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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Annnnnnnndddddd finished!
It's a lot creepier reading this story from Christian's point of view! Or maybe I've got sooooo much better at reading this genre after reading 50SOG a few years ago.
Regardless, this is only going to appeal to those who have read Ana's trilogy. So I'm already preaching to the converted and the subset of readers who jumped on James' bandwagon and devoured these books. (this subset happens to be large, NO JJUDGEY!). SO to those people I say: READ THIS BOOK. Get your fix of Christian and Ana again. And I wish you well :)
It's a lot creepier reading this story from Christian's point of view! Or maybe I've got sooooo much better at reading this genre after reading 50SOG a few years ago.
Regardless, this is only going to appeal to those who have read Ana's trilogy. So I'm already preaching to the converted and the subset of readers who jumped on James' bandwagon and devoured these books. (this subset happens to be large, NO JJUDGEY!). SO to those people I say: READ THIS BOOK. Get your fix of Christian and Ana again. And I wish you well :)
Good
I thought it was good. A retelling of the first book as told by Christian. Not happy at all with the ending.
I thought it was good. A retelling of the first book as told by Christian. Not happy at all with the ending.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2,5*
Se nos outros livros eu saltava partes por basicamente haver apenas cenas de sexo, neste então nem se fala. Até porque o Grey não pensa em mais nada.
Só queria acabar o livro e por isso tentei lê-lo o mais rápido que consegui.
Gostei da última parte, quando a Ana se vai embora e aí sim vemos os verdadeiros sentimentos do Grey a aparecer.
Se nos outros livros eu saltava partes por basicamente haver apenas cenas de sexo, neste então nem se fala. Até porque o Grey não pensa em mais nada.
Só queria acabar o livro e por isso tentei lê-lo o mais rápido que consegui.
Gostei da última parte, quando a Ana se vai embora e aí sim vemos os verdadeiros sentimentos do Grey a aparecer.
Me llevó un mes leer este libro. Sí, un mes. Al principio, cuando todos nos enteramos que Erika iba a publicar "Cincuenta Sombras de Grey" contada por nuestro querido Christian, deliré. Fangirlee (?) al máximo. Desesperada por tener ese libro en mis manos, padeciendo su lanzamiento en el resto del mundo y cuánto tardaba en llegar aquí, a la Argentina. Y finalmente llegó.
...
Un mes es demasiado y les voy a contar por qué me costó tanto leer este libro. Por supuesto que quería saber qué pasaba por la mente de Christian, digamos que me hacía una idea de que estaba cuasi obsesionado con Anastasia (nos quedó bastante claro cuando leímos su perspectiva), pero revivir cada una de las escenas contadas por Ana, simplemente añadiendo algún que otro comentario de Christian... Aburrido.
Tal vez, hubiera sido mejor si revivieran alguna escena en particular, como el final del libro, algo que sería interesante saber qué pensaba él. ¿Pero todas y cada una de las escenas? Me resultó repetitivo. Además, tenía la ilusión de conocerlo a él, mucho más a él. Pero siempre se reprimía cualquier pensamiento hacia su pasado. Tenemos algunos vestigios de sus pesadillas, donde nos hacemos un poco de idea de lo que tuvo que vivir, ¡pero es muy poco!
Algunas de las cosas interesantes que tuvo este libro es la parte de Leila Williams, que nada sabemos desde el punto de vista de Ana. Y un encuentro con el doctor Flynn. Pero nada más. NADA MÁS.
Así que la verdad, me decepcionó un poco. Si tuviera que calificarlo, diría que serían dos de tres estrellas. Sí, sí. DOS.
...
Un mes es demasiado y les voy a contar por qué me costó tanto leer este libro. Por supuesto que quería saber qué pasaba por la mente de Christian, digamos que me hacía una idea de que estaba cuasi obsesionado con Anastasia (nos quedó bastante claro cuando leímos su perspectiva), pero revivir cada una de las escenas contadas por Ana, simplemente añadiendo algún que otro comentario de Christian... Aburrido.
Tal vez, hubiera sido mejor si revivieran alguna escena en particular, como el final del libro, algo que sería interesante saber qué pensaba él. ¿Pero todas y cada una de las escenas? Me resultó repetitivo. Además, tenía la ilusión de conocerlo a él, mucho más a él. Pero siempre se reprimía cualquier pensamiento hacia su pasado. Tenemos algunos vestigios de sus pesadillas, donde nos hacemos un poco de idea de lo que tuvo que vivir, ¡pero es muy poco!
Algunas de las cosas interesantes que tuvo este libro es la parte de Leila Williams, que nada sabemos desde el punto de vista de Ana. Y un encuentro con el doctor Flynn. Pero nada más. NADA MÁS.
