Why would I blog about books? I am not a librarian nor a studied literate and certainly don't aim to be a book critic. But going twice a week to Zurich I am reading quite a bit on the train, and always have enjoyed reading in general.
Once being in university reading turns to scientific books and research, once starting and pursuing a career time is even less and remaining on top of your job must reads is challenge enough. Not that I am not working or pursuing a career anymore, but with no internet on the train, I am enjoying those 8 hours a week i can dedicate to fiction and non-fiction. And although I love my ipad, I am not a fan of ebooks, but rather carry that extra pound of paper around (only exception e-publication of NatGeo...as I don't get them that easily here and if only at a fortune).
Reading is a virtue they say, so I thought I'd just share some thoughts on the books on my nightstand and in my handbag, good or bad, which is anyway always a very personal opinion. Don't take it personal, but I rather lend books to anybody but my closest family... I "lost" countless books over the years and in different countries, written in different languages, to the big black hole of giving them to somebody to read. Still missing for example "Paula" from isabel allende, and "The Kiterunner".. I think i am just attached to the books, especially the ones I bought around the world, and I am proud of our bookshelf in the living room (photo will follow, but important to know, we are no TV people, and don't have a furniture piece with a centered shrine-like place for a 48" screen....)
Well, and whenever we integrate a comment field on the post, would love to hear from you with your opinions in case you read the same book already! So here comes the first one:
The scandal book of the year: 50 Shades of Grey
I first heard about this mysterious book through facebook, as a friend posted she wasn't sure if she should cover the cover of the book with a piece of paper while reading it on the plane in order to avoid weird looks. This comment intrigued me and I looked it up. BDSM, hard, no love, and addictive. Well, it was far from being released in Europe, I prefer english books anyway, so I ordered it from the US, last November. Read all three of them within a week or so, each chapter ends in a way that you cannot put the book down but have to read on, that technique EL James masters quite well.
However, halfway through the second one, I started skipping the sex scenes, they were more or less the same every time and it started being boring. It all seemed to me to be a cheap "groschenroman", lots of feelings and emotions mixed with sex, not the first time in literature to happen, just a lot of times those novels are sold at three euro a piece at the kiosk (again, not judging...just my personal impression).
In the second book, a certain similarity to another triology struck me, and you might be able to come to the same conclusions with a bit of creativity: the New Moon series. Edward, main character, the vampire: he has had several relationships, even if it was with other vampires only. He could physically hurt his beloved, although he wouldn't do it on purpose, actually fears to hurt her. He has fun and supporting siblings. He came to his parents when his mom, a doctor, treated him, and since then they have been loving parents to him. He loves fast cars. Rich as hell. Bella, the female main character, human: she is a single child, lives with her dad, the mom lives in the south of the US, the dad enjoys fishing. She is young and innocent and Edward is her first love. Pregnant towards the end of the triology. Jacob, supporting role male, the werewolve: a childhood friend, in love with bella, his dad is a friend of her dad, he doesn't get her and after some initial rivalry with edward gives up. Location: Seattle. All live happily ever after, some can't die anyways. Maybe I am the only one with this impression, but exchange Edward for Christian, Bella for Anastasia, Jacob for José and you got the plot.
Really do not get the hype and psychological need of interpretation. I do not think that
- it is a feminist book, expressing the need or wish of modern women to control through submission, and to be loved that way
- it is a macho book, and degrading women (those who like bdsm do that voluntarily one would like to assume)
- any psychologist should interpret anything into a pure and simple love story of he-loves-her-and-she-loves-him-back-and-together-they-win-against-evil...
That's what it is to me, a simple typical love story with a happy ending, just that it has that twist of of a normally taboo topic, but as we all know, sex sells. And it sells even more in times of social networking.
Imagine the "Marquis De Sade", much more violent and controverse, in times of twitter , pinterst and facebook... So Grey is neither a new angle, nor extremely scandalous.... but enjoy your reading if you haven't yet done so!