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Freaks Like Us
When Jason Milwaukee's best friend Sunshine vanishes, Jason knows that something is terribly wrong, but solving her disappearance will require pushing through all the voices in his head and then getting the world to listen to him. His schizophrenia is stopping him from remembering the events leading up to her disappearance, and often he discounts his own memories, and his own impressions. But his deep knowledge that he would never hurt his friend, plus the faith of his parents and a few others in the town bring him to the point of solving the mystery. In the end, it's Sunshine's own love for Jason (Freak) that persuades him of his own strength and goodness. By turns brilliantly witty and searingly honest, Susan Vaught's newest novel is a laugh-out-loud, tear-jerking, coming-of-age story.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2012
151 people are currently reading
2762 people want to read
About the author
Susan Vaught
30 books206 followersWebsite: http://susanvaught.com
astrology sign: Libra
favorite book: Harry Potter (all of them) and His Dark Materials
(all of those, too)
favorite song:I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
current pet total:12 if you don't count the chickens, peafowl,
turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, or guineas.
names of my schools:
Vanderbilt University (MS, Ph.D.)
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) (BA)
Germantown High School (Germantown, TN 9th-12th)
Germantown Middle School (Germantown, TN 8th)
Can't Remember, but the mascot was a purple dragon (Sandy Springs/Atlanta Georgia, 7th)
Green Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 6th) Frances Patterson was a very cool teacher there. I write because of her.
Pierce Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 3rd-5th)
Can't Remember, but it was big (Corinth, MS, 2nd)
Oxford Elementary (Oxford, MS, K-1st)
University of Mississippi (Day Care, Playschool)
astrology sign: Libra
favorite book: Harry Potter (all of them) and His Dark Materials
(all of those, too)
favorite song:I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
current pet total:12 if you don't count the chickens, peafowl,
turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, or guineas.
names of my schools:
Vanderbilt University (MS, Ph.D.)
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) (BA)
Germantown High School (Germantown, TN 9th-12th)
Germantown Middle School (Germantown, TN 8th)
Can't Remember, but the mascot was a purple dragon (Sandy Springs/Atlanta Georgia, 7th)
Green Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 6th) Frances Patterson was a very cool teacher there. I write because of her.
Pierce Street Elementary (Tupelo, MS 3rd-5th)
Can't Remember, but it was big (Corinth, MS, 2nd)
Oxford Elementary (Oxford, MS, K-1st)
University of Mississippi (Day Care, Playschool)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
September 10, 2012
Maybe the easiest way to describe this book would be to say it's a mixture of Gone Girl, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Paper Towns.
The book is told in the first person by "Freak" a schizophrenic (SCHIZ) high school senior who is part of the 'alphabets'; kids who ride the short-bus and are in special classes with other kids who have been labeled with a whole host of acronyms.
His best friends are a spastic kid named "Drip" who has fairly severe ADHD and Sunshine who is SM (selectively mute). Sunshine never returns home from school one day and the police and FBI are quickly summoned to try to find her.
After hearing that the first twenty-four hours are the most crucial to having a good outcome in a missing person case, Freak decides to not take his usual meds, which cause him to fall asleep and miss out in helping in these crucial hours. This causes his schizophrenic problems to worsen. Oh, yeah and he's considered by most people to have done something to hurt his friend and the paranoid and overly critical voices in his head are telling him that everyone is probably right about him being a bad bad person.
Gosh, I just wrote something like a book report.
Because this is a YA novel, it's really fast to read, which is good. It is possible that the novelty of being told a story from the perspective of someone with schizophrenia could turn into a gimmicky and annoying novelty. It didn't to me though, and I'm not sure if it is the quickness of the book that saved it from this sort of fate. The narrator's condition gradually worsens as the novel continues so there is a fairly interesting degree of unreliability that keeps getting bumped as each chapter and another hour passes in the story.
As you can see by the number of stars I gave this, I enjoyed it. Maybe you will too, even if it is a book for teens.
The book is told in the first person by "Freak" a schizophrenic (SCHIZ) high school senior who is part of the 'alphabets'; kids who ride the short-bus and are in special classes with other kids who have been labeled with a whole host of acronyms.
His best friends are a spastic kid named "Drip" who has fairly severe ADHD and Sunshine who is SM (selectively mute). Sunshine never returns home from school one day and the police and FBI are quickly summoned to try to find her.
After hearing that the first twenty-four hours are the most crucial to having a good outcome in a missing person case, Freak decides to not take his usual meds, which cause him to fall asleep and miss out in helping in these crucial hours. This causes his schizophrenic problems to worsen. Oh, yeah and he's considered by most people to have done something to hurt his friend and the paranoid and overly critical voices in his head are telling him that everyone is probably right about him being a bad bad person.
Gosh, I just wrote something like a book report.
Because this is a YA novel, it's really fast to read, which is good. It is possible that the novelty of being told a story from the perspective of someone with schizophrenia could turn into a gimmicky and annoying novelty. It didn't to me though, and I'm not sure if it is the quickness of the book that saved it from this sort of fate. The narrator's condition gradually worsens as the novel continues so there is a fairly interesting degree of unreliability that keeps getting bumped as each chapter and another hour passes in the story.
As you can see by the number of stars I gave this, I enjoyed it. Maybe you will too, even if it is a book for teens.
August 2, 2012
While I had high hopes going into Susan Vaught’s Freaks Like Us, I’m happy to say that it exceeded my expectations. Granted, my first impression wasn’t quite so enthusastic, as the first few chapters did little to sustain the interest that the book’s intriguing cover blurb had inspired. Yet I soon learned that this was a symptom of a learning curve rather than of poor writing. Narrator Jason initially comes across as quite young, and the stream-of-consciousness narrative that signifies his thought process is off-putting at first. However, once you get into the rhythm of the narrative, Freaks Like Us takes hold and refuses to let go.
