Freak by Marcella Pixley

"She's a freak," Jenny said.
I held myself still.
"She's such a freak the guy would rather puke than kiss her."


Freak is the story of a girl named Miriam Fisher, also known by the nickname "Shakespeare" due to her love of poetry and proficiency in writing it. Miriam is a seventh grade girl who just wants to have the freedom to be herself without being ridiculed for it, but that's not the way life turns out for her. Instead, she's labelled a freak, ignored in her own home, and singled out at school.

When she's had enough, Miriam picks a fight with the most popular girl in school -- the one who has been tormenting her from day one. As things steadily grow worse, she wonders why life has to be so terrible for her. But it's not long before she learns that she is not the only girl with problems. And hurt people hurt people.

Freak is both an easy read and and a difficult one; easy in that it's not very long and it only takes a few hours to finish, difficult in that it deals with the isolation of a girl that just wants to be herself and can't understand why that means everyone must abandon her and treat her like she is something disgusting and offensive.

Pixley shows herself to be both a masterful poet and a thought-provoking writer. Her description of emotion is compelling and beautiful, both in the poems written by the main character and in her inner narrative. Peering into the mind of a truly creative person is always a gift and should be fully appreciated in the pages of Pixley's debut novel.

This book will make you think. It will cause you to consider everything that's going on here. Because sometimes we have to stand up to our bullies; and sometimes the bullies are being bullied as well.


Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥


Laughter
rises out of the stomach
like fire
spits from the pores
burns, sears, scours
singes off hair 
rips razors across wrists
leaves notes without any answers