Listen free for 30 days

  • The End of the Affair

  • Written by: Graham Greene
  • Narrated by: Colin Firth
  • Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (263 ratings)

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The End of the Affair cover art

The End of the Affair

Written by: Graham Greene
Narrated by: Colin Firth
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.48

Buy Now for $21.48

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Audie Award Winner, Audiobook of the Year, 2013.

Audie Award Nominee, Best Solo Narration, 2013.

Graham Greene's evocative analysis of the love of self, the love of another, and the love of God is an English classic that has been translated for the stage, the screen, and even the opera house.

Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth (The King's Speech, A Single Man) turns in an authentic and stirring performance for this distinguished audio release. The End of the Affair, set in London during and just after World War II, is the story of a flourishing love affair between Maurice Bendrix and Sarah Miles. After a violent episode at Maurice's apartment, Sarah suddenly and without explanation breaks off the affair.

This very intimate story about what actually constitutes love is enhanced by Mr. Firth's narration, who said "this book struck me very, very particularly at the time when I read it and I thought my familiarity with it would give the journey a personal slant. I'm grateful for this honor," Firth said when this production was recognized by the Audie Awards as Audiobook of the Year for 2013, "and grateful for the opportunity to narrate one of my favorite stories. A great novel told in the first person makes for the best script an actor could imagine. None better than The End of the Affair.... Theater and film each offer their own challenges and rewards, but narration is a new practice for me and the audiobook performance provides exhilarating possibilities for both actors and listeners. I'm thrilled to be involved in bringing this remarkable work of fiction to a wider audience, and thankful to Audible for offering me the opportunity to perform it and to engage with so many who share my passion for storytelling."

©1951 Graham Greene (P)2015 Audible, Inc

What listeners say about The End of the Affair

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    160
  • 4 Stars
    60
  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    204
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    127
  • 4 Stars
    58
  • 3 Stars
    25
  • 2 Stars
    18
  • 1 Stars
    8

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Kim
  • 2019-01-26

Wonderful

If I could give “Performances” more than 5 stars, I’d give at least 5 more.

The story itself is absolutely stunning, but I believe I would not have gleaned such a grasp and appreciation without having listened to the audible version. Colin dFirth was impeccable- I wish he could narrate every audible book.

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Listen!

Beginning with the story itself, I've always considered this to be one of Greene's best works. It beautifully navigates love, obsession, jealousy, and heartbreak; even in the midst of an affair. You come to empathize with Maurice and his nihilist ways. Greene elegantly illustrates the complexities of life, love and faith.

The narration was some of the best I've encountered in audiobooks. I guess there is a reason Mr. Firth is an Oscar winner...his performance was superb, the portrayal was somehow exactly what I pictured Bendrix to be when I initially read the book. I wish he narrated more classics! A++

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Memorial for a love affair: a surprise ending!

Strange topic--this is what drew me to this book. That and Colin Firth narrating! A lot of dialogue between characters--I usually prefer action. But once I got I got into the story, l could not stop listening. The lovers' angst is well told. The ending was tender and surprising! I like surprises! I would recommend this story--it got me out of my comfort zone and I consider that a learning experience.

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Definitely worth listening to.

Colin Firth brought a story of one man's love to life. He was able to express the sorrow and frustration and deep anguish and he kept me wanting to learn more. I was totally captivated.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommend it

Great narration, and while the plot is fairly slow, I still enjoyed it quite a bit; it suited the story well and was always interesting.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

This book is beautifully written. The passionate voice given to it by Colin Firth takes it to a level that a reader reading the words as written in the book will not be able to imagine.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tried Graham Greene Once Again

I give my solemn word that I will never attempt to read anything by Graham Greene ever again. I've only made so many attempts to enjoy his writing for the simple reason that both my parents were crazy about Graham Greene's work. Not me!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beyond brilliant!

An incrediably entertaining & thought provoking story. Greene's poetic word pictures of the people and the settings draw you right in (especially having seen the film adaptation with Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore). The characters come alive with Firth's talent for breathing life into them. Best fiction Audible book I've ever listened to.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Colin Firth - need I say more?

I couldn't wait to get off work so I could continue listening to this. Wow - Colin Firth's narration made this feel like he was having a private conversation with me. Expertly done. The story is a fascinating study of relationships which I probably would not have enjoyed as much if it had NOT been Colin Firth's talent behind it.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • LJO
  • 2021-03-12

A true delight

Five stars all around. Colin Firth was incredible. He made Greene's written words soar even higher than I could ever imagine. Fantastic story + a top notch reading = as good an audiobook as I've ever experienced.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 2018-01-03

Excellent adaption, Excellent writer.