Freaks Like Us is an alternately humorous and harrowing novel narrated by a young man suffering from schizophrenia. Though I’ve mentioned my interest in novels with narrators afflicted with mental illness before, I can’t help but feel that many such novels purport to explore the parameters of illness while covertly sanitizing it. Yet in Freaks Like Us, Jason shows us just why the phrase “to suffer from” came about. His disease isn’t downplayed, nor is it gratuitously exaggerated. I can’t speak from experience, but as a lay observer, I came away with an impression of honesty regarding Vaught’s treatment of Jason’s battles with his mental health. That’s not to say that Jason is victimized by his situation; quite the opposite, he is one of the strongest characters I’ve come across lately precisely because he doesn’t inflate his own confidence or self-worth. Jason isn’t aware of the extreme fortitude that he exhibits in the dignity with which he deals with his disease, and he’s all the more sympathetic for it.
As I mentioned before, Jason’s internal monologue (or dialogue, as it were, as Jason is constantly struggling to ignore the voices in his head) is somewhat convoluted at first. But within a few chapters, I realized a horrible truth. While Jason’s internal narrative sounds like a disconnected, confused youth, his speaking voice does not. It takes a while to realize this, as Jason does not converse much in the book’s early chapters, yet as the investigation gets underway and Jason finds himself a suspect in his best friend’s disappearance, he must express himself despite the difficulty that his illness and medications pose. In his attempts to convey his thoughts and feelings to friends, family, and the law enforcement working the case, one fact becomes glaringly obvious: Jason is not a child. His voice is that of an intelligent young man, and though he cannot always express himself in the manner he wishes to, he is no fool.
Normally, with a story like this, I would have wanted more insight into the secondary characters, particularly Sunshine, as her own illness is hinted at but never explicitly discussed. Yet Jason’s voice rings so true, despite his difficulties, that ultimately we don’t need more elaboration into what Sunshine is like to show us why we should care for her. All we need to know is that Jason cares, and that fact is abundantly clear, even if his expression of those feelings isn’t always obvious or overt. I adore unreliable narrators, and it’s clear from the get-go that Jason is just that. Still, while this can sometimes work against a novel’s air of mystery, since we are alert to expect the unexpected, I was unable to predict what would happen next and was in fact scared we would never learn Sunshine’s fate. Not only was this device effective in the big picture, but it also worked to poignant effect in several key scenes.
Freaks Like Us explores the very real agony of being different. Everyone but Sunshine calls Jason “Freak,” and while he loves that about her, he nonetheless tells the investigating officer to call him “Freak” as well. Jason’s ambivalence toward his own identity raises important questions, such as whether it is in fact kinder to acknowledge or to deny something perceived as a flaw. Is Jason’s request for others to call him Freak, despite his hatred of the name, an admonition or an absolution?
Overall, Freaks Like Us gave me something that I have been craving all year: a read that took be unexpectedly and whole-heartedly by surprise.
http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress....
Freaks Like Us is an alternately humorous and harrowing novel narrated by a young man suffering from schizophrenia. Though I’ve mentioned my interest in novels with narrators afflicted with mental illness before, I can’t help but feel that many such novels purport to explore the parameters of illness while covertly sanitizing it. Yet in Freaks Like Us, Jason shows us just why the phrase “to suffer from” came about. His disease isn’t downplayed, nor is it gratuitously exaggerated. I can’t speak from experience, but as a lay observer, I came away with an impression of honesty regarding Vaught’s treatment of Jason’s battles with his mental health. That’s not to say that Jason is victimized by his situation; quite the opposite, he is one of the strongest characters I’ve come across lately precisely because he doesn’t inflate his own confidence or self-worth. Jason isn’t aware of the extreme fortitude that he exhibits in the dignity with which he deals with his disease, and he’s all the more sympathetic for it.
As I mentioned before, Jason’s internal monologue (or dialogue, as it were, as Jason is constantly struggling to ignore the voices in his head) is somewhat convoluted at first. But within a few chapters, I realized a horrible truth. While Jason’s internal narrative sounds like a disconnected, confused youth, his speaking voice does not. It takes a while to realize this, as Jason does not converse much in the book’s early chapters, yet as the investigation gets underway and Jason finds himself a suspect in his best friend’s disappearance, he must express himself despite the difficulty that his illness and medications pose. In his attempts to convey his thoughts and feelings to friends, family, and the law enforcement working the case, one fact becomes glaringly obvious: Jason is not a child. His voice is that of an intelligent young man, and though he cannot always express himself in the manner he wishes to, he is no fool.
Normally, with a story like this, I would have wanted more insight into the secondary characters, particularly Sunshine, as her own illness is hinted at but never explicitly discussed. Yet Jason’s voice rings so true, despite his difficulties, that ultimately we don’t need more elaboration into what Sunshine is like to show us why we should care for her. All we need to know is that Jason cares, and that fact is abundantly clear, even if his expression of those feelings isn’t always obvious or overt. I adore unreliable narrators, and it’s clear from the get-go that Jason is just that. Still, while this can sometimes work against a novel’s air of mystery, since we are alert to expect the unexpected, I was unable to predict what would happen next and was in fact scared we would never learn Sunshine’s fate. Not only was this device effective in the big picture, but it also worked to poignant effect in several key scenes.
Freaks Like Us explores the very real agony of being different. Everyone but Sunshine calls Jason “Freak,” and while he loves that about her, he nonetheless tells the investigating officer to call him “Freak” as well. Jason’s ambivalence toward his own identity raises important questions, such as whether it is in fact kinder to acknowledge or to deny something perceived as a flaw. Is Jason’s request for others to call him Freak, despite his hatred of the name, an admonition or an absolution?
Overall, Freaks Like Us gave me something that I have been craving all year: a read that took be unexpectedly and whole-heartedly by surprise.
http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress....
May 12, 2013
Schizophrenia a mental disorder that have such negative perception in society that discussion is raised to change the name. In Japan it has been done and now in it's called integration disorder.
