing to do anything for a love that the other doesn’t believe exists. I was completely caught up in their relationship, even if it was utterly ridiculous at times. And even if there are things that you’d like to know about the main characters, they’d like to know them about each other so you don’t feel left out.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It was interesting and thought provoking. It was also captivating, enthralling, and endearing.
Title: Fifty Shades Darker
Author: E.L. James
Series: Fifty Shades Trilogy #2
Published: September 15th 2011 by The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
(first published 2011)
Page Count: 394
Genre: Erotic Romance
Shelf: Gift
Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads;
My Review:
James sure does know how to make a girl laugh. She also knows how to mix ‘hearts & flowers’, with red hot scenes, with comedic relief to create a story that you can’t help but enjoy. James writes this installment in her series with the same intense yet light writing style that she began with. The two books flow quite well together to such an extent that you could read them as a single long novel. That said, they also do work very well as two separate stories, with just enough background information at the beginning of this story to remind you what had happened previously. James actually works necessary background information in throughout the story without breaking the story’s flow. She ensures that her readers are never left confused or wondering.
The female lead is such a strong person. In some ways she’s someone that you want to be like, in others, she is completely naive and in need of some serious guidance. I appreciate that she is neither perfect nor a complete fruitcake. James has created a happy medium in this character. She is also a brilliant counterpoint to the very intense and extreme male lead. I also appreciate the fact that, although they do both change to work together as a couple the ultimately remain true to who they were. You get to know them so well that you find yourself enmeshed in their emotional turmoil. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that there was much more effort put into the development of the supporting cast in this installment of the novel. It makes the entire novel seem much more believable.
Overall, this was a great follow up to Fifty Shades of Grey. It wraps up everything in and of itself nicely, while still giving an opening to the final installment in the series.
The female lead is such a strong person. In some ways she’s someone that you want to be like, in others, she is completely naive and in need of some serious guidance. I appreciate that she is neither perfect nor a complete fruitcake. James has created a happy medium in this character. She is also a brilliant counterpoint to the very intense and extreme male lead. I also appreciate the fact that, although they do both change to work together as a couple the ultimately remain true to who they were. You get to know them so well that you find yourself enmeshed in their emotional turmoil. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that there was much more effort put into the development of the supporting cast in this installment of the novel. It makes the entire novel seem much more believable.
Overall, this was a great follow up to Fifty Shades of Grey. It wraps up everything in and of itself nicely, while still giving an opening to the final installment in the series.
Title: Fifty Shades Freed
Author: E.L. James
Series: Fifty Shades Trilogy #3
Published: April 17th 2012 by Vintage Books (first published 2011)
Page Count: 579
Genre: Erotic Romance
Shelf: Gift
Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads;
Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.
Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
My Review:
Although a million and one awful things happen to these characters, as a reader you never become bored. James ensures that she doesn’t double back on the same situations over and over again. Each scenario has an element of newness and of plausibility. It’s very easy to immerse yourself in these novels.
My favourite part of the novel (and the series) was definitely the emails between the characters. Not only do they provide insight into the characters that you don’t see otherwise, but they are comical. They are amongst the most insightful pieces of information available when it comes to the relationship between the main characters. Not only is the relationship between the main characters quite well developed by this point in the series, but the characters themselves are as well. James has also developed the bulk of the supporting cast in such a manner that you really feel like you know them.
Overall, this novel was a nice wrap up to the trilogy. Readers aren’t left with any loose ends, or with the feeling that something is missing. James had my attention from the beginning of the first novel in the trilogy to the end of this one.
Buy your copy of this trilogy online here today!
I think if you judge these novels based solely on it's content and not it's writing quality you will find that these books are enjoyable. I think people get to caught up and stuck on the writing. I personally loved them. Great review. I'm also a new follower!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you Jazmen. It's the overall impact of a novel that matters the most!
DeleteAlso, I'm glad that you enjoyed the review and thanks for the follow.