Fifty Shades has taken the world by storm! Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past couple years, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ve heard of this erotic trilogy. Author E. L. James even admits that she didn’t expect her novels to get this much attention saying, “The explosion of interest has taken me completely by surprise” and the books are “my midlife crisis, writ large. All my fantasies in there, and that’s it.”
Appealing mostly to women who’ve only fantasized about the world of BDSM, the series has been dubbed ‘mommy porn‘ which was a term first used by the New York Times. The erotic nature of the story paired with the romantic background was just what many women were looking for as a way to visit their fantasies and excite their senses; especially those who otherwise would never be able to experience this type of relationship.
While avid erotica readers and those being able to experience this type of lifestyle have frowned upon the writing style and content, the series has opened the eyes of many and has sparked a fire in relationships where the sex was otherwise less than exciting. Though this series didn’t change the type of relationship I have with my husband, I know it was just what a lot of couples needed to get back on track with their own passion, and perhaps could even serve as a gateway into reading other erotic pieces and experiencing fantasies discovered and fulfilled.
Love it or hate it, it has opened the eyes of many and being so covered by the media has perhaps normalized, for lack of a better word, erotic novels; making them more socially acceptable.
For beginners who’ve yet to test the waters of light BDSM, there are now products available that were specifically designed to follow the theme and idea of the Fifty Shades of Grey novels. Lovehoney (which is the manufacturer of the official line) and Sportsheets (through their Sex and Mischief line available at Pink Cherry) are two companies who have put out specific toys based on the novels.
There’s a wide variety of other product that aren’t made specifically for these books, but would benefit anyone interested in dipping their toes into the BDSM world. These are beginner products that aren’t designed to be used by experienced players. Keep that in mind while you’re shopping around.
Over at Toy Box Under The Bed, they’re having a sale on kinky play items. Be sure to check out their sale to save 15% on these items, or use coupon code ‘POTTER’ to save 10% on other items.
Have you read these novels? Have they impacted you in a positive way? What is your overall opinion of the books and how far companies are going with the whole ‘fifty shades’ concept?
