Fifty Shades Darker is the second book in EL James's erotic Fifty Shades series. It was published in 2015 and is the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey. It tells the story from Christian's perspective.
It follows Ana and Christian after their scorching love affair ended in heartbreak. Ana has moved on with her career as a publisher, but she can't stop thinking about Christian and her deepest desires. Meanwhile, Christian struggles with his compulsion to control women. His slimy boss Jack Hyde tries to seduce her, but Christian warns him about her. Eventually, Christian and Ana start a relationship on her terms.
The sex scenes in this novel aren't as outrageous as the first one, probably because of overexposure to the series or simply because of the fact that Ana seems more willing to participate in them. However, that doesn't mean that the sex isn't there. It is, and there are plenty of butt plugs, anal beads and nipple clamps.
Fifty Shades Darker is a good book but it's only as good as the first one if you have read that first. It tells the story of a broken woman trying to heal and how she finds the strength to stand up to her abusive husband. It's also a good reminder that you can't change an abusive person and it's dangerous folly to try. I'm looking forward to the final movie, Fifty Shades Freed, which will tell the story from Christian's perspective.
