Grey -- E L James (Book Review)

Let me begin by saying I have read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy a long time ago and sort of forgot this book had come out over the summer.  I found it randomly on the return shelf at the library and thought I need to read this ASAP.  I finished it in a few days, which is typical of all the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy that I previously read I find these books easy to get sucked in.   E L James writes this novel in the exact same style and writing pattern as the trilogy so if you don't like that style this is not the book for you. 

The story follows Christian Grey's point of view of Anastasia and his relationship. The book mirrors Fifty Shades of Grey only and just begins to touch on the second book in the last few pages.  Christian Grey had a rough upbringing in life so he has a hard time in different relationships and Anastasia confuses him from the very first time they meet.   I think one of the highlights of this book is that it gives you a different perspective of the relationship between Christian and Anastasia, Christian and his family, Christian and his staff, and most importantly Christian and his mother.  I don't think it gets a different perspective on the relationship between Christian and Elena since it was so wrong you see nothing else except Christian trying to sell it as right for the time  being, which I truly think be believes after reading this book. 

In first book of the series E L James touches slightly on Christian's rough upbringing, but going into details of the nightmares puts a whole new perspective on the way he was raised.  The nightmares that Christian has when alone are very scary and vivid for a 27 year old to be remembering when he was only 4 when this happened.  It touches on a big issue of how a child is raised and brought into this world doesn't always have to be how they end up.  In this book you can see Christian's attitude and feelings change when Anastasia comes into his life.  He seems calmer to family and staff; which is a new side of him to many.

Seeing the new side of Christian makes me want to reread Fifty Shades of Grey to see what I must have missed in the first book now seeing both sides.  Christian is evolving with Anastasia and the darkness that he feels is not always controlling him any more.  I believe that you also get to see the strength of Anastasia more from Christian's point of view than of her own.  

The book still has many sex scenes that I feel are not described in as much depth as the first book, but will keep you blushing.  The hardest sell for me on this book is the short amount of time that Anastasia and Christian have known each other and how quick they have become so close.  This was a hard sell for me on the first book as well, the author makes it seem very feasible and works well with the book, but I guess that is the point that you lose perspective of reality while reading a book. 

If I was just starting out with E L James I would read Fifty Shades of Grey first and than follow up with Grey before moving onto book two.   I would suggest having plenty of free time since you can easily get sucked into these books with the fast paced writing and the need to know what happens.  Leaving the dreams of Christian as bits and pieces until the very end of the book keeps the reader on edge and you want to know what happened to his mother. 

My rating: 4/5

Author website: http://www.eljamesauthor.com/

Publisher: Vintage Books 

ISBN 9781101946343

Length 559

Format paperback