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

So excited to download this book!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I LOVE the story. It draws you in quickly and is compelling. HATE the narration. Ugh!

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Becca Battoe?

Anyone! That "valley girl" inflection was beyond irritating!

Any additional comments?

I should have taken the time to sit down and read this one. The narration ruins the experience.

Intoxicating

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

Is my life

What other book might you compare Fifty Shades of Grey to and why?

None....This book discribes my life and how he swooned me and the deep demons within my husband. I entirely related to the feelings Ana was going through. The ups and downs and at the same time being on a pedestal as a princess. His dark demons from his abusive childhood that he fights with everyday. His addictions are different than my husband's but all the same, addiction to sex.

Which scene was your favorite?

He just couldn't be without her. Oh! And the plane ride. I would love to glide like that!

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

Made me see my husband's side of feelings and more empathy for him. Making our life better when I make him communicate when it used to be hard for him about what he is feeling and can't control it but talking helps. He wants to be better.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait to read the rest of the series. A person that has had a dramatic childhood can be exhausting but the rewards in your heart are great. We've made 10 years so far and hoping he can make a lot more. God Bless

AWESOME!

Would you listen to Fifty Shades of Grey again? Why?

Yes I would listen to it again. It had me totally involved and captured. I loved the characters and the story line.

What other book might you compare Fifty Shades of Grey to and why?

I can't think of one to compare it to currently.

Have you listened to any of Becca Battoe’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, Becca is great.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Hot, Erotic, Thrilling!

Any additional comments?

This was a fantastic series! I hope the author gives us MORE!

Dull teenage quasiporn...did not finish book.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not really...there is no action or trama...if you call lenghtly descriptions of sex with cliche characters a good story...well... we are not the same type of readers. I was painting my kitchen listening to this book, but stopped it in part two. It got repetitive, and dull.

What was most disappointing about E. L. James’s story?

Lack of depht into the characters, too much time in coitus descriptions and too little time developing the story. The heroine is an English major who spends too much time saying "On my!". The "hero", or "antihero" if you could call it that, does not get interesting. I spent about five hours listening to this, waiting to hear when it started getting real...or at least plausible...until I gave up. Maybe it is just my taste in books; maybe I just enjoy a better story that is not for hormone agitated sixteen year old girls thinking only about how it would feel to be in bed with the ideal of all ideals man (with dark, but misunderstood mind and intimacy issues), or maybe I would like to actually listen to a good story that keeps me awake until the wee hours of the night, because I want to know what happens next.

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

The narrator has a nice voice. I would not have been able to paint my kitchen while reading a book, but I could do it while listening to Becca Battoe.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I would not. I would wait until the movie came out on TV, and I don't mean on Pay per View, but regular TV, just to see if the movie builds up drama better than the book did. There is got to be something to justify why all the fuzz about this book was about...right?

Any additional comments?

Dissapointed.

Narration was awful but the book is amazing!

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

El James yes Becca not so much... They should had Kirsten potter read this book it would have been amazing!!!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fifty Shades of Grey?

Sex!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The sentencess were at spaced I feel like a child was reading this book and we tone hardly changes.

Do you think Fifty Shades of Grey needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Def super hot story lined! I learned a lot!!

Awesome !!!

absolutely loved it ! couldn't stop listening / reading. highly recommend reading ! all 3 books !

Interesting but not as good as I hoped.

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

Too much sex

What about Becca Battoe’s performance did you like?

At first I found her voice to be very annoying but the more I got to know the main charter, the more I realized her voice very much suited the young inexperienced and clueless college girl.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really while I did finished the book, also the second and am currently on the third, I feel like I always wanna scream at Anastasia.

Any additional comments?

There are so many things about this book that are so not realistic that I find I personally don't enjoy it as much as a more plausible story. I don't want to be a spoiler but, what almost 22 years old girl has never been attracted to a man before? What virgin isn't mortified but all the kinky sex things he is about? And lets mot forget her ability to give oral like an old pro and have organisms on command. I'm sure many women would really enjoy this story but the constant sex and bizarre kinky stuff is off putting to me.

Who Chose This Narrator???

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, I can't even make myself finish this book. I cannot tolerate the narrator "trying" to be erotic!

Any additional comments?

I cannot even force myself to finish it!! Maybe the book is better since I won't have to listen to that voice again!

Enjoyed the book but not the narrator

I read this book first and completely enjoyed it. I thought it would add to my enjoyment of the story to listen as well but this narrator made Christian sound silly. I know a female narrator can do justice to a sexy male character because Davina Porter does a wonderful job with my all time favorite romantic literary character, Jamie Frasier, in the Outlander series. The Fifty Shades books have an unrealistic plot and are not Pulitzer Prize material by any means but I recommend them for pure enjoyment. The sex scenes are described in detail and are fun to read. Christian is a very appealing character, confident and cool. I don't plan to listen to the other books but I will read them again.

Ummmm.... WOW!

Before listening to this I read reviews and was unsure whether I wanted to listen to it as some were saying that the writing was awful. They couldn't have been more wrong! I think the author captivated each persona of Anna and Christian. I did like it better by listening to it on the faster narration speed of 2x. This is the only book I've ever listened to at higher than 1.1x. However, it made it more captivating. I loved the narrator. Her voice was perfect for Anna and how she changed it for Christian. Warning...if you have any prudish tendencies...you WILL NOT like this book. Any reservations at all about listening to very steamy books you WILL NOT like this book. If not, you will like this book and although Christian is a very different type of guy, you will feel drawn to him...laters baby...:)