I don't honestly know what I am going to do now I have no Christian Grey in my life. In fact I put reading the final book in the 50 shades trilogy on hold simply because I didn't want it to end.
However as soon as I had opened that first page I was once again instantly hooked. Each page left me wanting more and yearning to turn over to the next page simply to find out what would happen.
“He makes me graceful, that's his skill. He makes me sexy, because
that's what he is. He makes me feel loved, because in spite of his fifty
shades, he has a wealth of love to give.”
As we begin this final book in the trilogy we are taken on the honeymoon of Christian of Ana. There are some enjoyable lighthearted and fun moments where we see the down-to-earth Christian that appears to have no troubles.
They spend their honeymoon exactly like a young (rich) married couple should do; having sex and enjoying traveling around the world via planes, boats, expensive cars and sometimes even by foot.
Do not fear though, just because the young couple are married now, it doesn't mean we are deprived of the lavish sex scenes between them. During the honeymoon we are 'treated to' one bondage scene where Christian does just exactly what he wants to Ana - but then soon regrets it when he notices the next day he has left marks on her. (Doesn't this sound a lot like Twilight?) Thankfully the marks aren't permanent but it gives Ana an example to use when Christian says he isn't cut out to care.
Ana is adamant that Christian has also left hickeys on her as payback for her sunbathing topless on the beach the day before and has done it so she can no longer do so.
"I didn't expect to feel like I do looking at these marks."
The honeymoon is exactly what one should be; romantic and sexy, but all too soon it is over and they are both back to reality.
Don't tell me you opened this book expecting it all to be sweet smelling roses; things are bound to take a turn for the worse and with E.L James having exhausted most of the possibilities that could have gone wrong, we are taken on new and exciting unexpected twists. (Well, some were unexpected, the Jack scenario however was not!)
Whilst away a fire occurred in Christians office and soon enough they learn it was an arson attack, clearly aimed at Christian.
Those who wondered what could be happening clearly didn't read the first two books properly. From the moment Jack was introduced it was obvious he held a grudge against Christian and was out to get Ana. Admittedly this story line annoyed me and I wanted to know just what he had on Christian - but don't worry, it all becomes clear later on.
“Are you still mad at me?"
"Yes."
"I'll go back to sleep, then."
"Good.”
I may seem like I am criticizing the book here, and I'm really not, but there was a lot of story lines throughout the third and final book that readers had to grasp. If you weren't on the ball whilst reading it was easy to miss something important that would later be explained and you're thinking "what the hell just happened?".
We are still given the obsessive and possessive Christian who refuses to let Ana out his sight but alternatively we are also treated to the loving, care free, young Christian that is simply hopelessly in love with his girl.
E.L James does a good job of tying up loose ends throughout the book and any unanswered questions from the previous titles were answered.
The story-lines involving Mrs. Robinson, Leila and Suzanna (a new sub that was never mentioned in the other two books) are tied up with Leila going to see Ana to apologise for her erratic behavior when she 'wasn't well'.
Again, the insecurities evident between both Christian and Anastasia is addressed and throughout the book we are shown Ana still constantly trying to prove endless pointers to Christian.
Throughout book three we are given a better insight in to the
life of Christian Grey - through various flashbacks from his childhood
and what he endured.
E.L James' intentions were to
obviously give readers insight in to why Christian is the way he is - Controlling, patronizing, sex mad, scared, yet charming, witty, caring
and loveable.
The flashbacks of the
couple's engagement, wedding and honeymoon worked so much better and
allowed the reader to get to know them better than before, learning
things that they may not have known.
At the end of the book in the short 'fifty's first Christmas' we see a young Christian recently adopted. His fears and phobia of being touched is explained.
**
In a bid to try and show Ana he can share her and does want her to still see her friends he takes her on a surprise trip to Colarado along with Mia, Kate, Ethan and Elliot.
Despite the evident tension between Kate and Christian (don't forget she knows all about his previous antics) they all have a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.
However, Ana learns that Kate and Elliot haven't been getting along lately and notices slight changes in their behavior towards one another. Soon enough that end is tied up when Elliot nervously asks Kate to marry him.
“Stow your twitchy palm!”
There were a few scenes in the 'Red Room of Pain' that were very tastefully done if I do say so myself. I particularly enjoyed the orgasm deprivation scene where Ana safe-words simply because she has no idea what Christian is doing and feels he is making her pay for being 'bad'. This reminds her of the time in the first book when she researched what type of things Christian did. All she knows is, that Christian is mad and wont negotiate. Its the first time in their relationship she feels violated and actually wants him to stop.
Ultimately it is clear that Christian almost forgot Ana was never a submissive and therefor would not understand what he was doing and why.
"You think I'm ready to be a father?"
If you were naive enough to think that before long there wouldn't be a pregnancy scare then do not pass go, do not collect your £200. Because you were wrong.
Of course with the recent marriage, constant sex and Christians ongoing references to not being ready to share Ana, it was obvious it wouldn't be too long before she would become pregnant.
Undoubtedly Christian is less than impressed with the news and walks out on Ana to go and get absolutely (there's only one word to describe it) HAMMERED!
We see a drunk Christian that is finally acting his age, clearly scared by his partners revelation. During the scene in which Ana is putting him to bed, Christian admits what is bothering him.
"You'll choose him over me."
