I wasn't that impressed.
Yes, it had some spanking. Yes, it had some BDSM.
The writing itself was terrible! I hated the inner goddess stuff. I felt like the sex scenes were all the same, probably because the writer used all the same words, over and over and over again! I felt like she was afraid to use the word vagina!
I'll admit, there were some very hot scenes. The silver balls? HOT, hot, hot!
Here's the puzzling part. I read a lot of different blogs. Not just spanking blogs, but also a lot of mommy blogs, food blogs, and well, any blog that I find interesting. It's almost like living in two different worlds. There is the vanilla world, with the moms complaining about the kids and stuff and then there is the spanking world. It seems that the two worlds can never collide because the mommys out there would find the spanking stuff to be totally wrong and "how could she possibly let her husband spank her??".
BUT....here comes 50 Shades. Suddenly, my worlds are colliding. A lot of the blogging world has gone crazy for these books....and (gasp) this are vanilla people.
All the women talking about the book have liked it. (Although they all agree the writing is bad!)
I find it funny that they all seemed turned on by these books. Husbands are recommending the books to other husbands without even reading the books because their women are....HORNY!
Gee, what a concept, right?
It's amazing how turned on everyone is by the book and yet....if they knew we were doing some of that stuff in real life....O. M. G. You know the poop would hit the fan.
We have to protect ourselves in the spanking world that certain people don't find out. If my husbands work found out...he could potentially lose his job. If people in our church found out, we could be ostracized. People would look down on us. Our kids would be made fun of. The list goes on and on.
I don't know where I'm trying to go with this. I guess I'm just saying I think it's very weird. I think it's sad. But I also think that it's good that people are seeing that our world isn't so bad.
Now, if only Christian had convinced Ana that spanking for discipline can be a good thing....well, I'm sure if that happened, the books would not be as popular.
What do you think?
Written while ignoring laundry by::
P.S. If you want to read a good fantasy spanking blog, you should read Cassies Space. It is a great blog about a made-up couple that have spanking in their lives.
I agree! I write erotica, and found the instant fame of this book amazing. I think it's a good thing to open the eyes of all the vanilla out there. Great post.
ReplyDelete~Alta
Hi, Grace!!!
ReplyDeleteI think we have to stay private for all the reasons you said. But, even when spanking was not a part of my life, I would not have discussed my sex life with anyone either! I would never, even with a close gf, have told her the private, personal sexual things my husband and I did, even though they were perfectly "normal" and acceptable things/positions etc...
If I had sat in the staff room announcing who was on top last night and who gave who oral sex, they would all have reacted with horror, so it is not necessarily WHAT kinks we have to keep private, as the fact that no-one really wants to know personal details about a friend's sex life at all!!!!
Hugs, Daisy xxxx
Thank you Alta!
ReplyDeleteDaisy, I agree, but if for some reason they found out who was on top...you probably wouldn't get fired! If they found out you got spanked....someone could end up in jail!
Plus, I do like to discuss sexual things with friends.....this is the reason I have a spanking blog, to discuss things like this without judgement. Of course there will always be people that judge :(
HUGS!
grace
I agree. There will always people that judge.I agree that's why we blog because among us it's safe and we can talk about anything.
ReplyDeleteI've found as I've gotten older I worry less and less about being outted. They might try to fire me but they'd have a hell of a time doing it, because I'd fight it tooth and nail. I've been married and faithful to one man for almost 29 years, the fact that he sometimes spanks me at my request is none of their damn business (wish he would spank more often and not always with my request, but I digress.)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the books a lot. Didn't pay much attention to the actual writing, I was just enjoying the story. True I was a little disappointed in the spanking parts. If the author had been one of us she would have understood it a lot better. But like you say, at least it's getting mainstream talk. Who knows, at one time the idea of sex outside of marriage would have been a taboo subject for a vanilla novel. Maybe we're making progress.
And sister, I love you and thanks for the plug for Cassie!!
Hugs,
PK
I liked the books and my husband is reading them, too. I with the language could have been cleaned up a little, but that is personal preference. Our Newsweek came today and the cover story is about women and spanking and covers some things about the book. So, for whatever reason it is colliding with the meanstream world. I like seeing PK's comment here. She is a little bit fiesty!! If you have not checked out Alta's blog then stop by there, too. I guess I have always been Vanilla, but it sure is fun moving in this world more and more. Thanks for your post Grace.
ReplyDeleteYes Sunny...that's why I blog!
ReplyDeletePK, you know I love you girl! When I grow up, I want to be you!
SNP, you are correct, PK is feisty, even more so in real life...LOL Interesting that spanking made the cover story. The author of the books will be on the View this week, I'm interested to see how it goes.
HUGS!
grace
I read your post with interest as I live in a country that is dominated by one religion (not Muslim btw).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for you, many churches (particularly in the US)have a very narrow view of sex, even more puritanical than the Victorian era of the UK.
Just as your beliefs are your personal opinion, so should you be able to express yourself how you want.
I am sure that if someone looked very closely into the sex lives of your more conservative church elders they may do things that turn you off.
