The craze that is Fifty Shades of Grey has been plaguing our bookshelves for several years now. It is unfortunate that we put such a piece of crap out there for people to read as "literature," especially when there are so many better options available. People like Fifty Shades of Grey because they think it pushes the envelope with its scenes of sexual dominance and submission. Truthfully, it was one of the tamer books that I have read as I state in my post, Fifty Shades of Meh... Not Impressed. The sex scenes actually bored me. That's not easy to do. And the writing... The writing was so bad... I have no words.
If you are looking for something to read that sends those little forbidden shivers up your spine, then steer clear of Fifty Shades of Grey and check out some of these other choices instead:
The Bible
Believe it or not, The Bible is full of really steamy stuff! Sure, it reads like a history text rather than something written for entertainment, but if you stop to think about what is being described then I guarantee that you will blush. For those of you looking for that "scandalous" BDSM edge that Fifty Shades of Grey supposedly has (it doesn't), then The Bible has plenty of that too. And it is more accurately portrayed for the historical time period.
Kushiel's Dart
Jacqueline Carey's epic masterpiece is one of those fantasy series that should be placed high on a pedestal with other timeless works. The story centers on a young women pricked by Kushiel's Dart, an affliction that causes her to experience immense pleasure from pain. Her society is divided into several houses, each with a different sexual proclivity. As the only person of her kind, this young woman's services are highly sought after, and she ends up embroiled in a political plot that ends up with her being exiled to the far corners of the world. She faces many dangers to return and warn the ruling powers of the plot and imminent war. This book is packed with action, very kinky sex, and it features some of the most elegant and beautiful prose that I have ever read.
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy
The sex in the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy will make you cringe. Anne Rice has taken the original story of Sleeping Beauty and turned it into one of erotica's classic novels. Before it received the Disney treatment, Sleeping Beauty was a much darker story. The prince does not kiss the sleeping princess to awaken her; he rapes her. Anne Rice takes this horrific theme and extends it into three novels worth of graphic sex and abuse. Sound awful? It's basically the same thing as Fifty Shades of Grey as far as the abusive relationships. However, Sleeping Beauty is actually written professionally and has a plot.
Anything in the Romance Section
Think about all the times that you have gone to the bookstore. Have you ever seen that huge section labeled Romance? Any one of these novels is better than Fifty Shades of Grey. I guarantee it. Mainly because these books actually had to go through a rigorous manuscript submission process. Then they were edited and proof read. They weren't just pulled off of a fan fiction site, slapped into a binding, and tossed onto shelves. Read something that is an actual book and not a lazy pile of talentless crap.
Fan Fiction that is Actually Good
Technically this is not a novel, but too bad. There are some very talented amateur writers out there, and they are releasing their work for free on fan fiction sites. Now, you might encounter some duds when you visit these sites, but Fifty Shades of Grey is a dud anyway, so what do you have to lose? Best of all, your chances are extremely high for finding a little gem somewhere that will not only be written decently but will also have a plot. Much better than the drivel that is Fifty Shades of Grey.
No comments:
Post a Comment