Well, I am
finally finished the Fifty Shades phenomenon.
The last book, Fifty Shades Freed, took me
considerably longer to get through than the first two for 2 key reasons: 1. End of the School Year Wrap-Up and 2. I was admittedly
dragging my feet a little to prolong it. I have a
tendency to do that when I really love a series. (I'm surprised I ever finished The Deathly Hallows and Breaking Dawn).
There isn't too much to say about the
final book. It was
fantastic. The story had
evolved so that it was different from the first but still
true to the style. It delivered
answers to everything
questioned in the beginning of the series --
satisfyingly so.
It took you to the
horizon so you could see the
future and left you not searching for more, but
content with a real, solid
resolution. Yes,
satisfying is definitely the right word.
I'd like to make a
few notes on the series itself.
With
origins based in Twilight
fan fiction (and the novel has been
heavily criticised for this), I think to a Twilight fan (such as myself) it's easy to get caught up in the
obvious resemblances: possessive relationships, somewhat naive young heroine who discovers herself through a man, Washington settings, separated parents, adoption, etc, etc. But for a reader with the
foresight to look past these similarities, you're
rewarded with a plot-line and story quite
rich in intrigue, emotion, and excitement.
Recommendation:
This is a
must-read for the following readers:
1. Those who can't
bear to be left out of
current trends/fads in literature -- whether you read to
enjoy or to
criticize, you
can't miss this one if you want to be "in" on all of the Fifty Shades
hullabaloo.
2. Fans of
romantic fiction. It's
undeniable that this is a love story not to be missed. And what's more is that it's not all "hearts and roses" -- It's got a darkness to it that makes it even more irresistible.
3.
Mature Twilight fans. All of the elements of the Twilight story are there -- sans the
supernatural. But be warned ... it's not considered
erotic fiction for nothing.
Up Next:
I'm
pressing on with the
Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
Book 3: City of Glass ... And I'm actually quite excited to
revisit it. Fifty Shades was a
welcome break, but it's time for more of the supernatural in my life.