Freak Show

Even if you were used to being around different kinds of people, you'd notice Billy Bloom. And EVERYONE at the ultra rich white preppy Eisenhower Academy in Florida notices him–but not in a good way. Billy's not just a drag queen, he's a fierce, glittery, defiant freak, and doesn't care who knows it. Yes, Billy's used to being noticed, but not in ways that get him severely injured. But will that keep Billy down? No way–he's back, and he's running for homecoming queen. His motto? Tease Hair, Not Homos! Billy's hilarious narration will make you laugh out loud, and remind you that everyone has their own kind of inner freak.

Hilarious, over-the-top, dripping with spangle and glitter Billy Bloom is a high school drag queen who decides to run for homecoming queen amidst his other homophobic, hyperconservative classmates. Thoroughly enjoyed this!

The GAYEST novel in the GLBT YA genre I've ever read! Over-the-top, exuberant, wa-a-ay-out-there. But sad and optimistic, too. Oh, and the author has appeared on America's Next Top Model. Fabulous!!!!!!!

Billy is a gay drag queen attending a conservative prep school and living with his dad in Florida after being kicked out of his mother’s house in Connecticut (when she caught him wearing her Ungaro dress). Billy is beyond over the top for his classmates. His biology teacher looks the other way when he is teased and abused by classmates. The abuse culminates in a brutal beating in class that lands Billy in the hospital. Miraculously, popular jock Flip Kelly stops the beating and later regularly visits Billy in the hospital and at his show more house. When a spontaneous, intimate moment between Billy and Flip ends badly, Billy decides to reemerge as a new, stronger person: Superfreak. He campaigns for homecoming queen on the platform that everyone is a freak in his or her own way. Not the book for everyone but the just the right book for someone! show less

Billy Bloom is a self-declared glitteroid queen and gender obscurist. Too fabulous to declare himself a general drag queen, Billy knows who he is and isn't afraid to share it with the world. Unfortunately for him, the world does not share his "equality for all" views. Billy has moved from Connecticut to Florida, where he is welcomed into his new school by being beaten into a coma.

However, out of this comes a beautiful, complicated and fascinating friendship with the star jock and all-around BMOC Flip. Their friendship goes through ups and downs and will resonate will many teens.

Billy's narration, at points charming, whimsical, snarky and hilarious, is always entertaining and well-rounded. I really felt for Billy as a human being and all show more the suffering he has to go through just to be who he is. An eye-opening read. show less

The character Billy Bloom is not only gay, but he’s a drag queen. And we aren’t talking a vanilla Liza Minelli impersonator. She’s like Zelda Fitzgerald – after she burned to death in a fire. She’s Carrie covered in pig blood. Billy is so over the top, fabulous and real. Take away the flamboyant costumes and the melodrama, Billy is still a provocative character. He tells the story of the outsider and someone who won’t compromise his dreams and hopes to fit in with the crowd. Finally there is a PG-13 rated book for teens who may grow up to be early John Waters film fans.

Fabulous. That is what Billy is. After moving to an ultra-conservative school, Billy shamelessly changes nothing about his drag queen appearance. Rather, the longer he stays in the school, the more he is tormented and tortured, the more Billy desires to become more fabulous. Billy experiences love interests, makes friends with a secret society, and even runs for homecoming queen. Although he never truly fits in with the crowd at his new school, Billy stays true to himself, never compromises, and never loses faith that he will be accepted. This novel is truly inspiring, and encourages readers to find their own identities, and begs the question, “How far would you go to be accepted for who you are?” As this novel deals with the show more weighty issues of adolescence, readers can find comfort in this humor-filled novel that remains as fabulous as Billy. show less

Yet another quick YA read, but this one was excellent. James' writing style is quite unique and takes some getting used to, and I'm not sure I ever did get used to it. But don't let that put you off the book. Freak Show is a brilliant near stream-of-consciousness book about, simply put, what it means to be different. Obviously, it's more than just that. It's a brilliant examination of the horrors of high school, specifically one a young, cross dressing gay boy. He's truly adorable, someone I'd probably like to be friends with. While much of the book seems to be quite unrealistic, focusing on that aspect would completely miss the point. What matters is the interactions, the way Billy feels, beneath all the glamor he embraces. Freak Show show more is more than just a coming of age story, it's a story to all of us who were picked on in high school and what it means when we fight back (even if we never had the courage to). show less