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A Million Little Pieces

by James Frey

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Jcb said: " **SPOILER ALERT**

One of the most unlikable characters I have read in a long time: James Frey - disrespectful, disagreeable, self-centered. The book, despite a powerful start, limps along to a tedious conclusion in which Frey's ultimate philosophy on **SPOILER ALERT**

One of the most unlikable characters I have read in a long time: James Frey - disrespectful, disagreeable, self-centered. The book, despite a powerful start, limps along to a tedious conclusion in which Frey's ultimate philosophy on recovery from addiction turns out to be: Just don't do drugs. (Nancy Reagan would be proud).

If 'A Million Little Pieces' would've ended after the scene in which Leonard persuades James not to run away, it would've been a fine read. Up to that point, there is a ring of truth to it; the dentist scene was particular gripping. After that, however, the love interest narrative kicks in hot 'n' heavy. James and Lilly are going to save each other from their respective hells because they really, really love each other. Ugh. We see later that this love keeps Lilly from her demons for about an hour after running away from the facility.

A large cast of other characters inhabit James' rehab world: a boxer, a judge (who magically gets James' looming eight-year prison sentence reduced to a misdemeanor), a mafia murderer (with a heart of gold), et al. And, there are the drug-and-alcohol counselors, who are the most disappointing characters in the whole book because, though this facility is based on the principles of Alcoholics' Anonymous, they have no compelling counter-arguments whatsoever to James' insistence that he won't need anything beyond his own will power to stay sober. The counselors stammer about statistics and about how AA is the "only way." Silly. Even the AA Big Book states that: "Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little."

Other things that don't ring true about the rehab center: access to phones; no bed checks (James spends whole nights outdoors with Lilly); no outside AA meetings; no small group sessions; playing cards during lectures...

Final proof of James' unlikability is when his brother, Bob, picks him up at the facility after his release, and is ordered to drive straight to a bar. James scrounges $40 from Bob and orders a 16-ounce whiskey, which he sniffs but ultimately doesn't drink. Twisted. What a terrible position to put a loved-one in.

I don't know. There are good moments in the book, but I was more than ready for it to be done after 432 pages. And, why did the author keep capitalizing random nouns? ...more "

Aug 09, 2017 06:41PM · see review