Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian

Grey is the 4th book in the Fifty Shades series. I’m a bit of a Fifty Shades junkie.
So I was beyond excited that Grey came out last June. Yes, I own the audio, iTunes book version and my husband even bought me the hardback cover for my birthday.
It’s quite refreshing to see Grey from Christian’s POV. Quite fascinating to dive into Fifty’s mindset. Now I seem to understand his thinking. In the first book FSOG, he does come off as a complete ass. But after reading Grey it shows us his tenderness that stems from his childhood issues. Yes, it still has its cliffhanger like in FSOG. But It shows us that he intended to win Ana back!

You will adore E.L. James writing even more after reading Grey!!! A must-have for any FSOG fan!

I really enjoyed this read. I especially liked the insight into Christian’s thoughts & finding out what actually happened with his mom Grace. Like all the books in this series this one is sensual & hot. The audio book is great too.

I love the story from Christian’s POV. This is my favorite book in the trilogy because this is where the story was most vulnerable. I love that we get into his head and learn what makes him tick. I think that this allows us to really get to know him and how he truly feels. He is a troubled soul that finds him self unlovable that is the total opposite of everyone in his life feels about him. I love that questions get answered after reading from his stand point.

“Baby, you read me like one of your books; except I’m not the hero. I’ll never be the hero.”

I love that Christian protects those he loves. He feels as if he is not a hero but he is in his own way. Putting so much into his work and trying to make things better for his horrible past.

This book has made me dislike Elena even more. I feel that Elena gets what she deserves in the book as well past or no past she needed to go. I feel that she was always disrespectful to Ana.

The one thing I was a little disappointed by was the boat house proposal. This was my favorite part in the original book.

I need to start by saying this is not the kind of book I generally read. In fact, I have steered clear of the trilogy, but a friend raved and raved and told me I needed to read the books. I bought this after finishing the trilogy and to say I was disappointed is a good place to start. Christian’s story is basically a first person rehashing of the first book. The reader already knows what is going to happen, but is able to get into Christian’s warped mind. You also gain a greater understanding of why he is what he is and does what he does. I don’t recommend the book because it seems like a way for the author to cash in on the success of the first 3 books in the trilogy and like I said, if you have read them you already know how the story is going to end.

Loved this book from Christian’s POV!

Yes, This Is A Steamy Story. Christian & Anastasia Have Incredible Chemistry & Those Scenes Burn Up The Pages. But They Also Serve To Bring The Couple Closer, & Due To Their Dark Nature, They Promote Trust & Deepen Intimacy. That Carries Over Into The Rest Of The Story – And There Really Is A Story Here, Despite The Hype. The Characters Are Complex & Real, Even If The Story Itself Is A Fantasy. Christian May Be Dictatorial & Brash, But This Tells The Story Of A Boy & Teen Who Suffered From Abuse & Grew Into A Man Whose Self Worth Had Been Beaten Down.

Everyone is familiar with the Fifty Shades of Grey series. That is Anastasia Steele’s story. This is the first book in the series that tells the Fifty Shades of Grey story from the male point of view: this is Christian Grey’s story. Whether you have read the first series makes no difference here. It is essentially the same story, but here the reader gets to discover more about Christian, who is a far more fascinating character than Anastasia. Her story is captivating – makes no mistake – but hers is more of a dark coming of age story. Unlike Anastasia, Christian has a past – one that is out of the ordinary in almost every respect. He has demons. Combined with the power he has amassed, that makes him dangerous, especially to someone like Anastasia. Anastasia’s story has her finding her own power and her own voice when she finds herself swept into a whirlwind relationship with a dark and powerful man. Christian’s story obviously goes further to shed light on what he is feeling throughout Anastasia’s story, and it doesn’t disappoint. Christian is a broken and misunderstood man who believes himself both incapable and undeserving of love until an unassuming college senior stumbles into his office and has him rethinking the all the rules in his well-ordered world.

Notably for fans, this book does not end in the same place as Anastasia’s story in Fifty Shades of Grey. The first book in her series ends Saturday, June 4. It has a devastating cliffhanger. The first book in Christian’s series, however, closes on the morning of Jose Rodriguez’s gallery opening – Thursday, June 9. By this time everyone knows Christian and Anastasia’s story doesn’t end on June 4. Fans also know that Christian undergoes a lot of soul searching between the first and second books in the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Finally getting to read Christian’s point of view and what he experienced when those elevator doors closed as well as the five subsequent days makes this book an essential read for fans. His character is broken and compelling, and his story is well worth reading even if you already know Anastasia’s.

Yes, this is a steamy story. Christian and Anastasia have incredible chemistry and those scenes burn up the pages. Christian is certainly well-educated in the playroom and Anastasia is a willing student. Those scenes serve to bring the couple closer, and due to their dark nature, they serve to promote trust and deepen intimacy. That carries over into the rest of the story. And there really is a story here, despite the hype. The characters are complex and real, even if the story itself is a fantasy. Christian is a young billionaire and leads a life most could never attain. In that respect their story is a modern version of the classic fairy tales, such as a modern Cinderella story – or perhaps Beauty and the Beast would be more appropriate. But even if it were scaled down and Christian’s success moderated, the dynamics between him and Anastasia would still make for a great story.

