Reviewing "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey
A captivating first person account of addiction and recovery
I first found this book when I was in middle school and have remembered little from the book besides the vivid descriptions and cruelty which made me want to reread this book now that I am older and more mentally equipped to process the things that happen. I would not recommend this book to someone younger than eighteen because there are many things that happen that are spoken about that are not suitable for young adults. With that said, this book is amazing inside and out and truly gives a different perspective on addiction and self-choice/motivation.
Synopsis:
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey follows the author through his recovery from being addicted to a wide variety of drugs and alcohol. Throughout the text, James tells in first person the events that bring him to the rehabilitation center, the struggles he faces, and eventually how to face his addiction.
Genre:
Biography/Misery Lit
Strengths
Character Development: This book has a lot of character development. I think the author did a good job of presenting it in a way that does not make the book cheesy but makes the reader think about what the characters are saying and thinking and apply it to their own lives. A lot of the development comes from the main character interacting with others and then considering how he wants their advice to affect his life.
Vivid descriptions: The first third of this book sucked me in completely because the descriptions of Jame’s withdrawal were so real and captivating. Not only were symptoms described in depth but also the first experiences he had in the detox wing of the rehabilitation center. These description so slow down and mellow out as the book goes on.
Writing Format: One of my favorite parts of this book is the writing format. There is so much repetition in the book to emphasize the feelings in James’s head. When he gets emotional phrases are repeated over and over again which makes me feel the anxiety and nervousness that the character seems to be experiencing. There is also no “so and so says this” it is just a string of back-and-forth conversation which I love. The characters are mentioned at the beginning of the conversation so you know who is talking but then the sentences just ping-pong as the characters speak.
Weaknesses:
Pacing: I feel like the book slows down in the middle. The beginning is so raw and wild in terms of what is happening and James's mental state. When he starts to stabilize and every day in the clinic becomes the same, it makes the book a little boring, but it also portrays how the character feels. Because of this, I think this aspect is a 50/50 proposition for weakness and strength.
My Recommendation: If you are over the age of eighteen I would recommend reading A Million Little Pieces. If nonfiction-type books are not your usual pick I would still suggest reading it because of how lively this book is. I also think that addiction is painted in such a specific light that this will give you a different perspective on how the people experiencing the disease feel since this book is technically a biography.
Additionally, this book has been turned into a movie and can be watched on Amazon Prime here. I have not seen it yet but plan on watching it. While watching the trailer I recognized a lot of events that were also in the book and seemed book-accurate.
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5
Spice Level: 0/5
Content warnings:
Drug abuse
Violence
Blood
Gang/street violence
Vivid description
Sexual assault
Sexual scenes