So it's not surprising at all that when selective mute Sunshine (17) disappears that her best friend Jason who has schizophrenia is suspected more than her other best friend Derrick who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
So it's not surprising at all that when selective mute Sunshine (17) disappears that her best friend Jason who has schizophrenia is suspected more than her other best friend Derrick who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
October 24, 2022
Mini blurb: When 17 y.o., selectively mute Sunshine goes missing, her best friends (Jason, schizofrenic, and Derrick, suffering from ADHD) set to find her while struggling with their respective issues, social stigma and relentless bullies.
***
Rated 3.5 really.
Don't mind my rating - this was actually pretty good, only a little too sugar-coated for my tastes (despite the issues the protagonists face, some disturbing themes and a brutal bulling episode - and yep, those things can coexist). I can't really comment on the mental health rep, but it sounded honest enough to me, and Vaught did a great job with having readers putting themselves in Jason's shoes (Derrick's too). I really liked the friendship aspect, especially the M/F one - though of course, as in most YA books, there's an amorous angle to it...but if it serves the purpose of reminding us that mentally ill people are love-worthy and romanceable, I have no complaints. In conclusion, Freaks Like Us was less adventurous than I expected (plus the only "adventure" covered the same ground twice) and required more suspension of disbelief that I like in my contemporary novels, but it made up for it with a big heart and an even bigger, compassionate and at the same time uplifting focus on teens with personality disorders.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later).
***
Rated 3.5 really.
Don't mind my rating - this was actually pretty good, only a little too sugar-coated for my tastes (despite the issues the protagonists face, some disturbing themes and a brutal bulling episode - and yep, those things can coexist). I can't really comment on the mental health rep, but it sounded honest enough to me, and Vaught did a great job with having readers putting themselves in Jason's shoes (Derrick's too). I really liked the friendship aspect, especially the M/F one - though of course, as in most YA books, there's an amorous angle to it...but if it serves the purpose of reminding us that mentally ill people are love-worthy and romanceable, I have no complaints. In conclusion, Freaks Like Us was less adventurous than I expected (plus the only "adventure" covered the same ground twice) and required more suspension of disbelief that I like in my contemporary novels, but it made up for it with a big heart and an even bigger, compassionate and at the same time uplifting focus on teens with personality disorders.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later).
October 15, 2014
In Susan Vaught’s captivating novel, Freaks Like Us, the reader is taken on a suspenseful adventure through the mind of a schizophrenic teenage boy named Jason. He and his two best friends call themselves alphabets because they all have different letter abbreviations to describe their mental diagnoses. These three show the true meaning of friendship because no matter their struggles, they put one another first and don’t let each other down. However, when Jason’s best friend Sunshine goes missing, the race is on to find her within the first 24 hours when it’s most crucial to find a missing child. The FBI is called in, an amber alert is sent out, and the entire town jumps to take part in the search for Sunshine. I absolutely love that the chapters are not listed normally, but rather they are listed by the different hours that have passed by since Sunshine was declared missing. It really adds an exciting twist and a sense of time reference to base the pace of the events happening.
This novel is not for everyone, however. While it may seem like an easy read at first glance, it’s very deep and complex due to the first hand point of view from Jason the schizophrenic. The voices in his head blur together and ramble on. Jason often finds himself confused between distinguishing these voices from his own voice and from reality. It’s extremely important to pay close attention to whether Jason or the voices are talking in order to keep up with what is happening. Despite the difficulty, this book was remarkably well written in the sense of believability. Author, Susan Vaught, either has observed, experienced, or researched schizophrenia firsthand because the protagonist and all his qualities are strikingly realistic. You as the reader truly feel as though you are immersed deep inside the brain of a schizophrenic and have a greater understanding of his daily struggles, quirks, and thought processes. The complexity of Jason is what I believe truly carries the storyline. He greatly contributes to the sense of panic and desperation because all he wants to do is find his best friend. While the plot is gripping, it’s also heartfelt, showing the power of friendship. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read something different and out of the ordinary. If you like complex, unconventional characters and cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, this book is definitely for you.
This novel is not for everyone, however. While it may seem like an easy read at first glance, it’s very deep and complex due to the first hand point of view from Jason the schizophrenic. The voices in his head blur together and ramble on. Jason often finds himself confused between distinguishing these voices from his own voice and from reality. It’s extremely important to pay close attention to whether Jason or the voices are talking in order to keep up with what is happening. Despite the difficulty, this book was remarkably well written in the sense of believability. Author, Susan Vaught, either has observed, experienced, or researched schizophrenia firsthand because the protagonist and all his qualities are strikingly realistic. You as the reader truly feel as though you are immersed deep inside the brain of a schizophrenic and have a greater understanding of his daily struggles, quirks, and thought processes. The complexity of Jason is what I believe truly carries the storyline. He greatly contributes to the sense of panic and desperation because all he wants to do is find his best friend. While the plot is gripping, it’s also heartfelt, showing the power of friendship. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read something different and out of the ordinary. If you like complex, unconventional characters and cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, this book is definitely for you.
October 22, 2012
An interesting look at life through the eyes of an active schizophrenic. That also makes it hard to read at times. Definitely for older teens not because of subject matter or language, but because the narrative is challenging.
September 3, 2016
3.5 stars
I'm torn between rating this a 3 stars or 4 stars, there are parts where I lost focus and interest but there are also parts that I genuinely like. So, I'm just going to settle with in-between. heh.
May 11, 2021
really solidly just not sure how to feel on this one, and erring on the side of negativity, because if it weren't so short i think i would have gotten sick of it. while the narration was very unique & enjoyable (probably the best part of this book), the plot felt meandering and not nearly as urgent as i expected from the summary. + i had some issues with the way this book handled its issues. for example: pushing a "we're-all-freaks your-oddness-makes-you-strong" narrative (while also not romanticizing mental illness, that was fine) but then having its only characters with personality disorders be brutal one-dimensional bullies. or the fact that sunshine, the impetus of the entire plot, felt a little too manic-pixie-dream-girl for my tastes. i feel like there has to be a way to flesh out a character who's physically missing other than by making the narrator repeatedly reminisce about his romantic feelings for her. and sunshine's lack of distinct personality felt especially egregious with regards to the ending.
tl;dr: fast read, cool narration, weird issue-handling, ultimately dissatisfying.
tl;dr: fast read, cool narration, weird issue-handling, ultimately dissatisfying.
