Fritchman,+Katie

Tweak A novel by Nic Sheff 



**__Starting with the Basics__**: Tweak was written by Nic Sheff and was published in 2008. It is set in California during the early 2000’s. The main character of the story is Nic, a drug addict, and also the author. It are his struggles that shape the entire story and his thoughts that provide insight into the other characters. Zelda is Nic’s girl friend throughout the novel. She is also an addict. Spencer is Nic’s sponsor, who helps Nic see why using drugs is wrong and how Nic can have a better life if he was sober. Nic’s family is the most important supporting character role in the story, pushing him to do better and ultimately convincing him to get help. Nic’s main conflict in the story lies within himself, as he struggles to deal with his inner demons and face life instead of pushing his fears within himself with a mixture of crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and crack cocaine. It takes violent relapses and multiple overdoses for Nic to see that not only is he hurting himself, but he is hurting all those around him. Nic’s story is not only of addiction but of recovery, and the reader is wondering whether Nic will get better through yet another rehab or if he will go back down the same old road. media type="youtube" key="Cl4BDjAQ1Vc" height="277" width="330"

"**25-year-old Nic Sheff, David’s addicted son, opens his own wild-hearted memoir, //Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines// (Atheneum)—geared to young adult readers—with another Lennon quote: //How can I go forward when I don’t know which way I’m facing?// Read these gripping books in tandem, and you begin to understand how love can miss its mark and spiral toward tragedy** ." -Cathleen Medwick, //O Magazine .//

Nic vividly writes in first person about his addiction, explaining in almost extreme detail what it feels like to be high, the pain of coming down off of a high, and the “bliss” and “wholeness” he feels when injecting narcotics into his body. The book is almost like a diary because Nic writes as if he is living day by day, and instead of chapters, the book is numbered in days. Although dialogue is used frequently to describe interactions with other characters, Nic shapes the supporting roles not with what others say, but more with his thoughts about them. Nic captures imagery masterfully, making the reader feel as if he or she is in the middle of the story as he travels from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back. Nic uses flashbacks as well to show his past drug experiences and to portray his life before drugs when he was a kid and everything seemed simpler. Nic plays with the reader’s emotions and makes the reader feel truly sorry for him. It is through all these things that make the novel particularly excellent. "**Nic’s version is rougher, slangier and more in keeping with his literary tastes, which favor Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Camus and Bukowski." Janet Maslin, //The New York Times//** Personal Review: // Tweak //  is a wonderful book that will tug at anybody’s heartstrings while making them want to throw up all at the same time. Sheff explains in intimate detail the effects of drug use, and more importantly, how difficult the road to recovery can be. The reader is on the edge of their seat the entire time, wondering if Nic will live or die. Nic makes a personal connection with the reader, and it is through this and his intricate self-development that the reader can appreciate the everyday addict. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the affects of addiction or anyone who is an addict. Great read!
 * __ It’s all about Style __**:

"**Nic Sheff is at his best when he’s writing about drug culture: its seedy characters, Gack and Bullet, “thin with a carved-up face”; its places, “all ash and wrappers and porno mags and beer cans and tin foil”; its jargon, “rigs … points … fat sacks”; and his obsession, “the blind hungering for the high that only meth can bring.” The drama of the junkie scenes—using, scoring, getting ripped-off, having sex until he bleeds, overdoses—are sharp and authentic and at times so close that the reader might experience a contact high." -Anna Marian, //The New York Observer//**

Marian, Anna. "How Meth Mesmerized Father and Son." Rev. of //Tweak// by Nic Sheff. 5 Feb 2008. //The New York Observer.// 26 May 2010. <[]>.

Maslin, Janet. "When Addicted Son hurts, Father Feels his own Pain." Rev. of //Tweak// by Nic Sheff. 21 Feb. 2008. //The New York Times//. 25 May 2010. <[]>.

Medwick, Cathleen. "A Son's Story." Rev. of //Tweak// by Nic Sheff. 1 Apr. 2008. //O Magazine.// 27 May 2010. <[]>.

Sheff, Nic. //Tweak: Growing Up on Methanphetamines.// New York: Simon Schulster, 2008.

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