Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Real addict offers honest, mature portrayal.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say this book provides a raw and realistic exploration of drug addiction and the impact it has on individuals and their families, highlighting themes of struggle, hope, and the harsh realities of life on meth. While some readers praise its emotional depth and educational value, others caution that its mature content may not be suitable for younger teens without sufficient maturity.
- mature content
- drug addiction
- emotional depth
- valuable lessons
- age considerations
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
This gritty autobiography provides an honest look at a young man's relapse into drug use, his attempt at recovery, another relapse, and then another (more successful) rehab. Nic narrates his own story, and provides a blunt look at what he has done to score drugs (from stealing from his younger brother to prostituting himself). He uses flashbacks throughout the book, recalling both to his unorthodox childhood and to the ups and downs of his life as an addict. Ultimately he is able to put the pieces together so he can emerge as a complete adult.
Is It Any Good?
The writing is both raw and gripping. Readers will certainly get a sense of what it means to be an addict through this honest portrayal. And they will find themselves quickly feeling sorry for and frustrated with an increasingly desperate Nic. It's obvious that he has so much potential, but instead keeps choosing a life filled with drugs, dealing, occasional homelessness, creepy people, medical problems and more. Readers may not always relate to Nic's experiences, but they will be swept up in his seemingly endless cycle of addiction and recovery. And they will root for him to break it. In the end, teens will be touched by Nic's honesty -- and they will be exhausted.
Like Ellen Hopkins' popular Crank, this book demonstrates how addiction, especially addiction to meth amphetamine, is thoroughly destructive, not just to the user but to the family as well. Unlike Crank, though, which was written in verse and easy to read despite its grittiness, Sheff's book is thick and seems much more grounded in the adult world: He is 22, on his own, and has many friends who are much older, including the woman he wants to marry. This is ultimately a story about a young man "learning to stand on his own," but there is very little else that marks it for the young adult market.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about books and movies that provide insight into life as a drug addict. Ask your kids: What other examples can you think of? What is the purpose of these stories -- especially when they are targeted to teens? Do you think they impact kids' choices? How so?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : February 5, 2008
- Number of pages : 336
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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