Fifty Shades Darker

Article written by Joshua Ehiosun

C2 certified writer.

‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is a 2012 erotic romance novel by E. L. James. Its story begins after Ana walks away from Christian when he beats her with a belt. After their breakup, they try to move on with their lives. However, fate brings them back together, and they struggle to overcome the jealousy, hate, and trauma haunting them.

Key Facts about Fifty Shades Darker

• Book Title: ‘Fifty Shades Darker.’
• Author: E. L. James.
• Inspiration: The inspiration for ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ comes from the first novel E. L. James wrote, ‘The Masters of the Universe.’ After completing the story, E. L. James would rebrand her story and rename it ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ birthing the Fifty Shades Trilogy.
• Publication Date: April 17, 2012.
• Literary Period: Contemporary.
• Point of View: First-person point of view.
• Number of Pages: 544.
• Genre: Erotic Romance.
• Setting: Seattle.
• Protagonists: Anastasia, Christian.
• Antagonist: Jack Hyde, Leila Williams.
• Story’s Climax: The story peaks when Ana learns that Christian had gone missing.

E. L. James and Fifty Shades Darker

As the second novel in the Fifty Shades Trilogy, ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is a crucial part of Ana and Christian’s story. After its predecessor, E. L. James used ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ to explore Christian’s mentality and the relationship between his past and present. The new novel explores Christian’s character and the cause of his emotional wall. It also shows how he slowly turns down his negative side as he gradually accepts that he is in love with Ana.

Books Related to Fifty Shades Darker

Here are some books similar to ‘Fifty Shades Darker.’

• ‘After’ by Ana Todd tells the story of an 18-year-old girl, Tessa, who meets Hardin, a rude and almost cruel boy. With her life already set with plans for the future, Tessa tries to commit everything to study to become the best she can be. However, Hardin creeps into her life, and everything changes when she gets attracted to him. In a bid to discover the real Hardin, Tessa learns a shocking truth that destroys the trust and love she has for Hardin. Though Hardin desperately tries to explain himself, Tessa leaves him and decides to forget everything related to their relationship.
• ‘This Man’ by Jodi Ellen Malpas is a novel that tells the story of Ava O’Shea, a young interior designer who meets Mr. Jesse, the owner of The Manor, on her first consultation. With the expectation of seeing an old, rich country-man, Ava gets shocked to meet the strikingly handsome and confident Jesse Ward. She tries to resist the charms of Jesse and tries to run away, but desperate to have her to himself, Jesse prevents her from doing so, and Ava is left to decide whether she wants the playboy who is a certified heartbreaker or not.
• ‘After We Collided’ by Anna Todd is a romance novel that continues the story of Tessa and Hardin. After Tessa learns of Hardin’s betrayal, she leaves him and begins her internship at Vance Publishing. She becomes friends with Trevor, and after a night out with Vance, Trevor, and Kimberly, she gets drunk and dials Hardin’s number. He drives over and sees her with Trevor, making him furious. Shortly, Tessa forgives Hardin, but things get rocky as she and Zed have a romantic moment together, causing Hardin to go on a rampage and attack Zed. He gets arrested, but Tessa begs Zed to drop charges. Everything returns to normal for Tessa and Hardin, but she sees her father on the streets, homeless.
• ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ by E. L. James is the first novel in the Fifty Shades Trilogy. It tells the story of Anastasia Steele, a young English major undergraduate, who meets Christian Grey, a 27-year-old billionaire. After briefly interviewing him, she becomes attracted to Christian. She meets him at her working place. After agreeing to a photoshoot she requests from him, he asks her out on a date. Surprisingly, he tells her he is not for her, and after saving her from a bike accident, she leaves him in tears. Later, Ana drunk dials Christian, and after he takes her to his hotel room, he asks her on another date and takes his house. He reveals his sexual desire for BDSM dominance to her, but she tells him of her virginity. After sleeping with her, Christian and Ana begin a relationship, but she hides the inadequacy she feels. In desperation, she asks Christian to show her the extreme of BDSM dominance, and after whipping her with a belt, she breaks up with him.

The Lasting Impact of Fifty Shades Darker