February 12, 2018
Great premise, but the narratives and telling the tale of the alphabet kids in the room just didn't match up to the concepts for their interactions, IMHO. It could have become so much better- 2.5 star to be fair but YA levels or not- the form and pace of telling this particular tale lacked. And not because of the different voices. Cliff hangers at the ends of chapters pale very quickly with me. This also didn't feel like it was a read that actual teenagers could embed within.
September 6, 2012
Jason Milwaukee, AKA Freak, isn't your average narrator. He's schizophrenic and his observations of the world are interspersed with aural hallucinations. His best friend Sunshine disappeared between getting off the bus and going home, and there's a 24-hour window that's the best chance of finding her. Jason knows her best and thus refuses to take his meds, since they'll make him sleep for eight hours. He's willing to do whatever it takes to find Sunshine. Unfortunately, he might've hurt her. If only he could remember what happened last Saturday . . .
Susan Vaught gets deep into Jason's head and really imagines what life would be like for him, Drip, and Sunshine. The refrain "no one listens to us" might be repeated a bit too much, but it's very true. But it is a balance. Jason has good instincts and is capable of making decisions for himself. Yet there are times when he's completely confused about what's really happening and thus not competent at that point in time.
There is no big twist in FREAKS LIKE US. What happened to Sunshine is a mystery, but Jason has all the clues he needs, if he can manage to put them together. It's much easier for the reader to assemble the pieces, but that's not the point. The point is seeing the world through Jason's eyes as he struggles to figure out what happened and separate the reality from what his voices tell him happened. Vaught also shows how he grows through the loss of one of his most important people. There are some wonderful parallel scenes that show how he matures, in a mere 24 hours. But I don't want to paint FREAKS LIKE US as a bildungsroman. It's not. (It could have been Sunshine's bildungsroman, but it's not.)
FREAKS LIKE US is a fantastic psychological mystery. The narrator could've been a gimmick, but Vaught's a better author than that. Jason is not defined by his disease. He's defined by his desires, by the way he approaches relationships, by the secrets he chooses to keep, and the way he'll do anything to help his friend. I loved spending time with Jason as much as I enjoyed spending time in his head.
FREAKS LIKE US is often funny, frequently sad, and always exciting. I hope many new readers are attracted to this bold little title. Best of all, Vaught isn't a new author so I can go see if she has anything else this good in her backlist.
Susan Vaught gets deep into Jason's head and really imagines what life would be like for him, Drip, and Sunshine. The refrain "no one listens to us" might be repeated a bit too much, but it's very true. But it is a balance. Jason has good instincts and is capable of making decisions for himself. Yet there are times when he's completely confused about what's really happening and thus not competent at that point in time.
There is no big twist in FREAKS LIKE US. What happened to Sunshine is a mystery, but Jason has all the clues he needs, if he can manage to put them together. It's much easier for the reader to assemble the pieces, but that's not the point. The point is seeing the world through Jason's eyes as he struggles to figure out what happened and separate the reality from what his voices tell him happened. Vaught also shows how he grows through the loss of one of his most important people. There are some wonderful parallel scenes that show how he matures, in a mere 24 hours. But I don't want to paint FREAKS LIKE US as a bildungsroman. It's not. (It could have been Sunshine's bildungsroman, but it's not.)
FREAKS LIKE US is a fantastic psychological mystery. The narrator could've been a gimmick, but Vaught's a better author than that. Jason is not defined by his disease. He's defined by his desires, by the way he approaches relationships, by the secrets he chooses to keep, and the way he'll do anything to help his friend. I loved spending time with Jason as much as I enjoyed spending time in his head.
FREAKS LIKE US is often funny, frequently sad, and always exciting. I hope many new readers are attracted to this bold little title. Best of all, Vaught isn't a new author so I can go see if she has anything else this good in her backlist.
May 1, 2013
Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...
Let me start with saying that Susan Vaught is a psychologist - and after reading this book, I'd recommend her to anyone I know! She obviously gets people with these illnesses - the descriptions of Sunshine's selective mutism and Drip's ADHD just sound so right, like she gets to the heart of how they think. And that is, of course, overshadowed by the way Freak is written.
Even though the entire story happens over one 24-hour period, except for the epilogue, I felt like I really got to know how Freak lives on a daily basis. Because of the style of the novel, with glimpses into Freak's mind-voices and flashbacks, which Freak tries so desperately both to remember and to forget, there are so many layers. So many issues were touched on, the way he has to deal with the voices and sift through what's real and what isn't, his own self-image, how others perceive him and behave towards him, and most touchingly, I felt, was the detail about his name. It shows so much about how he and the other "alphabets" view themselves. Agent Mercer showcases that really nicely.
And I really had tears in my eyes during Freak's (almost) last conversation with Agent Mercer. Much more than a story about a missing girl, this is the story of people with disabilities and their place in the world, and seeing Agent Mercer's developing interactions with Freak and Drip - I cried. Literally, no exaggeration. I cried.
And I cried again, even more, at the epilogue.
I'm going to leave it at that. This is a brilliant book.
Let me start with saying that Susan Vaught is a psychologist - and after reading this book, I'd recommend her to anyone I know! She obviously gets people with these illnesses - the descriptions of Sunshine's selective mutism and Drip's ADHD just sound so right, like she gets to the heart of how they think. And that is, of course, overshadowed by the way Freak is written.
Even though the entire story happens over one 24-hour period, except for the epilogue, I felt like I really got to know how Freak lives on a daily basis. Because of the style of the novel, with glimpses into Freak's mind-voices and flashbacks, which Freak tries so desperately both to remember and to forget, there are so many layers. So many issues were touched on, the way he has to deal with the voices and sift through what's real and what isn't, his own self-image, how others perceive him and behave towards him, and most touchingly, I felt, was the detail about his name. It shows so much about how he and the other "alphabets" view themselves. Agent Mercer showcases that really nicely.