Well worth downloading. I recommend listening to it at nightime in the dark, gloomy atmosphere of a winter!!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Yasmine Zitouni
  • Yasmine Zitouni
  • 2017-06-18

Excellent

Loved it! Colin Firth was delightful. My favorite thus far! A must buy from Audible.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Sofie Grønnegård-Rexen
  • Sofie Grønnegård-Rexen
  • 2020-07-31

so many feels

you are almost fooled to think that Sarah is Colin firths Long lost love and this is merely his own hate and confusion being related

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Debby Clements
  • Debby Clements
  • 2019-04-21

Not just a story...

I thoroughly enjoyed this almost lyrical novel. The poison/passion drips from his pen as he writes, his heart splayed out honestly within the pages.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Julian
  • Julian
  • 2019-02-21

Baptism of desire

I rate this tale of a woman who leaves her lover for God as Graham Green's masterpiece. Structurally it is sophisticated, framed as a novelist's first-person recollection of his affair with the wife of a civil servant, laced with flashbacks and with an extended section in her voice as he reads extracts from her stolen diary. I had to read it through again once I finished and found it much the richer once I understood the structure. The three-cornered drama is shot through with ironies and missed opportunities, with a tragic climax and an odd coda in which a supernatural element comes close to the surface. Some may find the overt religious themes off-putting but as a way into the big questions of life, love, and death it has never been equalled in Greene's opus. Colin Firth's reading - performance, really - is riveting throughout. His virtuosic variations of pacing and tone perfectly match the narrator's turmoil of mind. He effortlessly differentiates the characters with the subtlest shades of timbre and colouring. The minor characters sparkle, too, particularly the sentimental gumshoe Parkis. I can't resist re-quoting St Augustine's beautiful dictum "Time flows out of the future, which does not yet exist, into the present, which has no duration, into the past, which has ceased to exist." Time with this gem of an audiobook is well spent indeed.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for fathimath
  • fathimath
  • 2015-07-16

Loved it!

Beautiful narration by Colin Firth. Fell asleep to his voice a couple of times even. This is my first time listening to an audio book as well as to this story, and i must admit, it was a sensational experience! 5*!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Marie
  • Marie
  • 2021-05-04

Truly Emotional

Whew! What an emotional read this was, truly brought to life by a powerful performance by Colin Firth.

To be honest, I only purchased both the novel and Audible versions because I love Colin Firth. The performance was excellent from the beginning, but I had a bit of difficulty getting into the story itself, and I left it for some time before I continued again. At first I didn’t like Maurice’s character very much, but drawn to Firth’s magnificent performance and, at some point I can’t quite recall, the story began to grasp my emotions. I wept a lot the second half of the book, and my heart broke for all the characters in it. I found it a really sad story.

It’s not surprising Colin won an award for this audiobook. There’s just enough subtlety in his accents and acting out each different character to recognize someone else is speaking, but it’s all Colin. He is just so very good. This wasn’t simply a narration—it was a brilliant execution of his talent in the arts.

Highly recommend.


  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amazon Customer
  • Amazon Customer
  • 2016-10-19

Much too obsessed with God

The narrator was exceptionally good!
Too much hesitation btw compulsory faith and disbelief ín God

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for taryn
  • taryn
  • 2016-01-23

excellent rendition o

I liked Collin firth's rendition of this story. such a wonderful read about relationships. he characterised the protagonists well

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for prunier nathalie
  • prunier nathalie
  • 2019-01-14

A master piece told by a master narrator

It's a wonderfull novel. we are transported by the struggled thoughts of Maurice and Sarah. their love affair is heartbraking. and thé friendship of Maurice towards Henry is moving. we are upset by the complexity of the mindset of these characters.
Thé soft and warm voice of Colin Firth charmed me all over this story. He led me in a Dreams journée. He is a wonderfull teller. Thank you very much Mr. Firth for your gorgeous performance.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-02-06

Beautiful

I enjoyed this story. Its atmosphere reminded me of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries I read many years ago. It was the first time I read a Graham Greene book, but it was the right time I think.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Lara Lutz
  • Lara Lutz
  • 2023-01-12

Amazing !

The book is amazing and the interpretation by Collin Firth is out if this world ! Both GG and CF are masters in their art

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Hage R.
  • Hage R.
  • 2021-05-14

excellent 👌

brilliantly written and narrated. I loved it from begining to end. what a magic combination Graham Greene and Colin Firth

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 2020-09-22

Exceptional

This book is absolutely great, and the reader Colin Firth extraordinary! I loved it. I recommend it.