Fifty Shades Darker

 

Fifty Shades Darker

EL James

Read January 2015
Rating out of 5: 3

 

Before you read too far, you should know that I don't do Synopsis type reviews - if you want a synopsis then you can go read the synopsis. What I do here is give my opinion of the book. **Spoilers may happen - you've been warned.**

 

Whether you admit it or not, we all want to be considered special by a special someone else. Ana is meant to personify everything that the general female populous consider ourselves to be. Average. Mundane. Plain. In her we see ourselves and how glorious it is to be loved for our plain, mundane selves. And, in this case, we are loved by a sexy billionaire with a helicopter and excellent taste in books and music. Winning!

 

I am not going to write a long review about all the controversy surrounding this story, but this is definitely NOT a Disney approved love story. I don't think it's violent nor do I think it's a true representation of the BDSM lifestyle. My opinion of the book is that's it's entertaining.

 

The first time I read through the trilogy was 2012 during an 18 hour summer road trip. I had picked it up strictly to "see what all the fuss is about" and fell in love with it. At that point in my life, I had grandiose dreams that "big things" were headed my way and spent too much time wondering when those "things" would arrive. I wanted to be Ana in her grand new wardrobe, apartment bigger than the local mall, and, who doesn't want to go for a ride in Charlie Tango?

 

The second time I read this book January 2015 I find Ana to be whiny and self centered. Our masochistic lead man, Christian, dotes on Ana for reasons unknown and she spends unjustified amounts of time wondering if she's worthy. My own ideals of love and happiness have changed for the better since 2012 and at this current point in my life I no longer want to be Ana. I want to befriend her, put a kind hand on her shoulder and say, "Roll with the punches, girl. Nobody deserves anything, you've got to work for it."

 

Based on my own experience, I believe your enjoyment of the story depends on you and what you expect to get out of it. If you go in to the story expecting anything realistic, you'll be disappointed. If you expect a BDSM fairy tale then this one's for you. Fifty Shades of Grey is an in-your-face turn-me-on kind of attention getter. In Fifty Shades Darker we learn that there's more to the story and that, even in fairy tales, our past defines us.