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freddybingsu's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
jojoreads89's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
This is a deep and sensitive topic so I'm just gonna say 2 things and then get to the book.
1. I am pansexual and support the LGBT community and I respect and encourage others to love whomever they choose, dress how they choose and act how they choose (so long as they aren't hurting anyone). I also will call those by their "proper pronouns" the best I can..it gets confusing to me.
2. However, while i understand feeling like one sex or the other (or both) on the inside, one cannot change the fact that they were born the sex they were.
Okay, the book. As I am writting this I had to change my stars from a 2 to a 3 because I couldn't think of reason why it deserved less then 3.
I have read 4? Books by Ellen Hopkins and I loved the writing style, but only ended up enjoying 1 of those books. So when I saw this one I was skeptical. The only reason I decided to get it was because of the topic.
The first couple hundred pages in I was still bored and wanted to quit. After finishing I liked it a tad more but was ultimately disappointed. Not exactly because the story wasn't good, it was. It just took forever to get into the good stuff..bad stuff..you know what I mean. I was also disappointed how it ended. I would have liked to see the rest of Brendan's journey, to see if he overcame it all.
1. I am pansexual and support the LGBT community and I respect and encourage others to love whomever they choose, dress how they choose and act how they choose (so long as they aren't hurting anyone). I also will call those by their "proper pronouns" the best I can..it gets confusing to me.
2. However, while i understand feeling like one sex or the other (or both) on the inside, one cannot change the fact that they were born the sex they were.
Okay, the book. As I am writting this I had to change my stars from a 2 to a 3 because I couldn't think of reason why it deserved less then 3.
I have read 4? Books by Ellen Hopkins and I loved the writing style, but only ended up enjoying 1 of those books. So when I saw this one I was skeptical. The only reason I decided to get it was because of the topic.
The first couple hundred pages in I was still bored and wanted to quit. After finishing I liked it a tad more but was ultimately disappointed. Not exactly because the story wasn't good, it was. It just took forever to get into the good stuff..bad stuff..you know what I mean. I was also disappointed how it ended. I would have liked to see the rest of Brendan's journey, to see if he overcame it all.
caripao's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is such a refreshing read. I've read some amazing books this year but I've been having the nagging feeling that most YA novels are starting to blend together and the majority of new releases have not been catching my attention. Then Freakboy came along. The entire novel is written in verse (which is a first for me) and it tackles heavy issues and raises a lot of questions. This novel addresses sexuality and how it is not black and white. It shatters the notion that you are either gay or straight, male or female. It opens discussion and leaves lots of room for future research. At the end of the novel, there's a list of resources and one for further reading. I think that alone elevates this novel to a whole new level.
On one side we have Brendan, who is not sure what to call himself and is struggling to make sense of his life. Even though he is attracted to his girlfriend, he dreams of being a girl. On the other we have Angel, who is transgendered. She is fully adapted as a female and her past is represented throughout the book. This works so well because we can see the beginning, the middle, and one of the possible ends to such a transformation. Vanessa is another key player to this story. She's Brendan's girlfriend, a wrestler in the boys' team. She is in the receiving end of Brendan's realization and her evolution adds an interesting layer to the story.
The writing style is wonderful. The book length verse feels intimate and complex. l felt like I was reading someone's diary. There are three points of view in this novel--Brendan's, Vanessa's, and Angel's--and each one developed in a very fluid way. It is rare to find a unique novel that also takes your breath away and makes you go deep into your soul to not only empathize with the main character but also analyze the world around you. Personally, Freakboy is the standout novel of the year. I was not only hooked from the very first page but I was also yearning to understand Brendan and his struggles. Even though I couldn't relate to him, I did empathize with his journey to self discovery and the many hurdles along the way. The characters are flawed, complex, and very relatable. At the end of the day, this is a coming of age story. Growing up and accepting yourself is never easy but growing up and feeling like you're in the wrong body? That's a whole other beast.
Poetic, insightful, raw, and unique, Freakboy will rip your heart out. This novel is a brave YA debut that will not only leave you breathless but it will also make you think of sexuality in a whole new way.
On one side we have Brendan, who is not sure what to call himself and is struggling to make sense of his life. Even though he is attracted to his girlfriend, he dreams of being a girl. On the other we have Angel, who is transgendered. She is fully adapted as a female and her past is represented throughout the book. This works so well because we can see the beginning, the middle, and one of the possible ends to such a transformation. Vanessa is another key player to this story. She's Brendan's girlfriend, a wrestler in the boys' team. She is in the receiving end of Brendan's realization and her evolution adds an interesting layer to the story.
The writing style is wonderful. The book length verse feels intimate and complex. l felt like I was reading someone's diary. There are three points of view in this novel--Brendan's, Vanessa's, and Angel's--and each one developed in a very fluid way. It is rare to find a unique novel that also takes your breath away and makes you go deep into your soul to not only empathize with the main character but also analyze the world around you. Personally, Freakboy is the standout novel of the year. I was not only hooked from the very first page but I was also yearning to understand Brendan and his struggles. Even though I couldn't relate to him, I did empathize with his journey to self discovery and the many hurdles along the way. The characters are flawed, complex, and very relatable. At the end of the day, this is a coming of age story. Growing up and accepting yourself is never easy but growing up and feeling like you're in the wrong body? That's a whole other beast.
