At the end of the day, this is a romance novel. Critics and "true readers" scoff, despite the fact that 50% of sales of paperbacks in America are romance novels.

Okay, that rant aside, I loved this book. You can cut the sexual tension with a knife. It's obvious Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey are crazy for each other. The BDSM elements are interesting, but the focal point is the the relationship between the two.

Christian Grey is a "project." He's complex. He is tortured. Only unassuming female deuteragonist is the only one who can melt his cold heart. But I'd hate to call Ana an insertion character, because she is more than that. She's more like the protagonist of a shojou anime, where everyone loves her.