DNF Review: Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin

 Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):Young, arrogant, tycoon Earl Grey seduces the naïve coed Anna Steal with his overpowering good looks and staggering amounts of money, but will she be able to get past his fifty shames, including shopping at Walmart on Saturdays, bondage with handcuffs, and his love of BDSM (Bards, Dragons, Sorcery, and Magick)? Or will his dark secrets and constant smirking drive her over the edge?

Review:

NOTE: I never finished this book. I got to Chapter 3 before I gave up. Find out why below:

I didn’t go into this book with high expectations, but I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it past the 3rd chapter.

In my mind, it isn’t hard to write a parody about Fifty Shades of Grey. If anything, it is too easy. I mean look at how many celebrities have videos on YouTube of them reading the novel out-loud which results in millions of people laughing. But this book just fails.

I think it tries too hard to be “out-there”. The story is just plain odd and weird, not funny. Some lines (maybe about 3 sentences of the 15 pages I managed to read) were actually witty and encouraged me to keep reading. They were what I was expecting the book to be like and not random calls from Beyoncé or a 40 year old roommate bits we get. The wit was just too few and far between so I had to put this book down.

There isn’t much more to say other than that this was a disappointment, like Nightlight, the Twilight parody was. If it took more of a satire approach than a parody, it would have been more successful. I find it hard to believe that there is plans for a sequel because I can’t see how people finished the this one.

Conclusion:

Avoid at all costs if you like your sanity. It wasn’t funny–it was like watching a bad parody film only I couldn’t turn it off (well, it was an eBook so I guess I could have ;))

Rating: 1/5

Shorthand Stats:
Genre: Parody, Adult, Comedy
Recommended for: no one, but those who enjoy “out-there” parodies
Similar Reads: Nightlight by Harvard Lampoon