Poetic, insightful, raw, and unique, Freakboy will rip your heart out. This novel is a brave YA debut that will not only leave you breathless but it will also make you think of sexuality in a whole new way.
larskat's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the format, I have avoided it in the past, but found that I actually liked the play on words, shapes and fonts to enhance the story. A high school boy struggles to figure out his sexuality. He finds himself in conflict with family, friends and his girlfriend. The struggle is heartbreaking, well done.
starnosedmole's review against another edition
3.0
This YA novel in verse thoughtfully explores a range of gender identities, but lacked characterization beyond that one slice of identity.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
5.0
Wow -- "We read to know we're not alone." Everyone deserves to recognize himself or herself within the pages of books. Here is a much-needed book for kids with confused sexual identities...and, frankly, that could be any of us.
Identity, family, friendship, relationships. Mental health issues...Clark fearlessly dives into these issues and more. She gives voice to kids who are desperately searching for who they are and how they belong.
Brendan seems to be dealing with his parents' break up. Zoloft instead of conversations. Medicine instead of honesty, but it seems to be working. He has a great girlfriend who's on the wrestling team with him...yes, Vanessa is a wrestler. Clark seems intent on bending sexual identities from the start.
And then there's Angel, a girl who's always known she was trapped in a boy's body. She is working so hard to be a positive force in the world, despite the horrors that have been rained down on her. It's a miracle she's survived.
Brandon begins having a true identity crisis...is he a boy or a girl? What does that mean? How can he find peace?
Vanessa is so strong and so good at many things, but being a true friend? Maybe not so much.
I kept wondering if the story would stay on the surface with these three, but Clark courageously goes deeper into each character's heart and soul. She allows them to ask frightening questions of themselves...questions that can't be answered quickly...
I'm a book nerd and I read acknowledgements and author's notes and dedications. Dedication: "To every Freakboy and Freakgirl out there: You are not a freak. And you are not alone." Made me cry. Then, she recounts her conversation with Ellen Hopkins where she asked her to write about transgendered teens...and Hopkins' response: "No, this is a story you need to write yourself." What generosity and faith. Makes me love Hopkins more.
There is a wonderful homage to Hopkins here...those deep, sharp hidden poems within poems. Arranged differently on the page, but they're there for the careful reader who is willing to go those scary places with characters.
I love Brendan and Vanessa and Angel. They are real, they are strong, they are flawed. They are learning.
Identity, family, friendship, relationships. Mental health issues...Clark fearlessly dives into these issues and more. She gives voice to kids who are desperately searching for who they are and how they belong.
Brendan seems to be dealing with his parents' break up. Zoloft instead of conversations. Medicine instead of honesty, but it seems to be working. He has a great girlfriend who's on the wrestling team with him...yes, Vanessa is a wrestler. Clark seems intent on bending sexual identities from the start.
And then there's Angel, a girl who's always known she was trapped in a boy's body. She is working so hard to be a positive force in the world, despite the horrors that have been rained down on her. It's a miracle she's survived.
Brandon begins having a true identity crisis...is he a boy or a girl? What does that mean? How can he find peace?
Vanessa is so strong and so good at many things, but being a true friend? Maybe not so much.
I kept wondering if the story would stay on the surface with these three, but Clark courageously goes deeper into each character's heart and soul. She allows them to ask frightening questions of themselves...questions that can't be answered quickly...
I'm a book nerd and I read acknowledgements and author's notes and dedications. Dedication: "To every Freakboy and Freakgirl out there: You are not a freak. And you are not alone." Made me cry. Then, she recounts her conversation with Ellen Hopkins where she asked her to write about transgendered teens...and Hopkins' response: "No, this is a story you need to write yourself." What generosity and faith. Makes me love Hopkins more.
There is a wonderful homage to Hopkins here...those deep, sharp hidden poems within poems. Arranged differently on the page, but they're there for the careful reader who is willing to go those scary places with characters.
I love Brendan and Vanessa and Angel. They are real, they are strong, they are flawed. They are learning.
serena_dawn's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first purely poetic or lyrical book.
Some books build you up and some books break you down, by the end of Freakboy I came away asking myself if it's worth it to lose friends and loved ones to be true to ourselves in private or public in spite of social or cultural expectations. It's a hard question I wonder about a lot for a lot of various reasons but it's not really answered here. I'm glad it's not because it's a question you have to answer for yourself, or risk having that choice taken away.
Brendan is a son, a big brother, a wrestler, a boyfriend and by social standards he should be fine - but he's not. This book isn't a happy ever after unless understanding yourself makes you happier than friends or lovers might, perhaps what bothers me is Brendan doesn't choose to accept himself and come out to his family. He's outed by his best friend and bullied at school because of that. Loses his girlfriend because of that.
