Cherry: A novel Kindle Edition

I have never written a review for a novel, before. However, I feel a duty to explain why I believe this is one of the best books written this year.Nico Walker has accomplished something truly special with his debut novel. The book reads like a casual reflection on a turbulent, haunting past. Nico's protagonist is pragmatic and honest, both about his place in the world and his own shortcomings. As the author admits, the likable side of the main character was injected via edits - Nico does not see himself as a hero in this story.Overall, this book may be the first great classic of the opioid epidemic. Although some compare this to Hemingway, and other war focused stories, the comparison falls short. While Hemingway forced grandiose spectacle into his books, Nico takes a more micro-focused approach. He talks about the daily grind, the suffering, the things that soldiers do to make up for the traumas they experience on the ground. These inclinations transfer into private life, where the main character is incapable of integrating into society, but knows that the high is divine.The negative reviews seem to focus on the book's approach to describing soldiers. Some reek of jealousy that a soldier would "sell out" his compatriots in such a revealing way. In the book, the soldiers seem incredibly human, being put into extraordinary situations and responding in whatever way they can. However, they also commit atrocities and terrible things. From every single account I've heard from my veteran friends that have spent time in Iraq, this is accurate. There are none of the typical Hero's Quest characters in this story; every single person that is mentioned is deeply flawed. This is the magic of the story. Throughout all of the debased actions that the characters pursue, there is a strain of humanity running through it all. You FEEL the struggles of the addicts in the stories, and you can understand the choices being made as requisite at the time.Instead of simply seeing these veterans and citizens as dope fiends, you can feel the struggle of their existence through their hopes, dreams and attempts to be functioning members of society. As in life, most of these efforts prove fruitless and the cycle of addiction takes firm hold. This has been the most revealing look into a part of society that I have no experience with that I have ever come into contact with. The book is highly recommended.

The story was so tragic and yet eye opening. If you’ve never known or been involved with addicts you cannot truly understand the lifestyle and the struggle. This book is a peak into the underworld of war and drug addiction. I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about these topics and anyone with a strong stomach as some of the situations are quite graphic.

What a scumbag. But, a bright, sensitive, trapped scumbag. That’s a characterization of the main character. It’s an auspicious first book. Would be very interested in what follows. Nevertheless, I think this is one of the best portrayals of Army life in “The Suck” that’s been written. It’s also terribly sad — the wasted lives and the horribleness of war.

I don't write reviews, I don't do dope, and I've never been to war. Nico Walker spit on his finger and created a semi-clean spot on the glass to see into the experience. Both the Army and addiction. You want to keep stopping the narrative and help him. You want to scream at him. You wonder how his parents, and all the bank workers are now. You can't stop reading it all though.

If the cover didn't already sell you the book, maybe I can help.If you like Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, or other writers that critically analyze society and it's darker side, you'll love Nico Walker. This punchy read tells it like it is, and then some, for the desperate among us. This is not written for the decency society, so if you refer to everybody's favorite word as the "f word," this one might not be for you. But if you expect more out of your books than a light story with a happy ending, buy this book.It's not hard to see why a publishing house as big as Knopf took a chance on Nico Walker; from the first page it's clear this is something new. Something original.

Nicon Walker's novel Cherry captures the low life of the nameless narrator in simple, direct and often vulgar language appropriate for a character so lacking in the discipline necessary to lead a self-directed life defined by beliefs, goals, integrity, and the consideration others. The narrator, self-absorbed from the beginning, shirks responsibility for his own development and seeks only the instant gratification of his base desires rather than pursuing any lofty achievement with his obvious inherent though unrefined talents. He'd rather be a do nothing, know nothing scum bag than actually give himself over to the expectations of the society that has so much to offer him if only he'd take advantage of the options available. That alcohol, sex, and drugs are more appealing to him than education or any kind of gainful employment is not surprising: he is a lazy hedonist who eventually pays dearly for his insatiable appetites and consummate lazyness. He emerges as a symbol, an archetype of youth corrupted by too many possibilities from which to choose in an affluent and free society.Ironically, he tries to break his inevitable fall by joining the military. That's what his kind--the ones who are lost without values or direction--often do in the hopes of having someone else impose the discipline and direction upon their otherwise too weak and inept selves. Of course, his stint in the army and his tour in Iraq do not reform his character, nor do they redeem him of his already long list of crimes against himself and his love objects (the young women in his life). What he experiences in war, though documented in his usual first person narration, happens more to others than to himself. He admits he's a fuck-up as a medic and seems to blame the army for not preparing him better. That may be the case, but by this time his credibility has sunk as low as his character.Upon return to civil society, he continues rejecting opportunity and civility itself, spiraling on his continuum of addiction and misanthropy, bringing the woman he appears to love down with him. That he ends up robbing banks to support their mutual addiction to whatever mind and body altering drugs they can get from any available source is not surprising given the decline from just below normal adolescent development to subnormal adulthood precipitated by lack of self-responsibility.That this novel has been heralded as a modern classic debut is not surprising, for the narrator tells his story with a degree of ownership of his demise as a human being. A reader may not enjoy the story of the dregs of society, but this story certainly qualifies as proof positive that what is lacking in character development in the home needs be addressed elsewhere if this society is going to save young people from their base inclinations. Public, secular schools run by well-educated, respected, value-centered teachers who love young people and wish to serve this nation must be recruited to fill the void left by parents not doing the job, abdicating their duty for whatever reason.The tragedy of human waste is the main theme of Cherry. And of our time.

For a novel based on first-hand experiences with war, heroine and robbing banks, I found this book sadly lacking. The style of the writing is matter-of-fact and coldly offbeat, the narrator drops the F bomb and say whatever a lot. I've got nothing against that, but by the middle section it became dull and laborious.It's hard to build up any kind of empathy or emotional connection with a narrator who tells a story with such apathy. The title section "Cherry" also includes lots of abbreviations, military references and names which are hard to grasp. I'm sorry to say, by the time I got to the final act, I really didn't care what happened.Kudos to the author for writing this on a typewriter in prison and for the publishers on taking a chance on him, but apart from a nice turn of phrase here and there, it didn't hit the mark. There is a powerful story under here somewhere, shame it was delivered with a shrug.

This is the story (sort of) of a young infatuated but disloyal couple and their descent into drug addiction. I found this book somewhat tawdry. The only saving grace is the description of the conditions the troops endured in Iraq. What surprised me was their ready acceptance of these conditions. Credit to the author for writing this in prison but it could do with a more coherent narrative and a lot more genuine emotion.

I love this book. The writing style is unusual, the author's voice is very clear, and he has such a dry sense of humour, and is very endearing in a criminal sort of way. The story is deadpan, but oh my god. This is such a great story, and based on the real life of the author. It's definiely 18+ though, not for those who don't the swears and anything graphic. It's about real life, spoken like real life.

Started off really wellBut unless you’re of a military background the abbreviation’s just become too much.Real pity because otherwise well written

I think this may be one of the best books I’ve read in a long while. Not sure if it was the fact it’s written as though it was a series of memories or the fact it is a world I have no concept of so it felt like pure escapism. The fact it’s written in the characters voice and not perfectly worded prose adds to the fact this is someone’s life.