Fifty Shades of Grey

Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy

By: E. L. James

Narrated by: Becca Battoe

Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

More than 150 million copies sold worldwide.

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success - his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family - Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

This audiobook is intended for mature audiences.

Look for E L James’ passionate new love story, The Mister, coming April 16, 2019.

©2011 E L James (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

• Finalist, GoodReads Choice Awards, Best Romance

I like the book a lot & can't put it down.

If you could sum up Fifty Shades of Grey in three words, what would they be?

A great book!

What did you like best about this story?

Feels real. The main character is so down to earth and real.

What three words best describe Becca Battoe’s performance?

Good but needs more range. I like so far. She fits the character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh

Any additional comments?

I really like it.

Hmmm.... Wow

Ah... the much-maligned 50 Shades. The premise is different from what I’ve read in the past (though not to others, apparently), but the plot is typical romance — boy meets girl, girl falls in love, stuff happens, the (not) end. As to the characters... I had a hard time suspending disbelief. Ana is a very attractive 22-23 year old virgin. Not because she is religious, but because she didn’t have time to date. Really? Not even during the summers and other school breaks? As for Christian, he doesn’t have the emotional maturity to carry off the kind of sexual relationship featured in the book.
This is written in first person present tense, which actually kept me from getting too deeply into it despite the fact that this POV is meant to lend immediacy to the prose. The grammar is at about the 9th grade level of an average student, and could have used an editor. It is also too wordy, probably twice as long as it needs to be. An editor would have been helpful not only in correcting the grammar, but also culling unnecessary scenes.
Be warned that this is the first of a trilogy. However, it is a serial rather than a series.
Now, here’s what I think. If one can forgive the (lack of) quality of the writing, and if you feel compelled to listen, stop with this one and treat it as a romantic tragedy because it doesn’t get any better. Unless you’re just in it for the BDSM. But I from what I’ve heard, Sylvia Day does that better.

Fifty Shades of Erotic Reading

What made the experience of listening to Fifty Shades of Grey the most enjoyable?

I love the characters - I cared about what happened to them

Who was your favorite character and why?

Christian, of course. Although Mrs. Robinson is hot in a demented way. Christian is the ultimate alpha male with just enough kinky needery to be hot.

Which scene was your favorite?

I love the tension between Anastasia, Mrs. Robinson and Christian. Maybe when Ana tells Mrs. Robinson to bug off.
Of course I also like when he used the belt...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

OH Yes. I've listened to the entire series twice

Any additional comments?

If you like Maya Banks, Lora Leigh, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Suzanne Brockmann, etc. You will LOVE this

Love all the voices in this book!

I loved this book! This voice were were great really drew me in! Then I hear the next 2 books will not be in the same voices! I was so looking foward to the same voices! Now I don't know if I will be to listen to the next 2 books.

Gray is an awful color...

Would you try another book from E L James and/or Becca Battoe?

With a different narrator, perhaps.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Awful. Can't even say it is a clever twist or writers embellishment. It was just too off the grid to make any sense.

How could the performance have been better?

The content of the book did not match the child like reading of the narrator. A more light hearted romantic genre would fit her much better.

Was Fifty Shades of Grey worth the listening time?

No.

Any additional comments?

I should learn not to waste my recious credits on 'hype' books.

Too Much and Too Repetitive for my taste...Still

Although the book is way too repetitive for my taste, it does tell the oft told tale that intimacy depends on communication and loving communication can bridge seemingly impossible emotional gaps. The BDSM subject matter is just a dramatic (and at the end of Book One, horrifying) way of introducing how informed trust, patience, respect and love can allow a seemingly impossible emotional gulf between two people to be bridged.

Could not stop listening!!

I loved the narrator!! I don't understand the negative reviews. This book was addicting. I literally could not stop listening to it. Completed it in a day and a half. Am looking forward to the next two books. Too bad I need to work for a living and can't devote my day to listening to Book #2 yet.

Very much fun, but totally mindless

What did you like best about this story?

Anastasia falling for Christian and then the last 17 mins of the book.

What does Becca Battoe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

helps to develop the "inner dialogue" device

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

To all those who hated the book and/or narration, please; get over your bad selves. This is a mindless summer read for goodness sake, not Proust. Agreed, you could start a new drinking game based on the limited vocabulary; take a shot every time Becca Battoe says " oh my", "hooded eyes", "prickling scalp", or "my sex". EVERY person I know who has read this book has seen significant "fringe benefits".

WOW

All I have to say is be careful where you are reading this, hopefully there is a pool or cold shower close by - you may need to cool yourself off!

I agree with Roxanne - Bring Back Ana!

Where does Fifty Shades of Grey rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The original narration voice is much better than the remastered version. Please release book 2 and 3 with the orignal narration voice.