Así que la verdad, me decepcionó un poco. Si tuviera que calificarlo, diría que serían dos de tres estrellas. Sí, sí. DOS.
Of course I had to read this one because I read the other three. I thought that James was a poor writer and I was incredibly bored with the first three books of this series. However, in Grey, it seems she finally gets it and has really produced an engaging character and I could not put this book down. I really loved seeing the twisted mind of Christian and i have to say that I appreciate the story from his perspective much better than I did from Anastasia's.
I mean, I read [b:Midnight Sun|4502877|Midnight Sun 2008 Draft |Stephenie Meyer|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|4551869] this year, so I guess fair is fair.
I'm still trying to read all the books I bought but never read, and honestly I don't know how this ended up in that pile - even if I've been historically trigger happy in my ebook purchasing. I did check my purchase history though, and it seems that 2017 Mariah found at least one reason to spend $7.99 on this and 2020 Mariah is now dealing with the consequences.
I'm not going to beat a dead horse here. At this point, we are all aware of how toxic and inaccurate this author's portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle and relationships is harmful, and since it is not my place to add to that conversation, I'll leave you to look for the voices that can genuinely express their concern and offer insights on why this was so twisted. I have also recently started the [b:Catalysts: The Scientific Method|27160670|Catalysts The Scientific Method|Kris Ripper|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444711086l/27160670._SY75_.jpg|47199799] series and boy were the differences stark in contrast.
Alas, let's focus on why this is even less sucessful than the original (which is also true for Midnight Sun v. Twilight).
The inside of Christian Grey's head in not a fun place to be. And not because he's brooding and tortured or whatever else we're supposed to find appealing enough to want to fix. (PSA.: No one is broken. And even if they were, it doesn't fall on you to "fix" them.) But because he's so self-important while simutaneously believing he's unworthy of love. A constant contradiction of believing himself to be exceptional but never good enough to be loved by his family or anyone else.
His thoughts on women are disturbing, and not in the way one might think with minimal knowledge of this series.
(At this point I'm assuming you've read at least [b: 50 Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385207843l/10818853._SX50_.jpg|15732562], so if you haven't, beware of possible SPOILERS ahead.
.
.
Here are some thoughts, straight from the horse's inner dialogue, as it were:
- "Unlike most women, [Anastasia] can stand in silence."
Really. Really. This was published in 2015. Really.
- "I like my women in skirts, accessible when I want them."
- "[Anastasia's] a virgin. I could take her to bed. Break her in."
!? there's been too much talk of horses as is in this review
- "I give her my Mont Blanc."
It's a pen Christian. We've established you're rich at this point. Unless the endless name dropping of brands is supposed to constantly point out and remind the reader of the fact that Mr. Grey is New Money.
- "Was [Anastasia] using me to break her in? [Getting some sexual experience before pursuing a relationship with José]
Enough with the horse talk.
- "There's blood on the bed, evidence of her now absent virginity."
- Christian openly rationalizes in his mind that feeding her alcoholic beverages will make her more pliant, forthcoming and unlikely to ward off his sexual advances. A textbook predator.
And since he's a frequent user of this strategy, he always suspects other men of using the same one.
- Anastasia tells him she might go to Alaska to get away from him (only half-jokingly). He reminds her he. would. just. track. her. cellphone. and. find. her. W.T.F.
- Gets irrationally angry when she doesn't constantly e-mail (this book's version of texting) or call him during her first day at a new job.
This shit is textbook relationship red flags y'all. How.
- "[Anastasia] should accept my touch whenever I want to touch her."
what even is consent
- His response to his ex attempting to kill herself at his apartment in a desperate attempt for his attention is:
"Why would [Leila] do this to me?"
This behavior is appalling, made only more disturbing by the constant stream on conciousness of his thoughts.
What's even sadder is that Ana isn't blameless. *Gasp*
And no, I'm not blaming the victim here, because she makes him one as well.
Christian's main trauma, the one that caused his aversion to being touched, to which he has viceral and evident adverse reactions to, is constantly being poked and proded at. Anastasia bargains, negotiates, bribes and forces (much like Christian does with her) at his limits and clear unwillingness to be touched.
It doesn't happen in the timeline of this book quite yet, but, which is abuse. Plain and simple.
There are no innocent parties here.
But, I found this even less palatble than the original.
Full disclosure: I read this at 27, and I read [b: 50 Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385207843l/10818853._SX50_.jpg|15732562] at 18, so I will willingly admit to being a much tougher critic, though that comes from a place of discernment, knowledge and experience and not a willful desire to dislike and nitpick.
I'm sure if I reread the original today (HA! SO NOT HAPPENING) I would find a plethora of issues that went over my head almost a decade ago.