This book was also told from the perspective of Vanessa, Brendan's girlfriend, a wrestler herself who abandons her childhood best friends to keep Brendan in her life but doesn't understand him in the end.
We also read Angel's perspective, a Spanish transgender woman, formerly from the street, working at a youth center who meets Brendan and offers help and friendship when he needs it most.
Some books build you up and some books break you down, by the end of Freakboy I came away asking myself if it's worth it to lose friends and loved ones to be true to ourselves in private or public in spite of social or cultural expectations. It's a hard question I wonder about a lot for a lot of various reasons but it's not really answered here. I'm glad it's not because it's a question you have to answer for yourself, or risk having that choice taken away.
Brendan is a son, a big brother, a wrestler, a boyfriend and by social standards he should be fine - but he's not. This book isn't a happy ever after unless understanding yourself makes you happier than friends or lovers might, perhaps what bothers me is Brendan doesn't choose to accept himself and come out to his family. He's outed by his best friend and bullied at school because of that. Loses his girlfriend because of that.
This book was also told from the perspective of Vanessa, Brendan's girlfriend, a wrestler herself who abandons her childhood best friends to keep Brendan in her life but doesn't understand him in the end.
We also read Angel's perspective, a Spanish transgender woman, formerly from the street, working at a youth center who meets Brendan and offers help and friendship when he needs it most.
masorange's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
serukis's review against another edition
3.0
More like a 3.5.
Brendan feels wrong in his own body and can't figure out where he belongs. Vanessa is concerned about her boyfriend, Brendan, and how distant he has been lately. Angel works at a centre for LGBTQ youth and is trying to find love. In the meantime, however, she is determined to help the lost-looking guy who threw up in the planter.
This is the first verse novel I've read, and I'm not so sure I want to try another. There was nothing wrong with the verse, per se; I just felt that the story could have been told in prose just as well. The only thing the verse added, in my opinion, was some interesting typographical effects. If Brendan (or Vanessa, or Angel) had been poets, I think that the verse would feel much more like it had a purpose, rather than just being there.
Despite this, I did feel that the characters and plot were handled well, and I enjoyed the story. When I enjoy a story, I want there to be more of it - which is probably why I felt a little shortchanged by the verse. It made the book seem a lot shorter than it actually was.
I did like that the story was told from three different points of view. Brendan was the main character, sure, but Vanessa and Angel were important pillars in propping up his story. Vanessa gives the reader the insight into what it's like to have a significant other who is questioning their gender identity - not as hard as it is for the other person, of course, but still hard in its own way. Angel, being an out and experienced trans woman, was a good contrast to Brendan, who is confused, questioning, and in denial. Angel also introduces the reader to just how tough life can get for a trans person, having been disowned by her father (and her brother ), and having recovered from a transphobic attack by a sadistic john. (Some people may find this detail too far, but sadly I find it horrifically realistic).
This book deals with a lot of tough issues. Not only did it focus on transgender and genderqueer issues, it also looked at suicide and transphobic violence (as described above). I think that all of these things were handled well, and at no point did the book feel didactic or heavy-handed. It was hard-going emotionally at times, but, in my opinion, just the right amount.
All in all, although I didn't entirely understand the reason why this novel was in verse as opposed to prose, it is definitely worth a read.
Brendan feels wrong in his own body and can't figure out where he belongs. Vanessa is concerned about her boyfriend, Brendan, and how distant he has been lately. Angel works at a centre for LGBTQ youth and is trying to find love. In the meantime, however, she is determined to help the lost-looking guy who threw up in the planter.
This is the first verse novel I've read, and I'm not so sure I want to try another. There was nothing wrong with the verse, per se; I just felt that the story could have been told in prose just as well. The only thing the verse added, in my opinion, was some interesting typographical effects. If Brendan (or Vanessa, or Angel) had been poets, I think that the verse would feel much more like it had a purpose, rather than just being there.
Despite this, I did feel that the characters and plot were handled well, and I enjoyed the story. When I enjoy a story, I want there to be more of it - which is probably why I felt a little shortchanged by the verse. It made the book seem a lot shorter than it actually was.
I did like that the story was told from three different points of view. Brendan was the main character, sure, but Vanessa and Angel were important pillars in propping up his story. Vanessa gives the reader the insight into what it's like to have a significant other who is questioning their gender identity - not as hard as it is for the other person, of course, but still hard in its own way. Angel, being an out and experienced trans woman, was a good contrast to Brendan, who is confused, questioning, and in denial. Angel also introduces the reader to just how tough life can get for a trans person, having been disowned by her father (
This book deals with a lot of tough issues. Not only did it focus on transgender and genderqueer issues, it also looked at suicide and transphobic violence (as described above). I think that all of these things were handled well, and at no point did the book feel didactic or heavy-handed. It was hard-going emotionally at times, but, in my opinion, just the right amount.
All in all, although I didn't entirely understand the reason why this novel was in verse as opposed to prose, it is definitely worth a read.
readingwithelizabeth's review against another edition
5.0
It didn't have the ending I was looking for, but a great book nonethless. This review is short, because I don't know how to put what I feel in words.