We all know the truth. The Fifty Shades of Grey books by E.L. James are literary shit.
I have yet to meet anyone who believes that they are either well-written or worthy of the all the hubbub (and a movie? seriously?). The vast majority of articles found online are scathing reviews of James’ vocabulary, grammar, and even her knowledge of the female anatomy, and for good reason.
I don’t disagree with any of that.
Still, if you ask if I loved those books, my answer is a resounding, “YES.” Here’s why.
They made kinky less taboo. Prior to the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey, the only women who discussed their sex lives in this much detail were the ladies of Sex in the City. If you wanted to talk about handcuffs and lube, you needed to save it for the next Passion Party you received an invitation to. Even then, you had to ask about it with a self-deprecating smile as you tried to convince everyone you were “asking for a friend.”
They help women be brave. Not every woman has the courage to ask their partners to “tie me up, tie me down, and spank me!” The books brought a certain level of social acceptance to BDSM, and with that came the daring— the audacity— to ask for what you really want in bed. The result? Spicier sex lives and women who have found more satisfying sexual experiences (read: orgasms. Lots of orgasms).
Everyone is reading them. No, I won’t go jump off a bridge, screw you very much. What I love about books that every mom is reading is the connection that it brings. Hated them? Me too (mostly). Let’s have an adult conversation about why.
They started global conversations on feminism and abuse. As soon as everyone finishes those books, the first thing they want to discuss (after the atrocious grammar and vocabulary, natch) is the lack of boundaries in Christian and Ana’s relationship. Then they want to talk about what a weak role model Ana is for all the young women who read the series, and how no one should go through life thinking that *that* is the way a healthy relationship goes. I fail to see a downside to that.
They get people horny. Sure, the writing is subpar. And the sex scenes? Not exactly realistic. But if you’re new to the world of erotica and need a quick fix in the libido department, open up the first book and start reading. Bright side? If you decide you enjoy erotica and want to keep reading more, the bar is now set decidedly low. The genre only gets better from here.
Here’s to hoping that the books don’t stand the test of time, but their legacy does. Cheers to more orgasms!
About the author: Jennifer Oradat is the Editor at www.mombabble.com