Fifty Shades Darker [Paperback]

E. L. James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, the Fifty Shades trilogy will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever. ...Daunted by the dark secrets of the tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Ana Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a US publishing house. But desire for Grey still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, she cannot resist. Soon she is learning more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades than she ever thought possible. But while Grey wrestles with his inner demons, Ana must make the most important decision of her life. And it's a decision she can only make on her own...

Editorial Reviews

Review

THE "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLING FIFTY SHADES Trilogy

"In a class by itself."
--"Entertainment Weekly"

About the Author

E L James is a former TV executive, wife and mother of two based in West London. Since early childhood she dreamed of writing stories that readers would fall in love with but put those dreams on hold to focus on her family and career. She finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper with her first novel Fifity Shades of Grey.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Random House Publishers India Private Limited (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099579928
• ISBN-13: 978-0099579922
• Product Dimensions: 1.4 x 4.8 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7,401 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

E L James is a TV executive, wife and mother of two, based in West London. Since early childhood, she dreamt of writing stories that readers would fall in love with, but put those dreams on hold to focus on her family and her career. She finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper with her first novel, Fifty Shades of Grey.

E L James is currently working on her next novel...

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#54 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#2 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#14 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#20 in Books > Romance

#28 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#2 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#14 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#20 in Books > Romance

#28 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2,176 of 2,272 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It's awful, but oh so addicting April 29, 2012

By cupcake TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

After surviving 50 Shades of Grey, and after taking a break for a few days from Ana and Christian's tortured romance, I girded my loins and cracked open the second book of the trilogy, 50 Shades Darker.

For those of you intrigued by the words "butt plug" or "fisting," half of you will enjoy your lucky day, because one of those is kinda sorta featured in this book. As it is, the only fisting we ever see - ever come close to seeing - is that of Ana's or Christian's hands in the others' hair. And that happens a lot. Not as often as Ana or Christian gasping, or Christian setting his lips in a hard line, or Ana biting her lip, or Ana coming undone, or Christian frowning. In fact, Christian's frowning is such a "thing" that, when Ana frowns, another character observes that she's turning into Christian.

It's just ... WHERE THE HELL WAS THE EDITOR?

But I digress.

To dig too deeply into the spectacle that is 50 Shades of Grey is to approach Sisyphean frustration. Trust me, because I know of what I speak. I spent an inordinate amount of time wondering how it was that Christian Grey was 27 and a billionaire as I read the first book. I don't think we are meant to really ponder this stuff. I think we're supposed to strap on our dildos and have at it, as it were.

Okay, so. When we last left Christian and Ana, she had walked out on him, horrified at the depravity entailed in his life of BDSM. (Go ahead and Google THAT, people. I had to, so you might as well.) As with its muse, Twilight, we see our heroine descend into despair, but unlike Bella's months on end, Ana really only suffers for five days. Christian gets in touch with her, and it's game on, kids.... Christian is prepared to let go of his need for dominance in his playroom, because all he really wants - all he really needs - is Ana. She has admitted that she loves him, but it takes Christian a little longer.

Now, before you start thinking that this is the end of the Red Room of Pain, let me tell you that it is not. Don't worry - Christian keeps the room, and Ana remains inexplicably drawn to it. So those butt plugs come in handy (no pun intended), although - SPOILER - Christian does point out that for the anally virgin, a finger is a better start. So Ana has something to look forward to, so to speak.

Back to the plot, such as it is. It turns out that one of Christian's former subs remains fixated on him, so she enters the story to muck up Christian and Ana's relationship. Also causing trouble is Ana's boss at the publishing house. He wants her, which pisses off Christian, who reacts as only Christian can. Meanwhile, Christian and Ana's romance progresses in fits and starts. She loves him, he really cares about her, can he say the "L" word, can they get past his need for control, why does he love her, why does she love him, can he overcome his tortured childhood, blah blah blah.

What you really want to know about are the sex scenes, right? RIGHT? I'm pretty sure you butt plug searching people aren't concerned about the dialogue.

