50 shades of grey vs. sex in glorious technicolour
Posted on 27 June 2012 by Freya North
I do love it when a book goes bonkers – and at the mo’, as you know, there’s a book of bonking going absolutely bonkers. I love it when a book rampages into the market selling gazillions because it means that the joy of reading is spreading like wildfire and people who don’t normally read are inspired to do just that. We saw it with Harry Potter and the Da Vinci code. And now, with Fifty Shades of Grey. HOWEVER, I’m a little disturbed (and I’m pretty unshockable). I made my point on BBC Radio London (27/6/2012 Vanessa Feltz show, last half hour).
I worry about the knock-on effect of the Fifty Shades phenomenon. Will the market be flooded with a hasty bandwagon of new books trying to out-smut each other? Will publishers be churning out porn even if it’s depraved and poorly written? But, more than the predictable quality issues, what truly worries me is the audience. When I was a teenager, we furtively passed around Sidney Sheldon and Harold Robbins – well-thumbed copies which fell open at certain pages, fulfilling our curiosity, fascinated and titillated by the sex scenes. But these were mainstream novels falling into the hands of sniggering teenagers. What we have with Fifty Shades is hardcore porn of the type traditionally secured by the top shelf, out of reach of those for whom it is NOT intended. Do we want teenagers aspiring not just to this kind of sex, but this kind of sadistic-masochistic relationship?
Interesting that Fifty Shades started off as an ebook – that people downloaded the book anonymously and kept it as their dirty little secret on their kindles. Such was the interest that only then was it published in traditional book format and it is now The Book that everyone wants to be seen reading. It’s been given credibility by a vast section of readers who would actually denounce porn. Is it because it’s written by a woman? If it was written by a man – would the same readers not be those who’d denounce it as misogynistic, who’d boycott it? If this book is truly about the emancipation of women and their right to express the darker side of their sexual proclivities, why is the female character the submissive? Where’s the girl power in that? S&M sex is one thing – but for the sadism to extend to a man demanding that a woman only eats salad and not put on weight is something else entirely – far more dangerous than any kinky shenanigans involving bondage or having a wee on each other.
As many of you know, my novels are fabulously raunchy – but the sex is never gratuitous, never a canny marketing ploy. Yes, sex sells – but I never use sex in my stories to shift copies. What happens between the sheets of my characters’ beds and the sheets of my books benefits the story – and, at heart, my stories are wholesome. I write feisty romps – essentially they’re girl-meets-boy tales complete with all the realistically squelchy rude bits that should be a part of all good relationships. Nothing to be ashamed of – sex is central to healthy relationships and good sex is great. I’d rather write – and read – about colourful sex which enhances life and love, than destructive sex in dull shades of grey.
July 4th, 2012 at 1:40 am
Hellloooo, Freya!
Your “nookie” scenes aren’t of the same genre as this muck – and that’s me being polite. I admit to downloading the first book to mu Kindle (well then peeps on the train don’t know what a perv I’m being lol). In all honesty, I gave up a few chapters in – and that’s not like me when it comes to a book.
Yes, some of your sex scenes are graphic but they are part of the story, part of a (usually) romantic storyline and they have their place. They are not throughout the book, page after page, in detail that’s just…well…hmm! The sex you write about is done in a way almost every woman reading the book, will relate to.
Fifty Shades is really dreadfully written – and I’m not talking about just the porn aspect.
I have the same concerns as you – this trilogy has been a massive hit so it’s going to encourage authours (established and those finding their feet) to write such horlicks (trying to be good and not swear on your page lol).
I hate the term “Chick Lit” but around the time Sally was published, a whole lot of others of the same kind of genre appeared too. I’m in NO way objecting because if it wasn’t for you, Fiona Walker, Marian Keyes etc, I wouldn’t have found such a world away from my normal type of book.
I’d HATE to see the world of books, of reading, of my other world, overtaken by utter tripe.
I appreciate women want a bit of spice in their lives, and I’m in no way saying we shouldn’t be able to read a bit of lively sex if we want to! Women are just as entitled to their porn as men are – but that’s why we have “adult” shops and websites.
I don’t want to see this kind of stuff being sold in Asda and Tesco, 3ft away from books my kids would read. Amazon etc are selling these books as X-rated and 18+ – so why should I be “forced” to see it when I’m doing my weekly shop?
Shall I stop ranting now?!
August 14th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I hven’t read 50 Shades and don’t intend to. As soon as I knew it was about a dominant male with serious issues in relationship with a young college girl I was turned off. What’s happened to fiercely independent women who ave fought for equality for years. Don’t get the attraction.
August 17th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
I couldnt agree more. I bought 50 Shades before there was so much hype about it. I read the first chapter, found it badly written and boring ands gave it away. It seems a shame that women who aren’t usually readers should come to reading through this tripe. They don’t seem to have understood (yet!) that it’s often what isn’t said in words that can move the reader more than what’s explicit. I’m guessing these readers have never come across Jane Austen – Shame! Some might say I’m a ‘Literary Snob’ but in fact, I enjoy a well-written romance with sex scenes (chick-lit, if you like)as much as the next woman. Perhaps if these books mean some women are turning to reading whole books instead of women’s magazines some good might come out of it. But I’m leaving the 50 Shades trilogy to the lightweights and getting stuck into some well written, entertaining erotica instead this summer.
September 17th, 2012 at 8:02 pm
I’ve just recently finished reading all three 50 shades books – they’ve been doing the rounds among my friends, and I made sure I was last! I’d say they’re not the worst books I’ve read, but not the best either. I’m glad I didn’t pay for them, mind you! I actually think there’s TOO MUCH sex in the books, it actually gets boring after a while and I think the characters themselves could have been explored a little more. By the end of the trilogy the only feelings that they left me with was crossness at the lead female character Anastasia because she has long hair, blow-dries it all the times, but NEVER uses conditioner!!
Also I was gutted to discover that her mum in the book is only 3 years older than me . . . waaaaa!!!
March 4th, 2013 at 10:14 am
Here here! I totally agree with this post. I have not and will not be reading 50 Shades for exactly these reasons.
March 7th, 2013 at 1:24 am
I came to your blog because a Simon Pegg shout out on twitter lol. Thanks for confirming that I really don’t ever want to read 50 shades.