It has taken a long time to get where we are, but it will take longer certain aspects of human sexuality (just like consensual spankings) to become more acceptable.
Just think in Saudi Arabia, a woman is not allowed to drive a car......
I haven't read the book Grace so can't comment on it much. Have heard the writing was quite bad though.
ReplyDeleteWas in two minds whether to read it or not but I have bought the paperback to read on my Summer vacation.
Love,
Ronnie
xx
Bean, it seems we are at least moving in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteRonnie, the story is great, the writing, not so much. Let's us know how you like it!
HUGS,
grace
Grace,
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the book, but I didn't find the instant fame surprising at all. Having read the reviews, it strikes me as being just taboo enough to be naughty, but at an acceptable level. The story is at that sweet spot where it's socially O.K People can be fascinated with the "Deviant" behavior without being suspected of actually desiring it. They can also discuss and debate it to some extent without admitting they desire it.
I've long held that the difference between "Normal" and "Typical" people is that "Normal" people crave a power exchange relationship and "Typical" people simply suffer but repress those cravings. Every time I see an instance like this it just convinces me more. Remember the popularity of 9 and 1/2 Weeks back in the day?
If you want another good read that points out the truth hidden under societal hypocrisy, get a hold of a book called "Sex At Dawn". It's written by scientists that were doing a study expecting to further "prove" that humans are wired to be monogamous with a lifetime mate and who instead found a mountain of evidence, some of it quite obvious, that we are not. It is a much more entertaining read than my description leads one to believe, and all of it is science fact. You should be able to find it at your library. I did, though I bought a copy to own later.
HOLY CRAP! Vanillas getting turned on by D/s stories?
ReplyDeleteHOLY CRAP! My inner goddess is jumping up and down and turning in a circle and coughing and sneezing and biting her nails and snoring and scratching herself while my subconscious scolds us both!
SUPER DUPER HOLY CRAP!
Heh, okay, I'll stop...for those who haven't read it, that's a sample of the highly annoying part of her writing style.
I'm with you, Grace, I feel a mixture of gladness and irritation over this book becoming popular and mainstream. Many years ago (almost TEN!) when I was blogging about my marriage and how we were similarly experimenting with power-exchange and naively "came out" about it here and there in various married couple or women oriented forums about it (no icky or sexual details, just this is how our marriage rolls, etc.) I was *roasted* for it. (Again, no sexual details whatsoever, just admitting I was sub, that's it) Told I was sick, wrong, bad, that our marriage would never last (HA! 14 years now BIATCHES!), I was pitied and lectured and completely misunderstood.
And we didn't even go as far as the couple in this book goes!
So yeah. I'm torn. Because I still think that, although these women find the book so "freakin' hawt", I think they'd still look down on us for actually doing and enjoying the things in the book.
I also feel I could lose my job and/or lose the respect of many around me if they knew. I've had convos with women where everyone talks about what they find is "hawt" and heard the pool-boy fantasies and the actor-fantasies and all kind of stuff but I can never bring up my fantasy. I have hinted a few times only to get an instant "ewww!" so I drop it.
That hypocrisy bugs the "HOLY CRAP" outta me.
Congrats to the author, though, for making the big bucks and getting a movie done, good for her.
Now she'll have enough money to take some writing courses, maybe? Heh...kidding, mostly. The book does get better. Pretty horrible writing in the beginning, though.
~~Amber (and Dan)
Magnus.....I totally agree and will look for that book...thank you!
ReplyDeleteHolyCrap Amber!!!!!
My inner goddess just did gymnastics and is now bowing for the judges! LOL
It just annoys me that to the vanillas,(as I don't have a better word for them) now find it so hot, but would judge us in a heartbeat!
I just killed my inner goddess....she was annoying me!
grace
Good idea on the inner goddess! Ahhhh....hear that?
ReplyDeleteBlessed, blessed silence! At last! ;)
Amber
I read it and was sorry I wasted my money on the 1st book. And now I hear there is talking of making this book into a movie, shakes head.
ReplyDeleteI read it a while ago. It was pretty good, it sure kept me up all night reading. But there were many things that bothered me, I am from the area she describes, and she doesn't describe Seattle correctly. I mean, who in America actually says motorway? Stuff like that really bothers me.
ReplyDeleteAs for mixing vanilla world and this world, yeah it sure mixed it up. I am happy for the author. She made it. But other than that. I can't even imagine the movie. I am not sure it will be able to live up to the kinkiness....
So ummmm...... hi.... how are you? That damned PK told me to read Fifty Shades because I had just bought a nook. After reading your post here, I think I just might write a post myself about this trilogy. Maybe I should unlock my site?
ReplyDeleteHey girl! How ya been?
ReplyDeleteYou should write a post! I've been interested in the thoughts of others on these books.
PK liked them better than I. I won't lie though. Bossman said I should read the again and again and again. He said he liked me more when I was reading them. I have NO idea what he's talking about!
You blogging again? That would be awesome!
HUGS!
grace