In this book, they rock the headboard in an elevator, on a boat, in Christian's childhood room, in the shower (again - evidently they enjoy that spot), Ana's apartment bedroom, Christian's apartment bedroom, and - YESS! - the Red Room of Pain. Oh, and on top of a piano and a pool table. There may be more. Did the desk happen in this book, or the previous one? I think they wind up on Christian's desk in this one, too.

During one of the many times Ana challenges Christian, they are in the library, competing in a billiards game.

"You know, Anastasia, I could stand here and watch you leaning and stretching across this billiard table all day," he says appreciatively.

I flush. [SHE FLUSHES A LOT. That's another thing that is repetitive, and so again, I ask, WHERE THE HELL IS THE EDITOR? Oh - those are "shouty caps," according to Ana. Back to the program.] Thank heavens I am wearing my jeans. He smirks. [HE SMIRKS A LOT. So does she. Sometimes they smirk, bite lips and eye roll, all at the same time.] He's trying to put me off my game, the bastard. He pulls his cream sweater over his head, tosses it onto the back of a chair, and grins at me, as he saunters over to take his first shot.

He bends low over the table. My mouth goes dry. Oh, I see what he means. Christian in tight jeans and white T-shirt, bending, like that ... is something to behold. I quite lose my train of thought. He sinks four solids rapidly, then fouls by sinking the white.

Foreplay, Christian styles.

And now, for the butt plug seekers:

"What's this?" I hold up the silver bullet thing.

"Always hungry for information, Miss Steele. That's a butt plug," he says gently.

"Oh ..."

"Bought for you."

What? For me?

He nods slowly, his face now serious and wary.

I frown. [AGAIN - she always frowns. Or he frowns. They frown a LOT.] "You buy new, er ... toys ... for each submissive?"

"Some things. Yes."

"Butt plugs?"

"Yes."

So there you go. They come up again, so buy a copy and knock yourself out.

Is 50 Shades Darker good? Hell to the no, it is not good. But is it entertaining? Yes. Is it hot? Yes. Is it worth reading? Yes. If you can get past all of the awful writing, it's very enjoyable. I admit that I read it cover to cover, and I look forward to 50 Shades Freed. Do not, however, mistake an enjoyable read for something well written, because this is NOT well written. It's like literary crack. You know it's bad for you, and you feel dirty and low for enjoying it, but you can't stop.

I gave this 4 stars. Don't judge me.

If you want to know my thoughts on Fifty Shades Freed, check it: http://www.amazon.com/review/R16U7WCSXSQRJR/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

Published on cupcake's book cupboard. @VivaAmaRisata Read more ›

574 of 652 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars And the award for the most unlikable lead character in a book goes to... April 26, 2012

By Deshawn Taylor

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Anastasia Steele! Oh my God, was she awful! "I want you...I can't please you...I'll never leave you...I can't give you what you need...and on and on and ON!" Grow up! At one point in the book, she stated that she doesn't understand why Christian likes her. You and me both, sister! And then there's the sophomoric writing! It's soooo repetitive...repetitive...repetitive! But wait! Just when you think the same phrase is going to be used, YET AGAIN, the author throws in some arbitrary word that causes you to have to use your Kindle dictionary and doesn't fit in with any of the other elementary wording that takes place throughout the book. Who uses the word "avuncular" in everyday talk? Am I really supposed to believe that a word that advanced is coming from the same person who constantly refers to her female anatomy as "down there"? I'm rolling my eyes (which is quite ironic because that was a central theme in this book)! I haven't even finished the book but after the marriage proposal, I could take no more! I had to stop what I was doing just to write this review! And I probably won't finish the book because it will most likely be another 100 pages of "His eyes are gray...He looks impassive...I bit my lip...Gasp...Oh my...He finds his release...blah blah blah!"

