James Frey is an alcoholic as well as a drug addict. He has been using drugs for ten years and is on the verge of death, when he wakes up on an airplane. He has a hole in his cheek, missing his teeth, a broken nose, and badly bruised eyes. He does not know how he got to be in this state or where he is going. He ends up going to a medical center in Minnesota, where he struggles to overcome his addictions. Join James Frey as he overcomes challenges, meets new friends and experiences love; but also, join him for the troubles and hardships he faces in his epic quest to survive.
The main character of a Million Little Pieces is James Frey; he is twenty-three years old almost twenty-four years of age. He is about 5'8 to 5'9 when he comes into Medical Center and very skinny due to the fact he is not eating much and puking three to four times a day. He has green eyes, black hair; he has an aggressive personality, but throughout the novel you can see his sensitive and loving side come out. He cares deeply for his friends and would be willing to risk his life or progress for their sake.
Think about trying to get healthy or trying to overcome something that is consuming your life and you are only given one option. The doctors and the psychologist at the medical center tell him that the only way to stay sober and healthy is by using the twelve step method. He hates this method; actually, he not only hates the method but truly despises it. So instead he say's “It's my life I can stop if I want to”, and throughout this memoir you can see him struggle but also watch the progress he makes.
I would recommend this novel. The reason being is I love this writing style. James Frey tells you all the pains, all his emotions, even everything that was running through his head at the time. It's a page turner and I think this novel can help people who do have addictions to see this man who was corrupted beyond belief, getting better and completely changing his mindset and lifestyle. A way that this novel has affected me personally was during a hockey game someone was winding up for a slap-shot and instead of moving or crouching out of the way; I planted my feet and blocked the shot. The reason why I did this was because when he was cranking back his hockey stick I remembered James Frey and the root canal and how much pain he would be experiencing that this was going to be nothing. I think readers should plunge into a Million Little Pieces and experience James Frey's obstacles and watch his step by step process he takes in his pursuit to overcome his life-threatening addictions.