And I really had tears in my eyes during Freak's (almost) last conversation with Agent Mercer. Much more than a story about a missing girl, this is the story of people with disabilities and their place in the world, and seeing Agent Mercer's developing interactions with Freak and Drip - I cried. Literally, no exaggeration. I cried.
And I cried again, even more, at the epilogue.
I'm going to leave it at that. This is a brilliant book.
January 26, 2013
I read this for my YA book club, and it's a good example of why book clubs are a great means of nudging us to read outside of our usual box. I highly recommend this mystery told from the point of view of a high school boy with schizophrenia. There were times when I felt trapped in Jason's mind, right along with him.
June 30, 2018
Added June 23, 2018 (e-book - Published September 4th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA)
Finished reading it on June 25 2018.
NOTE: I DID NOT READ THIS BOOK 2 TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT GOODREADS RECORDS SHOW! MUST BE A GLITCH.
GOODREAD MEMBER REVIEW: "Written from the perspective of a teenager who suffers from schizophrenic delusions as he tries to find out what happened to a missing classmate."
FROM: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I ended up skimming this book to find out how it ends. A lot of it was confusing and repetitive. It was not a pleasure to read. The suspense angle held me in there for a while but then it just got boring. I finally skimmed to the end and found out how the story's "mystery" was solved. I'll give it 2 stars, but only because the suspense held my attention. Despite the positive reviews, I still don't rate this book very highly. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea. The inner thoughts of the schizophrenic boy were confusing to read and very repetitive. He was a character for whom one had sympathy, but that didn't make "decoding" his confusing and repetitive words any more enjoyable. Nevertheless, it was a good ending, story-wise.
See the following review of a GR member who also had a negative opinion:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emma Louise's Review: "I tried, I did, but I couldn't find a lot that I liked about this book and there wasn't enough meat. It was a bit of a drag, which is a shame because the first 20 or so pages were really quite great. The narrative got really, really repetitive and dry quickly. The story just was not my thing, it didn't seem to go anywhere."
Emma Louise's review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editorial Review
"_Freaks Like Us_ is a compelling, superbly crafted story that will hook you and grab you from the first page. More than a book about mental illness written with an insider's knowledge, it is also a love story and a story written with love about young people on the outskirts of what the world calls normal. I urge you to read it." * Francisco X Stork, author of 'Marcelo in the Real World' *
FROM: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
GOODREADS MEMBER REVIEW: "Let me start with saying that Susan Vaught is a psychologist - and after reading this book, I'd recommend her to anyone I know!"
FROM: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished reading it on June 25 2018.
NOTE: I DID NOT READ THIS BOOK 2 TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT GOODREADS RECORDS SHOW! MUST BE A GLITCH.
GOODREAD MEMBER REVIEW: "Written from the perspective of a teenager who suffers from schizophrenic delusions as he tries to find out what happened to a missing classmate."
FROM: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I ended up skimming this book to find out how it ends. A lot of it was confusing and repetitive. It was not a pleasure to read. The suspense angle held me in there for a while but then it just got boring. I finally skimmed to the end and found out how the story's "mystery" was solved. I'll give it 2 stars, but only because the suspense held my attention. Despite the positive reviews, I still don't rate this book very highly. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea. The inner thoughts of the schizophrenic boy were confusing to read and very repetitive. He was a character for whom one had sympathy, but that didn't make "decoding" his confusing and repetitive words any more enjoyable. Nevertheless, it was a good ending, story-wise.
See the following review of a GR member who also had a negative opinion:
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Emma Louise's Review: "I tried, I did, but I couldn't find a lot that I liked about this book and there wasn't enough meat. It was a bit of a drag, which is a shame because the first 20 or so pages were really quite great. The narrative got really, really repetitive and dry quickly. The story just was not my thing, it didn't seem to go anywhere."
Emma Louise's review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Editorial Review
"_Freaks Like Us_ is a compelling, superbly crafted story that will hook you and grab you from the first page. More than a book about mental illness written with an insider's knowledge, it is also a love story and a story written with love about young people on the outskirts of what the world calls normal. I urge you to read it." * Francisco X Stork, author of 'Marcelo in the Real World' *
FROM: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
GOODREADS MEMBER REVIEW: "Let me start with saying that Susan Vaught is a psychologist - and after reading this book, I'd recommend her to anyone I know!"
FROM: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 16, 2020
Freak (Jason - schizophrenic), Drip (Derrick - severe ADHD and ADD) and Sunshine (Sunshine is her actual name - selective mute) are all high school seniors and a part of the "severe emotional disturbance" special education class. Told in first person by Freak, we see how these 3 best friends navigate the world of the short bus (their words) - from bullies to parent and teacher expectations to meds and to managing their own abilities. After a typical day at school and ride home on the bus together, Sunshine disappears. Freak, who has his own special history with Sunshine is desperate to find her, but how does one do that when everyone expects the schizophrenic to be the cause? This is difficult to read at times, which is part of the point as it's through the eyes of a teen schizophrenic. The mystery is well done but falls more in like with the young adult genre than some of the deeper themes of the book, specifically how the mentally ill are treated, portrayed, and understood. Highly recommend for both teens and adults, but be warned it deals with some disturbing themes (sexual assault, physical assault, missing children, etc.)
November 1, 2018
Phenomenal. Could not put this book down. To be inside the head of an adolescent again can be a scary thing, but to be inside the mind of an adolescent with a mental illness, in a safe place like a book, creates readers who are understanding and accepting. This book is mystery, realistic fiction, and pulls at my heart strings.
My favorite line in the book—“I never make a difference and I can’t make myself be any different than what I am.” -Jason. “Some people are so strong, they don’t need to change, Jason” -Agent Mercer (p. 211).
My favorite line in the book—“I never make a difference and I can’t make myself be any different than what I am.” -Jason. “Some people are so strong, they don’t need to change, Jason” -Agent Mercer (p. 211).
June 25, 2020
A mystery/kidnapping told from the view of a schizophrenic.