469 of 535 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Repetitive and redundant. March 14, 2012

By Ebeth822

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Someone please give this author a thesaurus and an editing team that cares. It's not just that the same actions are repeated over and over (and over... and over again), it's that the same words are used to describe them every time. It's like someone put 50 words in a bag, pulled them out and mashed them into a semblance of a sentence, then tossed them back in the bag and repeated the process to fill 300+ pages.
Inspired by another review I actually used my Kindle to count the ones that were most painful/annoying to read:

Lips bitten: 25
Eyes widened: 21
Eyes rolled: 51
"oh my": 45
Scowls: 48
Gasps: 62
"jeez": 76
Smirks: 91
Flushes/blushes: 133
F-bombs dropped: 173
Whispers: 251

Do the math! Lips are bitten and eyes are widened in every chapter. Someone gasps once every six pages. The main character "flushes" at least once every three pages.

Yes, the British author uses British colloquialisms that make no sense in the Pacific Northwest. Yes, the female protagonist is two dimensional and boring. Yes, her leading man is given a forced and contrived backstory in an unnecessary attempt to make sense of his kinkiness in a vanilla world. The sex scene was okay the first time I read it, but by the time it was recycled for the twelfth time or so it was just boring. Yes, in between the repetitions listed above the author inexplicably throws whatever was on her "word a day calendar" into character conversation where it sounds silly and awkward. But none of these things really destroy a good book quite like reading "I flush" for the hundredth time. Oh my!

Apologies to the fans out there. Imagine I'm writing this review with an "apologetic smirk."

403 of 460 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars More of fifty shades of highly overrated tripe May 3, 2012

By write1

Format:Paperback

Side note to anyone who cares ( I am an avid reader and curious by nature. Everyone was going on and on about this and the sucker that I am, I read it and hated it. This is my OPINION. If you don't like it, you DON"T have to read it!!!!!) The book DOES suck by the way!!! The last time we met our intrepid hero, I mean dom, he was standing in shock over Ana leaving him all alone in his red room of pain. What did he expect her to do jump and down and thank him for that beating? The book was an exercise in how not to write a sequel. There is virtually no plot. Ana can't even go five days without her needy, controlling sorry excuse for a boyfriend. Yes, he's needy and controlling and can't seem to get his head around the fact that Ana should have a life. All they have in common is sex which isn't a good foundation for any relationship, and are soon back together. It has't even been a week! There isn't much of a plot, just Ana and Christian questioning each other and themselves.

And amidst all this supposed romance is page after repetitive page of sex. Not much there considering all the stuff they seem to do to each other. It gets really boring by the way. At one point I felt like a spectator at the horizontal olympics. I mean, come on! If they're at each other that much, how can she even walk? That's all they seem to have in common. It's "I don't trust you," "Don't leave me", " How can you find me attractive?" I wonder about the mental stability of both characters. Not to mention an annoying back story about how Christian doesn't like to be touched and about his need to dominate women just because they remind him of his mother. There's a little sub-plot about a former submissive who's so unstable and emotionally fragile you wonder about Mr. Grey and why he's not in prison.... I also find it hard to believe that at 27 he'd be at the helm of some massive corporation and still feels the need to whine about how Ana left him and how he needs her. Buddy, you're a ruthless gazillionaire and head of a powerful corporation. People need you, you don't need anybody!

But alas, Christian is finding his fragile, needy, stalking, controlling self, and can't seem to find a leash long enough to put around Ana who constantly needs breathing space from her handsome psychotic boyfriend who was basically molested by an older woman we call Mrs. Robinson in the book. This woman gave birth to his sadomasochistic tendencies. He says she helped him by beating the crap out of him (he's so stupid he can't see it for child molestation) and he can't bear to be touched because of what his birth mother's pimp did to him (he constantly refers to her as the "crack whore" how touching and downright annoying).

He can't break ties with Mrs. Robinson and tell her to go to hell. Guess who does? Ana tries to, but she's no good at it...it's his adoptive mother who was by far, the strongest woman in the book. Towards the end, I was kind of tired of all the sex, the whining, the stalking, the whining, the sex, more whining, there's a marriage proposal in there somewhere. I can't imagine why'd she want to marry a mess of a man who is so broken by the mere thought of leaving him, he constantly needs reassurance that she won't do it again! Another mess of a novel. By the time Christian's helicopter goes missing, you wish he had stayed missing so Ana can go whine about her insecurities in peace. Another boring end to boring characters who really should have been put out of their misery before they even made it to book one. Read more ›