Reviews

Freak by Marcella Pixley

stealingyoursunbeams's review against another edition

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5.0

I thought it was going to be just another book about losers being bullied, but it completely exceeded my expectations. The characters weren't particularly memorable, but they made an impression on me because of their subtle flaws. The plot was pretty predictable, but I liked it anyway, because the dialogue made me angry, uncomfortable, and awkward, which is good because well-written books should provoke emotions.

corkykat's review

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2.0

I read this book in one hour. It was okay. Maybe I didn't love it simply because I don't identify with the main character, at all. It was a decent book. I recommend it if you like young adult fiction and main characters who aren't perfect in every way.

ettegoom's review against another edition

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4.0

TW: bullying. This story made me cry. Which is not a bad thing. The characters are very real and their pain, confusin and strength is really believable. A good high school novella.

librariann's review

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Ages 11+ (a near sexual-assault at the end of the story)

vox tags: poetry, art, writing, middle school, outcasts, bullying

abigailbat's review

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4.0

Miriam Fisher is a seventh grade freak. It wasn't always this way. Miriam can remember long hours spent playing Star Trek with her sister and being happy with being who she was. But now her sister Deborah's in high school and she's suddenly gotten popular and stopped caring about music and school. And Miriam is left to deal by herself. When the artsy Artie comes to stay with their family because his parents are going on sabbatical in India, Miriam's dreams are coming true. She's been in love with Artie for a long time and she just knows that he'll be the one who will get her. She knows they're meant to be. But things don't turn out the way Miriam expects. Ultimately, Artie's stay just makes everything worse (especially because he's in love with her sister... just like everyone else). She's bullied at school. Tortured, really. And she can't tell her parents because she knows they wouldn't do anything and they have enough to deal with. Miriam has to find a way to deal, how to stick up for herself... or she just might self-destruct.

This is a gripping portrayal of bullying. The writing is gorgeous and Pixley's got the outcast perfectly. It would make a Great book discussion book. There is so much to talk about with this book. And I wouldn't be surprised if it got some Printz attention.

library_brandy's review against another edition

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3.0

Mixed feelings. I remember 7th grade, and I remember feeling much like Miriam does, with all the abuse of classmates heaped on. But she brings so much of it on herself (as I almost certainly did, I'm sure) and it's hard to like her

Realistic portrayal of girl-on-girl bullying, but ultimately I don't think the 8th graders will respond to it.

maviii's review against another edition

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3.0

still remember reading this when I was eight or nine.

reniareads's review

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5.0

I loved this book when I was younger and still do. I remember I was just like Miram and still am in a way. The showed me thag being differemt isnt something tô bê ashamed of and over time things will get better.

chaoticbibliophile's review

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4.0

Marcella Pixley is one of my favorite YA authors. Check out the review I did of both her books here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrjEUX9izoo

readingisemimylife12's review

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5.0

I really like this story and the aspect of a weird girl in somewhere that's not her world. I feeling like one of the reasons I really like this story was because MIriam is so relateable since she's 7th grade and in her middle school years. I hontesly feel like all the people in the story were real and felt like humans. It almost felt like a memoiar to me,plus the writing was so beautiful. I feel like reading it again, I should do that.
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