April 23, 2019
The main character in this story is Jason who has schizophrenia. He has a best friend named, Sunshine, who is selectively mute. Jason and Sunshine became great friends during their childhood because they both have a mental disability. They lived through the struggles of having a disability and where there for each other. The kids at school thought they were freaks so they did their best to avoid them. Suddenly one day Sunshine disappeared and no one knew where she went. Jason imagined where Sunshine was but could not distinguish this from relativity because of his disability. Since Jason was Sunshine's best friend people went to him for answers but he could not think clearly about the situation. It was a mystery to where Sunshine might have gone but years later Jason spotted her behind the counter at a local store where he was reunited.
I liked this book because it was interesting to read from a perspective of someone with schizophrenia. This book was different than anything I have ever read before because these characters have medical disorders. It was interesting to see how people with these disorders have to live their life. Since Jason is schizophrenic it made some parts of the story confusing because he has trouble thinking clearly. Overall, this book was good and an unusual mystery.
I liked this book because it was interesting to read from a perspective of someone with schizophrenia. This book was different than anything I have ever read before because these characters have medical disorders. It was interesting to see how people with these disorders have to live their life. Since Jason is schizophrenic it made some parts of the story confusing because he has trouble thinking clearly. Overall, this book was good and an unusual mystery.
April 13, 2016
Freaks like us is the second book I have read from Susan Vaught. I am truly becoming a fan of her work. There are no vampires, werewolves or mythical creatures in her stories, only real life people in real life situations. She opens our eyes to things that go on every day and no one really knows or thinks about.
Freaks Like Us is about three teenagers who call themselves "Alphabets." They all have some sort of mental disability. They call themselves Alphabets because that’s how they are labeled. Derrick aka "Drip" has ADHD and ADD. Sunshine, is SM (Selectively Mute) and Jason, aka "Freak" is GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and SCZI (Schizophrenic). Susan really exposes what it is like to be inside of a person with Schizophrenia. Jason, the main character, is in a constant battle with the voices in his head. One day, Sunshine doesn’t make it home after their school bus drops them off. Jason, Derrick and Sunshine have been best friends since they were little kids and they have only had each other for support. "Because who really listens to Alphabets, right?" Derrick, Jason and their parents area all in the police station being questions since they were the last people to see Sunshine before she disappeared. But Jason, starts to feel like he is being accused of hurting or even killing Sunshine. There is no way he could hurt his best friend. Right? In the back of Jason's mind he knows that Sunshine told him a secret and it's something he promised he would never tell. The only problem is, he doesn’t know if it really happened or if he just made it up in his head. Now, Jason is hearing the voices more and they are getting louder and soon starts to see things. Jason needs to take his medication that somewhat control these things, but he refuses to take them because he wants to be awake and help with the search for Sunshine. The ending, which I do not want to reveal, really made me cry. I will say that we do find out what really happened to Sunshine.
You can't help but to feel bad for these kids. They would give anything to be normal and not have to take medication every day in order for them to function. It’s a catch 22. If they don’t take their medication, they see and hear things. But if they are medicated, they sleep a lot and aren't as alert. Plus, who wants to be sedated every day for the rest of their lives? There isn't a happy medium and its really sad. Susan Vaught is a psychologist therefore, she has experience with these types of disorders. I am sure it must break her heart to see children every day with these disorders. I strongly recommend reading Freaks Like Us and any other book from Susan Vaught. Her books open us to something most people know very little about, but a lot of families have to deal with in real life.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...
Freaks Like Us is about three teenagers who call themselves "Alphabets." They all have some sort of mental disability. They call themselves Alphabets because that’s how they are labeled. Derrick aka "Drip" has ADHD and ADD. Sunshine, is SM (Selectively Mute) and Jason, aka "Freak" is GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and SCZI (Schizophrenic). Susan really exposes what it is like to be inside of a person with Schizophrenia. Jason, the main character, is in a constant battle with the voices in his head. One day, Sunshine doesn’t make it home after their school bus drops them off. Jason, Derrick and Sunshine have been best friends since they were little kids and they have only had each other for support. "Because who really listens to Alphabets, right?" Derrick, Jason and their parents area all in the police station being questions since they were the last people to see Sunshine before she disappeared. But Jason, starts to feel like he is being accused of hurting or even killing Sunshine. There is no way he could hurt his best friend. Right? In the back of Jason's mind he knows that Sunshine told him a secret and it's something he promised he would never tell. The only problem is, he doesn’t know if it really happened or if he just made it up in his head. Now, Jason is hearing the voices more and they are getting louder and soon starts to see things. Jason needs to take his medication that somewhat control these things, but he refuses to take them because he wants to be awake and help with the search for Sunshine. The ending, which I do not want to reveal, really made me cry. I will say that we do find out what really happened to Sunshine.
You can't help but to feel bad for these kids. They would give anything to be normal and not have to take medication every day in order for them to function. It’s a catch 22. If they don’t take their medication, they see and hear things. But if they are medicated, they sleep a lot and aren't as alert. Plus, who wants to be sedated every day for the rest of their lives? There isn't a happy medium and its really sad. Susan Vaught is a psychologist therefore, she has experience with these types of disorders. I am sure it must break her heart to see children every day with these disorders. I strongly recommend reading Freaks Like Us and any other book from Susan Vaught. Her books open us to something most people know very little about, but a lot of families have to deal with in real life.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...
July 8, 2012
ARC eBook courtesy of NetGalley.com
Release date: 9-4-12
Jason "Freak" Milwaukee and his friends ride the short bus. They call themselves the Alphabets. They've all been diagnosed with conditions like ADD, ADHD, OCD, ODD, or in Freak's case, schizophrenia.
Freak, Drip, and Sunshine have known each other since before elementary school. They are now in high school and have learned to cope through behavior therapy and medication. They put up with a lot in their daily lives, but at least they have each other.
