Grey by E.L. JamesMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - 7 days
Publisher - Vintage
Pages - 576 pages
Blurb from Goodreads
In Christian's own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.
Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.
Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?
This book is intended for mature audiences.
My Review
Firstly I feel I must say this is not a fresh perspective on Fifty Shades of grey, not from my point of view. I was looking forward to reading more about it from Christians point of view, learning more about him and the therapist, Mrs Robinson and details that would make Christian possibly more understood or sympathetic. That didn't happen, the book is almost exactly the same as the first book, obviously there are a few changes throughout, instead of the inner Goddess we get some of Christians thoughts on what is transpiring. However this book has not done anything to improve the negative aspects people thought of him from the first books.
Christian comes across as quite creepy in these, I never got that from the original books, controlling a tad, overbearing at points yet but not exactly creepy. I also don't remember him being so sweary, his thoughts towards his staff at times are quite annoying too but I feel I may be nitpicking there.
We have some flashbacks to when he was a child, some interaction from the good doctor and Mrs Robinson, I really wanted there to be more. Not the sex side but more their relationship, how did Mrs Robinson manage to get Christian to be from the aggressive angry young man to the successful albeit trouble with personal relationships man that Grey becomes.
Don't get me wrong, some of the fans totally loved this book and whilst it does offer some insight, it wasn't anywhere near what I was hoping for. I guess I just wanted to understand what made Christian tick, instead I got the same story that I felt made him look worse than before. I genuinely hope if she goes on to write more from Christians point of view, she does so with more focus on him than the sex and makes him a bit less creepy stalker and more misunderstood needs to be loved, 3/5 for me this time.
