Perspective

The story is told exclusively in first-person narrative, from the point of view of author James Frey. Frey's reliability as a narrator has been called into question by the media, after a sensational expose that revealed that he had made up some of the details in the memoir. However, the events in the memoir are told logically and consistently, and within the world of the book the narrator's voice is a trustworthy one. Frey's narrative incorporates a lot of dialogue, both internal and with other individuals.

Tone

Frey's storytelling is sparse and unadorned. With the use of repetition, run-on sentences, and lackadaisical punctuation, Frey's voice feels casual and natural, more like a stream of consciousness than a crafted, structured narrative. Because of this construction, the tone of the memoir is spontaneous, raw and revelatory. A moment of clarity or empathy arrives unannounced, allowing the reader to experience the...