On the way to their bus one afternoon, Freak and Drip once again witness a couple of bullies from their special ed classroom picking on Sunshine. Sunshine is a selective mute so she suffers in silence as the two bullies attack her with taunts and suggestive slurs. Freak and Drip hover over her protectively, and when they arrive at their drop off point, Freak considers walking her home, but she insists she's fine.
The next thing Freak knows Sunshine is gone! Her mother calls asking if she is with Freak or if he has seen her because she never came home after school.
The cops and soon the FBI are involved. Freak's schizophrenia and Drip's ADHD complicate the questioning process, and it seems both are being considered suspects. Freak tries to quiet the voices in his head so he can be helpful in the search, but he fears it might be too late to save his best friend.
Susan Vaught's FREAKS LIKE US give voice to those suffering from conditions most of us don't truly understand. She takes readers into the mind of Jason "Freak" so they can sense his frustration as he tries to communicate what he knows but is afraid to reveal. Presented in an hourly format of less than twenty-four hours, readers will be on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Release date: 9-4-12
Jason "Freak" Milwaukee and his friends ride the short bus. They call themselves the Alphabets. They've all been diagnosed with conditions like ADD, ADHD, OCD, ODD, or in Freak's case, schizophrenia.
Freak, Drip, and Sunshine have known each other since before elementary school. They are now in high school and have learned to cope through behavior therapy and medication. They put up with a lot in their daily lives, but at least they have each other.
On the way to their bus one afternoon, Freak and Drip once again witness a couple of bullies from their special ed classroom picking on Sunshine. Sunshine is a selective mute so she suffers in silence as the two bullies attack her with taunts and suggestive slurs. Freak and Drip hover over her protectively, and when they arrive at their drop off point, Freak considers walking her home, but she insists she's fine.
The next thing Freak knows Sunshine is gone! Her mother calls asking if she is with Freak or if he has seen her because she never came home after school.
The cops and soon the FBI are involved. Freak's schizophrenia and Drip's ADHD complicate the questioning process, and it seems both are being considered suspects. Freak tries to quiet the voices in his head so he can be helpful in the search, but he fears it might be too late to save his best friend.
Susan Vaught's FREAKS LIKE US give voice to those suffering from conditions most of us don't truly understand. She takes readers into the mind of Jason "Freak" so they can sense his frustration as he tries to communicate what he knows but is afraid to reveal. Presented in an hourly format of less than twenty-four hours, readers will be on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
September 26, 2014
At first, I didn't know what to read. I actually read this book for an English project in my class. The librarian of my school showed it to me and told me that it doesn't get a lot of attention to kids. So, I decided to pick it out for my project. I began reading and the prologue, I found funny, was written on our main character's, Jason's, Algebra test. Basically, he explains to us that he is Schizophrenic, and he has two main voices and four other ones. He calls them Bastard, Whiner, and No-Names (the four other voices). They go in an "order", Bastard First, then Whiner, ending with the No-Names. He is friends with Drip, whom is ADHD, and Sunshine, whom is ODD. As Jason says, they are labeled SED--that's "Severely Emotionally Disturbed, for you long-bus people." Jason says he, Dirp, and Sunshine, are "Alphabets".
Then crisis hits, Jason's Sunshine going missing, and Jason is a suspect in her disappearance. Desperate to find Sunshine, Jason and Drip are wary of sharing all they know with adults who see them as extensions of their stigma. As the FBI investigates, Jason's always-shaky world threatens to come apart. Because he is desperate, he's not taking his "fuzzy pills", which, although makes his brain sharper, makes the voices grow louder.
I would continue on, but of course, I don't want to spoil anything for you.
What I like about this book is that it really shows you the mind of a SED person, more specifically, a Schizophrenic person. It makes you think of those kids that have disabilities and makes you think twice about saying anything rude. Of course, I've never treated a disordered person rudely, but if you have this book will change that.
Then crisis hits, Jason's Sunshine going missing, and Jason is a suspect in her disappearance. Desperate to find Sunshine, Jason and Drip are wary of sharing all they know with adults who see them as extensions of their stigma. As the FBI investigates, Jason's always-shaky world threatens to come apart. Because he is desperate, he's not taking his "fuzzy pills", which, although makes his brain sharper, makes the voices grow louder.
I would continue on, but of course, I don't want to spoil anything for you.
What I like about this book is that it really shows you the mind of a SED person, more specifically, a Schizophrenic person. It makes you think of those kids that have disabilities and makes you think twice about saying anything rude. Of course, I've never treated a disordered person rudely, but if you have this book will change that.
January 13, 2015
I always love hearing books from the point-of-view of characters who are not reliable narrators. There is just something quite interesting about trying to decipher Jason's thoughts. Of course this book also made a great example of different mental illnesses and the lack of respect mental illness has which I thought was a wonderful point to slide into the main mystery. People tend to forget the kids who go through school with ADHD or schizophrenia because it does actually happen and it is nice to see that representation. It is also sad that this book opened my eyes to the possibility that kids with disabilities are not separated in school based on their disability so they can get the best kind of help. Of course this book didn't really have anything to do with those things very much, but those were the points that stuck with me. The book's mystery and plot was overall very wonderful. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery thriller told by a narrator that can't trust what he sees. Jason's story blew me away and gave me lots to think about, and I look forward to reading more of Susan Vaught's novels in the future.
August 2, 2014
Jason or ‘Freak’ as everyone including his friends call him, is an alphabet. His friends Drip and Sunshine are alphabets too. Drip is ADHD. Sunshine is SM. (Severely Mute) and Freak was GAD (General anxiety Disorder) but now is SCZI (Schizophrenic), due to the voices he hears in his head. They are a tight knitn group, looking out for each other – but when Sunshine goes missing on the way home from school, Freak is launched into a journey of confusion, anger, and frustration with his parents, the police, and his inner voices clamouring to be heard. Where is Sunshine? Did he hurt her?
An amazing story, venturing into the mind of a schizophrenic, full of self doubt battling his disorder to try and find his best friend. The reader feels his confusion and along with the character, tries to decipher what really happened to Sunshine.
