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

This girl sounds like a preteen

The combination of writing and this reader make this book seem more like porn than romance. If this is what romance novels are like I must pass. At least let us feel like the characters have half a brain.

AWFUL NARRATING!!!!

What disappointed you about Fifty Shades of Grey?

I read and enjoyd the book very much! No, disappointment.

What did you like best about this story?

The book had many little adventures which kept it interesting.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

BIG TIME!! She was horrible! If you have not read the book and this is you first time, DO NOT GET THE AUDIBLE! At least,not with this narrator. It kills the whole feeling of the book.I've never tried audio books before,so I used one credit on a book I just read and liked to see how I would like it. Didn't realize how different the narration would be.To narrate a book, you need to be an actor. You need to make us feel like we are in the story. The reading is more monotone and it is hard to follow and get into the book.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Fifty Shades of Grey?

I enjoyed the "hot scenes" in the book, but they could have been cut down some.

Any additional comments?

Overall, a very good book! A friend recommended it to me, otherwise I wouldn't have read it. Not into too much romance novels, but this was fun.

Coming from a male listener...

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Having downloaded the audio version of a book trilogy that my girlfriend has been enjoying in print over the Christmas period, I was only aghast after listening to all 20 hours of the frist book. This literary sensastion is so utterly bad, and even at the rare moments when I
thought the author had finally come across a solution to leave teenage sex territory and develop the stoty into something asembling matrurity - it got even worse.Coming back to the question posted by Audible: This book is only for fans of the "Twilight" series, but nobody beyond that target group. Sorry.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Anything but the next two instalmets in the series.

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

Nobody could have made more of the story. She comes across believable as an almost 22-year old Western naive virgin beyond credibility in the 21st Century.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No, sorry.

Any additional comments?

Again: think I've said it all.

50 Shades of Annoying

Any additional comments?

I didn't like the book. I didn't like the narration, I foolishly got all three books at once. I listened to the first one, if I stop there I can tolerate that as an ending. The thought of continuing any more of that annoying monotony makes me need a nap. I was allowed to return the second and third but for some reason not the first. Bleh, lesson learned.

Fifty Shades of Sh*%#

What disappointed you about Fifty Shades of Grey?

The two characters were weak at best and not believable in their roles.

Would you ever listen to anything by E. L. James again?

No

How could the performance have been better?

Less crappy dialogue and more sex talk. It was the only thing that kept my interest.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger

Any additional comments?

Wow there must be a lot of pent up sexual fantasy in the world for this book to get this much hype. We are to believe that a 21 year old college virgin (if that still exists) suddenly has her sexual switch turned on by an S&M loving sadist? If nothing else the sex scenes provide great sexual stimulation. This is a clever way to discreetly package porn for the housewives of ________________.

Cheesey, at best

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

This book is good for a "brainless distraction." The story line was cheesey and unbelievable. I rank it right up there with a plot line in a typical porno. It had a lot of sex and erotic details that seems to have been written by someone completely out of touch with women. Sure...a good looking, wealthy, power-crazy sadist falls for a ditsy, 22 year old virgin who has never been attracted to anyone before and who has an orgasms every time Christian touches her...I believe that. But like I said, it is a brainless distraction. I will not be getting the other ones in the series.

Hate it!!!!!!!!

What disappointed you about Fifty Shades of Grey?

I was completely uninterested with the narrator but tried to stick it out bc I heard the story was so "great".....The story was terrible! Didn't even get 1/2 way through!!

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

The story was very child-like and cheesy

How could the performance have been better?

Better person to narrate probably would have helped a lot

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Dissatisfied and disappointed

Meh.

At first? Hot! At second? Hotish, and a bit... WHOA? But by the seventy millionth time you hear the same sex scene repeated... it just gets lame. This first book was just ok. Enough story to keep you going, but couldn't the author get more creative with her adjectives?! The 2nd and 3rd books have a better story, but the repetitive stuff doesn't stop.

What a waste of time.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Better writing and a better storyline.

Has Fifty Shades of Grey turned you off from other books in this genre?

Definitely turned me off of books written by E.L James.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrators voice was very annoying to me. She would lapse into some type of semi-whine. Maybe if she learn to modulate her voice a little more so it's not always in one constant range.

What character would you cut from Fifty Shades of Grey?

Umm, Anna and Christian.

Any additional comments?

I wish I could have the time back I spent on this story.

Clear shades of bad...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

More true and mature knowledge of language around sex AND most certainly a better narrator. The choice was more irritating than interesting.

What could E. L. James have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Written a character that had some real depth or sexual curiosity that would make the character even be willing to engage in the relationship. Also what made her appealing to the main character.... she was not that intriguing.

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

No certain who specifically; however someone who didn't sound like they were 12 and could do male voices more effectively. The narration was what made me finally just stop.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I suppose it was willing to delve into forbidden territory - just not well done.

Any additional comments?

I think all the hype because of the subject matter was the draw for folks. I think I have read better sex scenes in your everyday romance novels that push the envelope with sexual tension. Keeping you engage as to WHEN the main characters might actually -- finally -- engage.