IN THIS BOOK:

The first book in this series takes place between May 9, 2011 and June 9, 2011.

Christian Grey, twenty-seven, has a lot of rules. Rules keep his world safe and afford him the control he craves. He is CEO of Grey Enterprises Holding, Inc., the Seattle-based company he started after graduating from Harvard. He devotes himself to his work, and it has paid off well. He owes it to his discipline and drive – and that he owes to Elena. Without her he probably would have ended up like his mother – a druggie who overdosed when he was just four. He has horrible memories of those days, and the nightmares still haunt him. He barely spoke for a long time afterward, even after being adopted by his parents.

Carrick and Grace gave all three of their adopted children love and a life of privilege. Elliot, Christian’s older brother, runs a successful construction company that specializes in eco-friendly housing. He is more happy go lucky, and is known as a lady’s man. His isn’t one for relationships. Mia is the little sister that captured Christian’s attention when she was welcomed into their family as a baby. She is in her early twenties and is just finishing up cooking school in Paris. Despite all the support of his parents, Christian struggled with anger as a child. He was heading down an ugly road until Elena entered his life at age fifteen.

Elena introduced Christian to the BDSM lifestyle. Following her rules helped him channel his anger and gave him the ability to focus on goals. He stayed with her five years before spreading his wings. He works long hours and doesn’t have much down time, but in addition to flying and boating, he enjoys unwinding with a sub in his playroom. It is a secret pleasure – and he intends to keep it that way. His family hasn’t a clue – he has never brought a girl home before; Elliot thinks he is a monk. Christian has since gone through many submissives over the years. He always enters into contractual agreements with the women so there are never any misunderstandings. It is the only kind of relationship he is capable of, and once the women want more from him he cuts ties. Susannah was his latest, and that ended about two months ago.

Christian is feeling restless and in need of a diversion when Miss Anastasia Steele stumbles into his office on an uneventful Monday. She is there in place of Katherine Kavanagh, her roommate who became ill last minute, to interview him for the WSU student newspaper, as he is giving the upcoming commence address. She is uncoordinated and lacks good fashion sense, and is someone he would normally dismiss, but something about her fascinates him. He finds humor where he would usually be irritated, and he sees possibility even though he knows he has no business pursuing her. Christian has never pursued a woman before – Elena has always helped him find a new sub. By the time Miss Steele bumbles through the interview, though, he is entirely lost to her unassuming beauty and klutzy charm.

Christian may be out of his comfort zone, but his money and power buy him powerful resources in the pursuit of Miss Steele, making him a little prone to stalker-like activity. The man is on a mission to win her over, and he soon finds out that she is more than he bargained for. He regrets having exposed someone so innocent to his lifestyle, but by then it is really too late. Anastasia seems to want him, too. As the couple tentatively moves forward, Christian hopes to establish boundaries and rules, bringing Anastasia into his world. She is open to trying new things but doesn’t hide the fact that she wants more. She wants a relationship.

The couple works on finding compromise, but that is easier said than done. Family and friends enter the fray, further complicating their confusing relationship and pushing them into situations they aren’t prepared to face. While Anastasia continues to amaze him with her bravery and willingness to try new things, Christian knows he is holding back on her. She wants him to open up, but he only really shares with Dr. Flynn – and of course Elena. He has secrets that he cannot share with Anastasia because they would scare her away, and he is too selfish to let her go. This story ends in a cliffhanger, but it is one of hope.

Christian’s story is dark, but it humanizes his brokenness. It is different than Anastasia’s story in that it takes the reader into his world, showing several of his nightmares and flashes of memory. Most of those reflect back on his childhood in Detroit, before he was adopted. A few are reflections of his childhood with the Greys, and there is a little with Elena and his submissives, too. There are also some small scenes about his business dealings, but those are all very minor. The biggest bonus found in Christian’s story is simply getting to know his character intimately. In Anastasia’s story, it takes time to unravel his tragic past and the abuse he suffered. Here, readers get to see how he reflects back on those times and how it impacts his life. There are several things that he kept from Anastasia, and in reading this it explains a lot of his behavior and decisions.

Christian Grey has become a household name. He represents the quintessential broken and reclusive billionaire who is incapable of a standard relationship or love. He lives a very private life – which is necessary to keep his BDSM lifestyle under wraps. Christian may be dictatorial and brash, but this tells the story of a boy and teen who suffered from abuse and grew into a man whose self worth had been beaten down. His anger never left him; he just channels it into his work and his rules. He hides his vulnerability from the world, too afraid to open himself up to more pain. His story is wonderfully written. The plot is somewhat complex. The characters are carefully crafted and three dimensional. They feel very real. The story is written in first person in Christian’s POV. I rate this book five full stars.

I love this book. Reading everything in Christian’s pov makes it easier to understand. It’s steamy, sexy, and a page-turner. You never want to put it down. It leaves you wanting more.

Loved reading this story from Christian’s point of view. Really helps to understand what goes through his head and the experiences that led him to the life he choose to lead. Great read!

I loved the idea of this book. Just to be able to see what Christian was thinking and feeling was an eye opener. We never really think about how the guy feels and this book gave us that, it showed us that he wasn’t as detached as he liked to make people think especially the people close to him.

I love how Ana changes Christian and make him fall in love with her.