Not a Book Review: comparing sample chapters

[walkitout]

Recently, R. (not my husband or my sister) said she had downloaded the sample chapter for 50 Shades, after hearing from someone involving in running the CSPC that a lot of the new people finding the center were coming in after reading the series -- and unlike people who came in in earlier years after reading Gor books or Marketplace books, this crowd need a lot less de/re programming to participate in safe/sane/consensual play.

So while I had previously understood 50 Shades to be not-a-positive example of a kink relationship, I, like R., felt compelled to reconsider my position.

In any event, she was feeling like she should at least read the sample and I volunteered to do the same so we could compare notes. Because I understand it to be Twi-fan fiction, I also downloaded the sample chapter from the first in that series, for comparison purposes.

I have this to say: I'm not impressed by the writing style of either. I'm not impressed with viewpoint character of either. Nothing about the incipient relationship in either sample chapter in any way appeals to me.

That said, I sure liked Ana better than Bella, and Christian better than Edward. I liked that Ana had a friend (did Bella?). I thought the idea of Ana's mother being on her fourth husband was funny. And I infinitely prefer relationships that start with politely expressed interest to ones that start with overt, unjustified unpleasantness.

Thus: no way in hell am I going to continue with Twilight. However, there's at least a 50/50 chance I'll decide to read more of 50 Shades.

What I almost certainly will do, however, is start downloading a whole lot more sample chapters, which I have historically tended not to do. Because honestly? This was kind of fun, knowing there was zero money on the line, and the time commitment was approximately 10-12 minutes, max.

Comments

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

Of course 50SOG is better than the Gor books. Everything is better than the Gor books. (I am an English major and a poetess, and I know.) But I still hear pretty terrible things about it (see, e.g., http://anyankaleigh.tumblr.com/post/26044950711/fifty-things-wrong-with-fifty-shades-of-grey). I will be very interested to hear your take.

One thing I'm wondering is whether people are going from 50SOG to realizing "hey, I'm interested in this," proceeding to geek out about it, and THEN going to CSPC. In which case it's not exactly 50SOG that's responsible for their not needing as much explanation, it's The Pervocracy or something. Whereas someone who goes straight from reading 50SOG to the local toy store might give a very different impression.

bought 50SOG

[walkitout]

Why did I not realize this thing was _funny_? Because it is hilarious! I hope intentionally.

"Fractured memories of the previous night come slowly back to haunt me. The drinking--oh no, the drinking--the phone call--oh no, the phone call--the vomiting--oh no, the vomiting."

That is freakin' awesome!

This is NOT great literature, but it is a giggles express, at least so far.

Re: bought 50SOG

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

I looked up that scene (I'm sure practically all of that book is available here and there) and it's the kind of thing I find way too triggery to be funny. You passed out and the guy you just met put you to bed and then the first thing you do when you wake up is take the pills he left by your bedside? JESUS CHRIST NO RUN AWAY. Except you can't run away because he took your pants. Okay, that's funny, but it's also a classic nightmare scenario. The whole being-kept-on-edge-never-knowing-what's-going-on is something I frequently can't stand in comedy films either, so it's not just the sexual context.

Re: bought 50SOG

[walkitout]

I want to start by saying, you are absolutely correct.

I cannot read trashy fiction (whether science fiction, fantasy, romance, paranormal, blah, blah, bleeping, blah) at all sometimes, because it just sets me off. And even when I can tamp down enough of the oh-for-fuck's-sake reaction enough to read -- and enjoy -- things like Shelly Laurenston, there will be parts that are very difficult to deal with (everyone reading the WSJ, for example, or the "my confederate heart" stuff).

In any event, the funny part about the sentence I included had little or nothing to do with her actual situation (and I would point out that the viewpoint character retains some awareness of Christian's stalker-like behavior), but rather the phrasing the author presents it in -- oh, no, the vomiting, in particular, makes me chuckle every time I think it. Also, I haven't been able to look at planters outside of a certain kind of bar without a feeling of nausea since my 21st birthday; having that turn up in a trashy novel just made me smile.

I think you are really right to notice the comparison between the sexual tension/boundary violations in 50SOG (and tons of other erotic fiction) and comedy films: it all turns on violence that is treated as somehow not what it is.

Re: bought 50SOG

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely. And of course I didn't think you were wrong to find that bit funny. (It may be relevant that I've never been throwing-up drunk myself, let alone passing-out drunk, and only once sobbing-uncontrollably drunk.)

tossing cookies

[rolandgo.livejournal.com]

Once was enough for me to decide to never do that again.

Re: bought 50SOG

[walkitout]

Part of the funny with the drunk thing is that Ana is at a bar celebrating done-with-senior-finals with her roommate and some friends. One of the friends, Jose, follows her out to the sidewalk and makes an unwanted move on her, then doesn't really take no for an answer. It would have turned out just fine, because Ana throws up a couple minutes later, but Christian shows up in the interim and moves Jose along. He then spends portions of the book being jealous and/or controlly-for-safety-reasons about Jose because of what he did, even tho Jose apologizes and seems to behave better thereafter.

Christian does have a point that what Jose did was really wrong, and it's an indication of Ana's personality that she conceals what Jose did from her roommate and bff Kate, just like she conceals what she is doing with Christian.

I feel terrible justifying this book, because it is so appalling in so many ways, but I also feel like it has been wildly unappreciated for its Fabulousness as a piece of fanfic/homage/satire on romance subgenres. It is _relentless_ in its pastichtasticness.

read the book, glanced at the tumblr you point to

[walkitout]

I'm having one of those "we must have read different books" moments. I don't get it. At all.

"He refuses to let her get information about BDSM (if she could, perhaps she would realize what a deeply abusive relationship she’s trapped in). She is encouraged to look it up online, despite the fact that she’s absurdly computer-illiterate and the internet is not exactly full of super-reliable information about BDSM. She literally cannot even speak to her best friend about it."

It's not hard to make the case that there's a lot better information available via the internet than there ever has been through any other sources, community groups included. Of course, there's a lot more _crap_, too ...

Anyway. Christian send a guy with a laptop to Ana's door. The guy sets up the laptop. Christian then nags at her via e-mail to insist that she find answers/do research on BDSM online. The research Ana does is actually not bad, altho obviously there's a limit to the amount of detail that is covered. Christian _does_ insist Ana not talk to Kate about anything she does with Christian, which is a problematic artifact of being closeted -- and a serious concern with the relationship. But Ana fully independently refused to tell Kate about what Jose does to her and that's got nothing to do with Christian.

You can do similar things with virtually every other point in that list. There _are_ problems with the characters and the relationship. But they are believable problems typical of 20something people attempting to have a close relationship when they have little practice with it, complicated by the emotional complexity of the power dynamics they are exploring.

I am exasperated by the low quality of the commentary on these books.