What started as Twilight fan fiction is now the next big thing since Harry Potter. Written by 49-year-old E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey has sold millions of copies worldwide and the author, whose real name is Erika Mitchell, is being hailed the new doyenne of pornographic fiction.
The book has set a record with one million downloads on Kindle and is now also the fastest selling paperback, with six million copies flying off the bookshelves within months of its launch.
Inspired by Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan of the Twilight franchise, Fifty Shades of Grey was later revised by the author and published as an erotic novel for adults. The story revolves around college graduate Anastasia Steele and her relationship with business magnate Christian Grey. The book has garnered attention for featuring elements of sexual practices such as bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism.
Kallie Purie, author of the Confessions of a Serial Dieter, sheds some light on the book’s overwhelming reception. “It’s being called ‘mommy porn’ and should appeal to ‘yummy mummies’. The book is a craze; because who doesn’t like the prospect of being pampered by a billionaire, receiving presents and houses, and exotic holidays? It’s like a contemporary Mills and Boons. But the book’s literary content is not excellent,” she explains, adding that although she has read the first two books, she will definitely skip the last one. “After some time, the story gets very similar.”
Amish Tripathi, author of The Immortals of Meluha, clears the air on how the blatant eroticism is not such a big deal. “Even though I haven’t read the book, I see no reason why Indian sentiments should be hurt. Since long back, open eroticism has been a part of Indian culture. It was never considered terrible. It’s with the advent of British that the mindset changed,” he says.