I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved the first 50 Shades book. I devoured it in 3 sittings and it’s probably in my top 10 quickest books I’ve ever read. Yeah, it wasn’t the best written book in the world but so what. I’m a warm blooded, 21 year-old female, you’re kidding yourself if you think scenes in a book from that genre won’t arouse some sort of feeling and emotion in a lot of people. I know the books in general weren’t for everyone. A friend of mine started reading it and exclaimed she thought it was boring. Fair enough. We don’t all have to like the same thing and that’s okay! But just because someone does like something a bit… extreme, full-on and provocative doesn’t make them disgusting nor does it make their opinion wrong.
Erotica has always been a bit of a funny subject amongst book lovers and book bloggers. If someone asks you what you’re reading just as your main character gets his whip and ball-gag out it’s a possibility that you’ll lie and say “Harry Potter” or something equally as clean (I’m not dissing Harry Potter before you all shout at me!) I’ve done it before for the fear of being judged but after a while, all you really want to do is yell, “Yes, world, I am reading a book about sex and nobodies gonna stop me!”
The moral of this post? Well, there isn’t one really but I think everyone can get a bit judgy wudgy sometimes – including myself. If you go to bed hoping you’ll bump into your own Mr Grey the following day, that’s fine. If the very thought of the books make you want to run for the hills, that’s cool too. But don’t dismiss everyone else’s opinion just because it’s not the same as your own. How boring would life be if we all liked the same thing? The very point of these books is to shock you out of reality and if reality was a free pair of handcuffs with every McDonalds order over £20 then I’m sure we’ll be looking for something else to moan about. Allow people to read what they enjoy without them being scrutinized for it – whether that be 50 Shades of Grey, Harry Potter or Thomas the Tank Engine.
As always, I took the question to my Twitter followers. I love hearing what other people have to say and always find it interesting to see the differences in opinions. This topic was no different and unsurprisingly, a lot of people shared their opinion of it. Here’s what some of them had to say…
@charldibs: I have no issue saying I like reading erotica. Who caressss. If i’m a disgusting beast then so be it 😉
@Katey5678: I like erotica! Not keen on 50 Shades personally but I think everyone should just read what they enjoy!
@cometbabe: Don’t mind some erotica. 50 Shades I hated it, struggled to finish the 1st book xx
@SL_LovesToRead: It’s like anything really, some people will like it, some won’t. Personally I enjoy erotica. Never read 50 Shades though. And if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be like OMG THAT’S DISGUSTING!!
@samsonite1111: 50 Shades was ok – repetitive. Glossed over some of it, all became a bit ‘samey’ x
@ReviewedTheBook: I like it, so long as the plot doesn’t get forgotten 🙂 x
@chezzat86: I read them just to see what all the hype was about, I thought it lacked plot strength. I don’t mind a bit of erotica every now and again if it’s well written 🙂 xx
@arrrgggghhhhhh: I liked it, I’ve re-read it BUT the writing style was horrific. But the basic story is rather compelling.
@LibraryLiz101: Not sure why anyone reads it. Found the little I read of 50 Shades horrible and sadomasochistic.