Again we are reminded of the scared, lonely boy that feels inadequate to the rest of the world and you can't help but feel sorry for him once more.
However whilst putting him to bed, Ana finds a text on his phone that throws a further spanner in to the works. It reveals that Christian has been out with Mrs Robinson and told her he is going to be a father. Ana immediately sees red and both barely exchange words over the next few days.
Irritated by Christians behavior Ana declares she is moving to her 'old room' in which she owned during her short few days as a submissive. When Christian goes to Portland a few days later they are still barely exchanging glances yet alone words.
“I think you can only be truly mad at someone you really love.— Grace Trevelyan”
No sooner has Christian left the country, Jack Hyde contacts Ana, tells her he has Mia and demands money for her safe return. Of course this had to happen just when Christian leaves...convenient? And like all baddies in movies and books, Jack demands no one know about what he is doing.
So, ultimately Ana has little time to come up a cunning plan to get a vast amount of money in order to rescue Mia. Knowing the one way Christian will hand over the money without asking questions is by telling him its over between them both.
The action and suspense in this final part of the trilogy is such a world away from the first two parts. We see both Ana and Christian in life threatening situations where readers are bound to hold their breath praying for nothing serious to happen.
What I think this final part lacks though is the exchange of emails. It was through these in the first two books that we learnt a lot about both characters and where they both opened up. I enjoyed the witty exchanges via their blackberrys and sadly book three doesn't include a lot.
However, don't sweat, in stead of this we finally see the character development and them both coming together as in stead of only being able to be honest via emails they are now finally able to talk face-to-face and be open.
There doesn't seem like much sex in this book?
Don't worry, fifty shades wouldn't be fifty shades without the sex. They certainly have plenty of sex in this book; sometimes simple 'vanilla' and others the more raunchy type. In fact they manage to find the strangest of places to do the deed and readers are left thinking....WHAT NOW?
Whilst most couples would hurry home to get a good nights sleep, Ana and Christian are still clearly as sex mad about each other as when they first locked eyes on one another.
**
Anyway, of course, with Christian away in Portland believing Ana has just dumped him, she must find the courage to save his sister, Mia from the mad Jack.
It all comes to a head and whilst Ana does manage to rescue Mia she ends up in hospital seriously injured and in a coma.
Whilst unconcious she briefly wakes up for a few moments at a time to hear Christian revealing all his emotions to mother Grace whom he has barely opened up to before.
Undoubtedly, when Ana does finally come out of her coma this is the oh so sweet reunion I am sure readers were expecting between the two. Christian reveals he does want to be a father but is scared about just exactly what type of father he is going to be.
"Your child will love you unconditionally, like I do."
When Ana returns from hospital the pair kiss, cuddle, talk and discuss the baby. She notices that Christian wont have sex with her and begins to wonder why. It is soon revealed that he doesn't want to hurt her anymore.
"You're not cut from the same cloth Christian."
Soon enough, near the end of the book we are finally told why Jack is obsessed with both Ana and Christian; It turns out that Jack and Christian spent some time together in a foster home before Christian was adopted by the Greys. Jack was always jealous of Christian being the one that got adopted by the wealthy Greys and since then held a grudge.
As it then turns out, it was one of Mrs Robinsons' exes, 'Linc' that posted Jacks bail in the first place and allowed him to get out of jail.
With that, all lose ends are tied and it feels like we have completed a circle from the first book.
"I love this man: my husband, my lover, father of my child, my sometimes Dominant....my Fifty Shades."
I really cannot say this enough but I absolutely love this book. I think we need to hold our hands up to E.L James who took the plunge to be the first to write such a book like this. She's certainly started a trend and now everyone seems to be doing it. Despite the criticism she has received for her constant clear use of a Thesaurus but why not? We are all guilty of flicking through one when we can't find the right word to use. Isn't that what writers do?
As I have said in my previous reviews this book is so much more than just sex scenes and Domination; strip the characters of their habits and revealed are two people who found love in very unexpected ways. Yes, there has been twists and turns throughout but I bet there is not one person who read this book that wasn't rooting for Ana and Christian to get their happy ever after.
What was shown here was a classic love story that displays the difference in how people live. Christian was portrayed to be a man than wanted to tie women up and have constant rough sex with them, yet he wasn't. At the beginning we were shown the vulnerable, young Anastasia that wouldn't say boo to a goose - how wrong were we? Don't judge a book by its cover. Yes this is a love story very different to that of Jane Eyre but the similarities are all there in black and white.
The two young lovers embark on an epic journey together and throughout all three books readers are able to slowly watch them both grow and change in various ways.
I appreciated the epilogue that filled in the blanks about the couple as parents and we had our suspicions confirmed, that Christian would be one of the best fathers out there.
I hope now that James has given readers a short passage where we see the day in which Christian and Ana met from his point of view that she will carry on with this idea. It would be nice to see either the whole books from his perspective, or the next chapter of their lives. However, I am sure readers would undoubtedly equally love a book explaining Christians childhood in greater detail.
Don't take away from this book what it really is, I am sure many young women out there can relate to the characters in more ways than one whether they care to admit it or not. In my opinion, a good piece of English Literature that is keeping up with modern day society in which we live in.
So with that, as Christian would say "Laters baby...."
50 shades freed
Sian Lovatt
Monday, September 03, 2012
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