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Grey by E L James

Hey, you asked for it.

Responding to the many fans who wanted to hear the Fifty Shades of Grey story from Christian Grey’s perspective, author E L James has delivered the titillating goods.

The new book, simply titled Grey, will indeed revolve around Christian’s view and unsurprisingly, it’s scheduled to arrive on June 18. Yes, fans will remember that June 18 is Christian’s birthday in Fifty Shades. As James writes:

Grey, the follow-up to 50 Shades of Grey

Grey, the follow-up to Fifty Shades of Grey

“This book is dedicated to those readers who asked…and asked… and asked… and asked for this.” 

James adds that “Christian is a complex character” and reminds everyone that when it comes to relationships, there are two sides to every story. Christian’s world is neat and disciplined but also devoid of any real feeling; that is, until Anastasia Steele saunters into his life. It’s a roller-coaster from there and everyone wants to take another ride, obviously.

I’m sorry, I just have to wonder if the Fifty Shades craze is over. Or if not over, at least it has died down, right? It was a phenomenon that swept the world but in retrospect, a lot of people are saying they’re pretty much done with the idea. This isn’t even a new story; it’s the same story told from a different perspective, and I question the response.

I’ve spoken to several people who have read Fifty Shades of Grey and when I ask them if they’ll read Grey, the answer has been the same: “Nope.” For some, it’s a “fool me once” sort of thing but for most, they’ve had their fill of James’ dark erotic world and they aren’t champing at the bit to return.

I think the big question is this: Is this the kind of story that will hit as hard the second time around? Has the concept already worn thin or is this fad going to continue?  Does Fifty Shades have staying power? Well, people kept buying the books before Grey, so maybe it does have the necessary longstanding appeal.

I have no doubt the new book will sell exceedingly well. But it may also show signs of Fifty Shades tedium and I’m not so sure that would be a bad thing. On a positive note, perhaps it will encourage the author to try something entirely new, which is always a risk from a commercial standpoint, but perhaps a necessary risk from an artistic standpoint. What do you think, James?

Recommended Reading:

A Dark Lure by Loreth Anne White (Montlake Romance, July 1, 2015)

adarklure

If you’re thinking about snagging a different, dark romance for the summer, consider A Dark Lure. It has that darker tinge found in Fifty Shades but it mixes in thriller and psychological elements. A woman barely escapes from the clutches of a serial killer and a year later, that killer returns to finish the job. The story can be troubling but it’s deeply interesting and in truth, it’s a survival story as much as it is a love story. It’s a twist on the standard romance, which many readers may find intoxicating.

Buy this Book!

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Grey by E L James
Genre: Romance
Author: E L James
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 9780385363130
Ben S. Dutka

figured it all out too late. He got his degree in Psychology and realized years later that he wanted to write for a living. He now has 16+ years of digital and print journalism experience and currently entertains an ongoing love affair with the greatest literary classics (he savored every page of "War and Peace" and thought it could've been longer, and he will finish Proust's "In Search of Lost Time"). He also loves crossword puzzles, tennis, the outdoors, and working on numerous novels. One of these days, one will get picked up...and when it does, the world will make a little more sense.

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