The memoir A Million Little Pieces by James Frey immediately draws you in starting with  the cover; a hand seeming to reach out covered in what can be a assumed, and may be exaggeratedly described as  “a million little colorful sprinkles”. It is a very intriguing book inside and out. It becomes even more provocative to read when you notice Frey’s unique style of writing, which I adapted swiftly. As soon as you get into the first words of the book you are immediately drawn in with a stronger pull, full of wonder and confusion. You’re trying to figure out what is happening right away with Frey who already at this point you learn how much of a physical mess he is with his face beat up, teeth missing, body covered in dry blood, a bloody gash in his cheek, and brown vomit stains on his shirt. You discover that he is on a plane clueless of its destination. Despite that his life isn’t together when he arrives at a Rehab Center in Minnesota, as the new mysterious guy, that place grows on him; he branches out and begins to fix his alcoholic and drug addictions in a battle of his own without picking up any traditional “remedies”. Frey grows up to be a stable and an exceptional person than the person he used to be most of his life due to his addictions starting from the early age of 7. This book takes you on rollercoaster of feelings, from exultant to melancholy from serene to nauseated, there are moments where you just want to get into the story and do something about the situation.
Despite that this book can get a little repetitive, that repetitiveness makes you feel more engaged and details remain fresh in your memory. We are in Frey's brain, we deal with the way he chooses to be and act and it is all for a reason. He is angry at the world and its norms; he wants to prove that you can be better than the system that individuals participate in which can make you feel like a little kid learning to walk. My rate for this book would have to be five stars out of five. Even though this may be an exaggerated book and not 100% true, what is the point of reading a simple non-detailed book? This book expresses many situations with suspense and you want to know more and more after every turning page as you get seriously hooked onto it. Anyone who has gone through any type of addiction has an idea of how it feels being alone, feeling empty, hurting those you love,  and having a pit of anger that controls your life, to help yourself because you don’t want to hurt those around you anymore. Frey completely transforms into someone you wouldn’t envision to become after seeing him in his completely broken physical and mental statw before six weeks of rehab.
The plot of this book is very alluring, it’s not every day you get to be the person in a rehab center and have it be your new life routine unless, of course, you were an addict and were in a rehab center before or know about someone’s personal experience. Frey is at the rehab center for a total of 6 weeks where he represents immense changes in character along with the friends he makes. Frey isn’t one bit happy of what he has become but he seeks out realistic ways to cope with his life and adjusting it to a life where he knows he is better. Throughout the book he points out what life is all about, the truth. Everyone at least goes through an addiction in their lifetime whether it is junk food, nail biting, tobacco, gambling, etc., we may not be too sure of how we felt but he gives direct truth on how lives are impacted,  “An addict is an addict. It doesn't matter whether the Addict is white, black, yellow or green, rich or poor or somewhere in the middle, the most famous Person on the Planet or the most unknown. It doesn't matter whether the addiction is drugs, alcohol, crime, sex, shopping, food, gambling, television, or the fucking Flintstones. The life of the Addict is always the same. There is no excitement, no glamour, no fun. There are no good times, there is no joy, there is no happiness. There is no future and no escape. There is only an obsession. An all-encompassing, fully enveloping, completely overwhelming obsession. To make light of it, brag about it, or revel in the mock glory of it is not in any way, shape or form related to its truth, and that is all  that matters, the truth.”(178) He gives us the harsh truth of the effects of an addiction, he does not sugar coat anything because the truth is what only matters to him in his life no matter how different the situation may be. For straightforward people, this is an adequate book for them, nothing is hidden or remains a mystery.
In this book you also learn that Frey is a rule breaker, he is dating Lily and doesn’t follow the typical Twelve steps to his recovery to save his life. Dating is is the first prohibited rule, even talking to the opposite sex gets you in trouble, but Frey sneaks dating someone he truly loves and risks so much. Frey likes to be completely different, he won’t allow for something typical to fix his addictions, “I put the Razzle Dazzle Rose crayon back in the box and I pull out the Black crayon. Unlike most of the other crayons, Black has hardly been used. People probably avoid Black because it isn't considered a happy color, and in here any form of happiness, even something as base as the color of a crayon, is covete. I, however, like Black. It is a color that makes me comfortable and the color with which I have the most experience. In the darkest darkness, all is Black. In the deepest hole, all is Black. In the terror of my Addicted mind, all is Black. In the empty periods of my lost memory, all is black. I like Black goddamnit, and I am going to give it its due.”(200) Frey doesn’t like to be treated like a little kid, he wants to take his own act of action. Like all straightforward people Frey is a very realistic person, he rebels against the Twelve Steps book, which was what he was filling in previously, and instead he writes with his black crayon in huge words,  “I Don’t Need This Bullshit To Know I’m Out Of Control.”(200) Frey is very stubborn and I enjoy that he is, he wants to help himself without needing someone to hold his hand. It’s impressive how he pretty much works his way of making himself someone who can control their own addictions and life. He doesn’t let some gullible traditional steps take control of his life, he branches out and seeks the resolution that is adequate for him.
Frey finds huge strength to go beyond his battle of addiction and gains unbelieveable control of it after fixing himself, with the help of the book “Tao Te Ching” and his friends’ advice. Frey states, “I think People have faith because they want and need to believe in something, whatever that something is, because life can be hard and depressing and brutal if you don't.”(224) He states how you must always have someone to rely on in your darkest times and he takes on this advice by believing in himself with the help of others that have been through similar tragic accidents, if not he would have been completely lost and still a wreck. Despite the drama, the heartbroken, and difficult times he goes through he successfully finishes the rehab program. Frey is a new man physically and mentally stable, as he gets out he requests a stop at a bar ordering a pint of whisky putting himself to the real test. Will Frey relapse after spending one of the most difficult times of his life changing his future?
 

Citation:

Frey, James. A Million Little Pieces. New York: N.A. Talese/Doubleday, 2003. Print.