Fifty Shades Freed

By: E. L. James

Narrated by: Becca Battoe

Length: 20 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's Summary

More Than 100 Million Copies Sold Worldwide

Now a Major Motion Picture

When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees. 

Now, Ana and Christian have it all - love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past. 

Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.

This book is intended for mature audiences.

©2012 E.L. James (P)2012 Random House

Critic Reviews

"In a class by itself." ( Entertainment Weekly)

We ate the dessert first...

So I finish the Fifty Shades trilogy... Oh the tragedy! Fortunately I can and will listen to all three books over and over. I just can't get enough Fifty. I think my inner goddess is a pervert ;).

Narration: By now Becca Batoe's remastered recording (the-I-just-drank-half-a-bottle-of-wine-and-started-reading) is growing on me. She's ok but I still prefered the original recording were she sounded young but her male voices were much better.

Fifty Shades Freed starts with Christian and Anastacia enjoying their honeymoon. It includes more kinky lovery, more vanilla wonders and more Christian going sicko possessive. By now this drags a bit because it is a repeat of situations: Christian jealous, Ana challenges them, they fight, the have steamy sex and so on and so forth. Christians skeletons keep coming out of the closet and threatening his dear Ana. There is some suspense that brings some spice to the book but it never lives up to the mesmerizing stories we got on the first two books. Oh, and Ana calls RED on fifty. I was waiting for that!

I believe that listeners will be happy with the ending. Definitely the epilogue and the Shades of grey chapters are the absolute best in the whole book. It was exactly what I wanted to listen to in this story. This trilogy is in a class of its own. I've never read anything like it and will treasure it for years to come.

107 of 121 people found this review helpful

I really enjoyed this trilogy!

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

This trilogy came at a great time in my life.

What about Becca Battoe???s performance did you like?

I liked Becca Battoe's voice, although her Latin/Mexican accent was not good.

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

Yes! I did not want to stop listening to this book and I did not want it to end.

Any additional comments?

LOVED IT!

37 of 42 people found this review helpful

MORE! I need more Fifty Shades!!!

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

This book was AWESOME, EROTIC, and well written.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ana...she was funny and innocent and naughty.

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

She's always great!

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

When Chistian opened up to Ana about Elena.

Any additional comments?

I hope this author writes MORE!!!!

40 of 47 people found this review helpful

Mrs. Grey...

This series was soo good. The ups and downs truly kept you guessing. I loved seeing the way Christian and Ana's relationship grew and transformed through the story. It was hot, but it was also emotional and suspenseful. Really a great story

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Not as good as the others

What disappointed you about Fifty Shades Freed?

This book was very tame compared to the first two. After reading the first two, which were very intense, this one is a major let down and is just outright boring.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Bared to You

What didn’t you like about Becca Battoe’s performance?

I hated her "guy" voice for Mr. Gray.

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

disappointment

Any additional comments?

I really liked the first book while Darker was also pretty good but this was the worse by far. Not worth listening to unless you are like me and just have to finish a series before you could listen to anything else.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Heated

What disappointed you about Fifty Shades Freed?

The narrator, she was HORRIBLE!! Sounded like a teenager with an annoying voice and the writing was equally HORRIBLE!! Unrealistic scenarios & characters!! What prompted me to listen to all three books you might ask...the erotica...it was the only part that was well written...other than that I wouldn't recommend any of the 3 books!!

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Made the situations and characters more believable (a 21 yr old getting ready to graduate college is a virgin, doesn't own a computer or cell phone?! yeah right), and the main character is 28, was an abused child, adopted by a dr...becomes a piano prodigist & multi-billionaire. Is EXTREMELY controlling (outside of the bedroom) in a condensending, parently way and the female is always cowering to him like a child! I wanted to slap her on many occassions and if she said...'oh my' & 'my inner goddess' one more time I thought I'd pull my hair out!!

What didn’t you like about Becca Battoe’s performance?

her voice, her intonation, and the fact that EVERYTIME she read an email she read the time, date, salutation, etc which typiclally was longer than the content of the email. If I have to listen to her one more time I'll SCREAM

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

Oh My Indeed

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

I found the readers interpration of the characters laughable at best. She really got on my nerves. I was already dealing with a book that was not exactly what you call great writing but i wanted to see what all the hype was about...Oh good lord...

This book would have been better if every other page wasn't some weird "Kinky F-kery" I believe she called it. It was a lot too much!

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

If it's written by James...then for sure!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She was annoying

Could you see Fifty Shades Freed being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Not unless it was NC-17! And it starred porn stars!

Any additional comments?

I hate I spent money on this but, oh well. I wanted to catch up and see what all my girlfriends where gushing about. Now I think they all need to have their heads examined.

69 of 84 people found this review helpful

same old stuff! sounds like an adolescent wrote it

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

NO, NO, NO

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

no imagination, same old sad tired line! oh my!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

she was boring!

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

No

Any additional comments?

It just sounded like a kid wrote it.

16 of 19 people found this review helpful

I NEED MORE

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book over and over again. I hope E L james makes a trilogy based on what Mr. Gray was thinking.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Christian. He had me so hot and bothered. I loved him.

Which character – as performed by Becca Battoe – was your favorite?

I think she did a great job with all the characters.

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

When christian thought she was going leave him again and he became the Submissive.

Any additional comments?

This book was so awesome. I hope E L James takes my advice and PLEASE make books based on what Christian was thinking.

24 of 29 people found this review helpful

Thank goodness the torture is over

Yes I must have some masochist tendency's as I tortured myself through the whole series - audible even! Mainly to see if the author and narrator could possibly be so consistently bad through to the bitter end.


My emotions? Frustrated there was no improvement in the writing skills of the author or narration skills of the reader. Disappointment that Ana never matures from her naive, malleable and subservient behaviors. There are times throughout the series that Ana thinks she's acting strongly and standing up defiantly for herself, against Christian, to protect her civil rights. What a bunch of horse pucky! It's sad how she so deludes herself. There are specific items/actions she considers deal breakers but will debase herself for the other 98% of time. She lets Christian roll over her like a freight train, coming and going. I lost track of the times she's trying to figure out how "not to make him so mad or so upset" - over and over. She constantly supplants her own needs for his wants and desires.

The book is grand example of how abusive and controlling behaviors can be exhibited and some classic victim thinking to go along with it.

69 of 85 people found this review helpful