New Fifty Shades book: 'As arousing as the diary of a sex offender'

EL James' new Fifty Shades of Grey book has been panned by critics. Photo/AP

They camped out overnight, arrived in trains caught at dawn and devoured the first pages on the sidewalk - but the new Fifty Shades of Grey novel has been panned by critics.

Crazed fans mobbed a New York bookstore to snap up the latest novel, which was released today

High school girls, mothers with toddlers and buxom housewives queued down Fifth Avenue and round the block to get their hands on Grey and have it signed by unassuming British author, EL James.

The frenzy came despite early reviews panning the book: "As arousing as the diary of a sex offender" wrote The Telegraph. "I'm a creep," headlined The Economist.

It is the fourth novel in the astonishing phenomenon that is Fifty Shades - a trilogy of erotic novels selling more than 125 million copies, adapted into a US$569 million grossing Hollywood movie and credited with creating a new genre of adult literature.

Sisters Kimberly Caraballo, 20, and Kira Guadalupe, 19, said they were the first in line, spending the night on an uncomfortable metal bench, and dining on McDonald's.

"We're big fans," Kimberly said.

Kira said their family thought they were "crazy people" and admitted it had been an uncomfortable night.

"Next time, we'll bring a tent!" she said.

The college students said they couldn't wait to read the novel, told this time from the perspective of bondage-king and billionaire Christian Grey, instead of his young, meek lover Anastasia Steele.

The 559-page paperback, Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian, hit bookstores on her fictional character's birthday, and could be pre-ordered and downloaded on Kindle at midnight.

Such was the frenzy surrounding the announcement of the book's release, it was propelled to an Amazon best-seller.

- AFP