All I can say is I'm glad this series wasn't as wildly popular as the first one, and ended up in less hands of impressionable and unsuspecting-and-yet-moldable minds.
I'm still trying to read all the books I bought but never read, and honestly I don't know how this ended up in that pile - even if I've been historically trigger happy in my ebook purchasing. I did check my purchase history though, and it seems that 2017 Mariah found at least one reason to spend $7.99 on this and 2020 Mariah is now dealing with the consequences.
I'm not going to beat a dead horse here. At this point, we are all aware of how toxic and inaccurate this author's portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle and relationships is harmful, and since it is not my place to add to that conversation, I'll leave you to look for the voices that can genuinely express their concern and offer insights on why this was so twisted. I have also recently started the [b:Catalysts: The Scientific Method|27160670|Catalysts The Scientific Method|Kris Ripper|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444711086l/27160670._SY75_.jpg|47199799] series and boy were the differences stark in contrast.
Alas, let's focus on why this is even less sucessful than the original (which is also true for Midnight Sun v. Twilight).
The inside of Christian Grey's head in not a fun place to be. And not because he's brooding and tortured or whatever else we're supposed to find appealing enough to want to fix. (PSA.: No one is broken. And even if they were, it doesn't fall on you to "fix" them.) But because he's so self-important while simutaneously believing he's unworthy of love. A constant contradiction of believing himself to be exceptional but never good enough to be loved by his family or anyone else.
His thoughts on women are disturbing, and not in the way one might think with minimal knowledge of this series.
(At this point I'm assuming you've read at least [b: 50 Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385207843l/10818853._SX50_.jpg|15732562], so if you haven't, beware of possible SPOILERS ahead.
.
.
Here are some thoughts, straight from the horse's inner dialogue, as it were:
- "Unlike most women, [Anastasia] can stand in silence."
Really. Really. This was published in 2015. Really.
- "I like my women in skirts, accessible when I want them."
- "[Anastasia's] a virgin. I could take her to bed. Break her in."
!? there's been too much talk of horses as is in this review
- "I give her my Mont Blanc."
It's a pen Christian. We've established you're rich at this point. Unless the endless name dropping of brands is supposed to constantly point out and remind the reader of the fact that Mr. Grey is New Money.
- "Was [Anastasia] using me to break her in? [Getting some sexual experience before pursuing a relationship with José]
Enough with the horse talk.
- "There's blood on the bed, evidence of her now absent virginity."
- Christian openly rationalizes in his mind that feeding her alcoholic beverages will make her more pliant, forthcoming and unlikely to ward off his sexual advances. A textbook predator.
And since he's a frequent user of this strategy, he always suspects other men of using the same one.
- Anastasia tells him she might go to Alaska to get away from him (only half-jokingly). He reminds her he. would. just. track. her. cellphone. and. find. her. W.T.F.
- Gets irrationally angry when she doesn't constantly e-mail (this book's version of texting) or call him during her first day at a new job.
This shit is textbook relationship red flags y'all. How.
- "[Anastasia] should accept my touch whenever I want to touch her."
what even is consent
- His response to his ex attempting to kill herself at his apartment in a desperate attempt for his attention is:
"Why would [Leila] do this to me?"
This behavior is appalling, made only more disturbing by the constant stream on conciousness of his thoughts.
What's even sadder is that Ana isn't blameless. *Gasp*
And no, I'm not blaming the victim here, because she makes him one as well.
Christian's main trauma, the one that caused his aversion to being touched, to which he has viceral and evident adverse reactions to, is constantly being poked and proded at. Anastasia bargains, negotiates, bribes and forces (much like Christian does with her) at his limits and clear unwillingness to be touched.
It doesn't happen in the timeline of this book quite yet, but
Spoiler
she basically gives him an ultimatum where he either lets her start touching him or she will leave himThere are no innocent parties here.
But, I found this even less palatble than the original.
Full disclosure: I read this at 27, and I read [b: 50 Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385207843l/10818853._SX50_.jpg|15732562] at 18, so I will willingly admit to being a much tougher critic, though that comes from a place of discernment, knowledge and experience and not a willful desire to dislike and nitpick.
I'm sure if I reread the original today (HA! SO NOT HAPPENING) I would find a plethora of issues that went over my head almost a decade ago.
All I can say is I'm glad this series wasn't as wildly popular as the first one, and ended up in less hands of impressionable and unsuspecting-and-yet-moldable minds.
I actually don't know why I read it. I guess I was curious about just how fucked up Christian would be portrayed. But it kinda felt flat. I expected anger, anguish, anxiety or actual depth under the need to control... actually seeing the PTSD instead of simply have it spelled out by Flynn... maybe I'm asking too much. No rating for now