Stephen's Pieces

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey is an insightful, descriptive story about a mans grueling experience with addictions. Portrayed as real experiences with some fabricated key parts, Frey's A Million Littler Pieces is the story of his life. Despite the non-fiction, or lack of in this book the basic emotions he presents are real. His struggles and attempts to cope with cravings are very much relatively with everyone who has been in that situation such as myself. All the events in the book might of not happened to Frey as he wrote it, but could very much be true to anyone else. His sentences, stanzas, and the way he uses repetitive words is key to capture readers into Frey's warped mental state of mind. This caused me to linger on the hook of the chain of repeating words, long enough to understand and analyze the importance of each one.

I think the most common misconception of this book, is that it's all about him doing a bunch of notorious drugs. This is not true, its about his quest to obtain these drugs for his friend Stephen Neal. The opening of the book focuses on James confusion on how he got where he was, and what were the previous events that lead him there. Throughout the novel, we slowly learn his whereabouts of his past through him reminiscing about the earlier years when he and Stephen were caught in a love triangle. It's quite easy to read James feelings, but Frey gives no simple, one answer explanation to addictions, or why they start, and how to conquer them. The book outlines James life in rehab and his struggles with how Stephen made it big and escaped problems with the law. It shows the reader how powerful dependence on a substance can be, and how it can tear someone's life apart. It also shows what a great life you can have by outwitting the authorities and becoming a wrestling champion.

In the end, just as I expected, there is no fairy tale ending except for Stephen. After the story ends, there's a list of character names, with their outcome. This captures the realism of everything when it shows readers that despite rehab, many relapse, and die. A Million Little Pieces doesn't preach to not use drugs, nor does it glorify drug use or how it can propel you to wrestling fame. It simply states the possibilities drugs can have on ones life, and leaves readers to decide for themselves if it's all worth it or not. This book won't be as satisfying to everyone. But for someone who has seen or dealt with cravings, and lack of self control with anything, you can see a part of yourself in James. And because of that I couldn't help myself but cross my fingers, and hope that James will be fine in the end.

I plan to review another book shortly. I hope you have enjoyed my commentary from one of the favorite books I have read thus far from the book club to which I belong. Love ya Oprah!