I'm going to compare the books not the movies, since the 50 Shades movie is not out yet.
We'll compare excerpts from each story.
9 1/2 Weeks:
"The reality of my days was replaced by surface equanimity and a blandness to the core. My lunches bland, going past me unnoticed, mingling bland and friendly talk with bland and friendly people, friends, clients, colleagues, all the same. I moved through the subways, noting the fortuitous combination of light and dark blues on the ceiling posts. Above ground, cabs a pleasant yellow, once I counted nine taxis in a row down Park Avenue. A dream city without debris seen by someone drugged, or by a severely nearsighted woman bravely and foolishly at large without glasses. Crowds that automatically and amiably part to let me through. Every day a different movie, none burdened by a plot, or only toying with a plot so languid as to reveal no connections, no power to engage me beyond its agreeable surface; always only hours away from reality, taking time-out from what counted, what really went on in my life; a breathing spell from the exhilarating and inexorable plot unfolding at night.
The nights were palpable and fierce, razors, outlined so clearly as to be luminous. A different country, its landscape and currency plain: heat, fear, cold, pleasure, hunger, glut, pain, desire, overwhelming lust."
50 Shades:
"He rubs his chin with his long index finger and thumb as he contemplates my answer. Or perhaps he's just very bored and trying to hide it.
What would I recommend? I don't even know what you're doing.
“For a do-it-yourselfer?"
He nods, his eyes alive with wicked humor. I flush, and my gaze strays to his snug jeans.
“Coveralls" I reply, and I know I'm no longer screening what's coming out of my mouth.
He raises an eyebrow, amused yet again.
“You wouldn't want to ruin your clothing. I gesture vaguely in the direction of his jeans.
“I could always take them off." He smirks.
I feel the color in my cheeks rising again. I must be the color of The Communist Manifesto. Stop talking. Stop talking NOW."
Yeah. (said in Bill Lumbergh's voice)
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andrj908
10 years ago
The comparison of writing between the two books makes 50 Shades of *beep* look like a book written by a 14-year-old for his creative writing class. How it managed to become a sensation is beyond me... are women really that bored that they have to resort to an unimaginative and blandly written book? On the other hand, the excerpt from the 9 1/2 Weeks book makes me want to go order a copy now. It seems to be wonderfully worded and beautifully descriptive.
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femmefatale3000
10 years ago
The Fifty Shades trilogy was developed from a Twilight fan fiction series originally titled Master of the Universe and published episodically on fan-fiction websites under the pen name "Snowqueen's Icedragon".
9 1/2 Weeks is very minimal (the entire book is less than 200 pages), reading more like a diary.
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stacy0912
10 years ago
I just saw 9 1/2 weeks now for the first time, and was interested in reading the book. But after that excerpt, I'll pass. I don't want to work that hard in reading something that should be enjoyable.
"The nights were palpable and fierce, razors, outlined so clearly as to be luminous. A different country, its landscape and currency plain: heat, fear, cold pleasure, hunger, glut, pain, desire, overwhelming lust."
What does that even mean? Razors what? Really, reread it. The author knew how to write a bunch of adjectives, I'll give her that, but to what avail?
I'm not saying one story is better than the other, but you are comparing a strange take on literary fiction to (I use the term loosely) commercial fiction. James' writing is dubious to say the least, but at least it's understandable. Who wants to read something over and over trying to understand what the author is trying to poetically convey. *Me shouting* Get to the point already.
This is my pov, and like anything else in the world of the arts, books are subjective. I hate literary fiction--- and I really hate literary fiction that is written at the detriment of the story-line just to make it sound more poetic, edgy.
I like songs, movies, and most of all books---to get to the point. That is one of the reasons Meyers' and James' book sold so well. Your eyes can forgive mistakes, a 1007 double holy craps, and run on sentences, as long as the story is moving forward. When you have to look up words, and question if the comma's are placed correctly in a sentence (razors), then you stop reading the intent of the sentence, and hence the story.
I will say the sexiest part of 9 1/2 weeks was when John first meets Elizabeth. So much is conveyed in his expression. HOT. HOT. HOT.
~Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable~
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keyser_soze_smokes
9 years ago
Who wants to read something over and over trying to understand what the author is trying to poetically convey
Two words:
Got ya! No, seriously, see next:
Joyce.
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Happy birthday to the ground!!!
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