Cherry (novel)

Cherry is a novel written by Nico Walker. It was published by Alfred A. Knopf on August 14, 2018. The novel is a semi-autobiographical account of Walker's life, focusing on his experiences with substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and crime.

Plot

The story follows an unnamed narrator, a young man from Cleveland, Ohio, who drops out of college and enlists in the United States Army. He serves as a medic in the Iraq War, where he witnesses the horrors of combat and develops PTSD. Upon returning home, he struggles to reintegrate into civilian life and turns to opioids to cope with his trauma.

As his addiction worsens, the narrator begins robbing banks to support his habit. The novel details his descent into criminality and the impact of his actions on his relationships and mental health. Ultimately, he is arrested and sentenced to prison, where he reflects on his life and the choices that led him to his current situation.

Themes

Cherry explores several themes, including the devastating effects of war, the struggles of veterans with PTSD, and the opioid crisis in the United States. The novel also examines the impact of addiction on individuals and their loved ones, as well as the cycle of crime and punishment.

Reception

Cherry received critical acclaim for its raw and unflinching portrayal of addiction and its consequences. Critics praised Walker's writing style and the novel's authenticity, drawing comparisons to works by Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson. The book was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and was included in several "best of" lists for 2018.

Adaptation

In 2021, Cherry was adapted into a film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with Tom Holland starring as the unnamed narrator. The film received mixed reviews, with some critics praising Holland's performance while others criticized the adaptation's tone and pacing.

Author

Nico Walker is an American author and former United States Army medic. He wrote Cherry while serving an eleven-year prison sentence for bank robbery. Walker's own experiences with addiction and PTSD heavily influenced the novel's narrative.

See also

• Iraq War in popular culture
• Opioid epidemic in the United States
• Post-traumatic stress disorder in literature
• Bank robbery in popular culture