fifty shades: first impressions.

the other day, i told my friend laura that i was considering picking up the first book in the fifty shades trilogy - fifty shades of grey. as both of us love reading, we often suggest books to each other, as well as discuss reads currently on our radars.

oooh, i'm reading it now, she said.

it's scandalous. 

i tucked her impression into the back of my mind, wondering just how scandalous it could be. i knew of its growing popularity: a few weeks ago, i saw that its display in books-a-million had been completely torn apart, leaving no copies of the first book & a tiny smattering of the second & third. 

i caught snippets of reviews on twitter, which likened the series to the twilight saga, all the while driving home the point of its illicit crudeness, of its no-holds-barred approach to the main characters' relationship.

and, finally, due to a combination of all of the above, 

i finally swooped into barnes & noble & took captive 

my very own copy of the novel in question. 

i'll be quite frank with you. i was nothing short of appalled at its explicitness. 

many times, i wondered aloud to myself, 

how is it that this can be readily available to any person walking through a book store?

are people under the age of eighteen allowed to buy this book?

[this called to mind unwelcome thoughts of the romance novel section i've always avoided in book stores.]

but at the same time, i was completely sucked in to the story, completely at the mercy of the pages turned, wanting to know the fates of the people with whom i'd grown so closely [and graphically] acquainted. 

i will say, however, that i feel parts of the story, as well as aspects of the characters themselves, unsettlingly echo that of the twilight books. in areas, it feels a little blatant. i also drew some parallels between the book & the film cruel intentions, as i watched this particular favorite of mine on sunday night.

apparently, though, none of the above criticisms have quelled my insatiable pull toward these books. i am nearly half way through the second installment, fifty shades darker, & i'll be honest & tell you that an immediate trip to the nearest book store will be made, as soon as the final page of this tome has been turned. 

i'll conclude with a simple sentiment - 

if you're looking for an easy - albeit guilty pleasure - read... a page-turner, if you will - read these books. if you're looking to be astounded by an immense work of literary fiction - steer clear.

photo: my instagram.