An amazing story, venturing into the mind of a schizophrenic, full of self doubt battling his disorder to try and find his best friend. The reader feels his confusion and along with the character, tries to decipher what really happened to Sunshine.
May 29, 2012
Not bad. Not bad at all. For a book about a schizophrenic guy in 1st person, not bad at all. The first thing you should be aware of before reading Freaks Like Us is that you should know that it is written in first person through the perspective of a person with a mental disorder, so sometimes there are run-on sentences, and the voices in his head and random flashbacks can get a bit annoying. But overall it tells a great story with a unique perspective.
Want to read
August 9, 2014The protagonist has schizophrenia. His best friend has ADHD, and his other best friend (who goes missing during the book) has selective mutism.
November 13, 2025
I'm really surprised that this book has such positive reviews. There are a few really big issues that I have with it. In no particular order:
September 30, 2018
"Freaks like us" for me, was an already captivating title that made me want to read. At first it came off as kind of insulting and a little hurtful even in 1st person. As i began to read, the narrator Jason, also known as "Freak" begins to convey a descriptive, in-debt description of his life on a daily basis. I started to think that must be hard, something everyone doesn't understand, but his friends did. Although the name Freak doesn't bother him, it bothers his friend, " Freak doesn't hurt me anymore. I embrace Freak. I am Freak", says Freak, but "You're cute Jason because she calls me Jason even though everybody else calls me Freak..., shows how his friend feels about it." As I read more and more of the story, the idea about special students developed from the negative connotation it sometimes has, to something everyone can kind of understand. Of course you won't be able to completely and fully understand, but you will get some insight about what goes on in someone with a mental disorders head on a daily basis. The book takes an emotional turn into panic when Sunshine, 1/2 of Jason's bestfriends goes missing. For Jason and Drip (his other bestfriend), their world turns upside down. As the book explores the thoughts and emotions of someone with a mental disorder, going through what for them would be considered a mid-life crisis, the plot and theme of the book develops into a book different from the rest of the others. Some strengths of the book is the ability of the narrator to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as they continually introduce new characters, small cliff-hangers, and unlikely turn of events. The only thing about the book is that it sometimes has the tendency to drag on the plot, get to the point of that particular piece of the story. The book makes the thought of being different relatable to me and others. Their is nothing wrong with being different in whatever way your different. Overall i would rate this book a 3.5 as of now, the book is captivating but a little slow. Anyone who can relate to this book or anyone who wants to understand the thoughts and emotions of others should definitely read this book, it definitely has the ability to teach you something you didnt know or didn't understand.
May 29, 2020
Jason Milwaukee has schizophrenia. He calls it his alphabet (SCZI), and he rides the "short bus" to school with other "alphabets" including his two best friends, Drip and Sunshine. The trio walk home after school one day, and that's the last anyone sees of Sunshine.
Jason joins in on the search to find her, but his schizophrenia gets in his way; he hears a constant stream of voices calling him names and saying mean things to him. As the day progresses, Jason starts getting little shards of memory that may or may not help in finding Sunshine. The problem is, he isn't sure if these memories are real. He isn't sure if maybe he had something to do with her disappearance. But he keeps these thoughts to himself.
Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught is a great depiction of schizophrenia. Normally the books only mention visual hallucinations, and nothing else. Not so in this book. Mentioned are how medication makes the character feel, the struggle to think clearly, even the inability at times to speak expressively or make facial expressions.
As the reader I got to experience Jason's struggles to block out the voices, to figure out what's real, all while trying to find his best friend in the world. At one point, the agent working the missing person's case says "Jason seems competent to me [...] I think he makes more sense than most people I've met in this town."
This really highlights how invisible mental illness can be; while Jason may look calm and collected, he is actually spiraling. But this all happens inside of himself - inside of his mind.
Aside from that, the book is really engaging. I cared about the truth, about what happened to Sunshine and whether she would be found.
Most of the book takes place within 24 hours - the most crucial in a missing persons case. It's a pretty quick read - I finished it in two days, though the average reader may only need one.
Despite that, the book has substance and the conclusion is not rushed.
If you want a book that shows what it is really like to live with schizophrenia, I highly recommend Freaks Like Us.
Jason joins in on the search to find her, but his schizophrenia gets in his way; he hears a constant stream of voices calling him names and saying mean things to him. As the day progresses, Jason starts getting little shards of memory that may or may not help in finding Sunshine. The problem is, he isn't sure if these memories are real. He isn't sure if maybe he had something to do with her disappearance. But he keeps these thoughts to himself.
Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught is a great depiction of schizophrenia. Normally the books only mention visual hallucinations, and nothing else. Not so in this book. Mentioned are how medication makes the character feel, the struggle to think clearly, even the inability at times to speak expressively or make facial expressions.
As the reader I got to experience Jason's struggles to block out the voices, to figure out what's real, all while trying to find his best friend in the world. At one point, the agent working the missing person's case says "Jason seems competent to me [...] I think he makes more sense than most people I've met in this town."
This really highlights how invisible mental illness can be; while Jason may look calm and collected, he is actually spiraling. But this all happens inside of himself - inside of his mind.
Aside from that, the book is really engaging. I cared about the truth, about what happened to Sunshine and whether she would be found.
Most of the book takes place within 24 hours - the most crucial in a missing persons case. It's a pretty quick read - I finished it in two days, though the average reader may only need one.
Despite that, the book has substance and the conclusion is not rushed.
If you want a book that shows what it is really like to live with schizophrenia, I highly recommend Freaks Like Us.
October 18, 2018
Incredibly Awesome
Right now I’m supposed to already be showered and on my way to the next thing but I HAD to finish reading this book. I can tell it will be one of my favorite books of all time and I’m going to tell people about it. The characters are so real, and Jason is so sympathetic trying as hard as he can to get through the voices in his head to what is real so he can help his friend Sunshine. I’m amazed at the character of Agent Mercer and that’s all I can say without giving anything away. I hope I’m not giving anything away.
I put all the books I read (I read very fast and there are A LOT of them) on my kindle into categories and most of them go into “the ones I like”, which means I liked them and they were good and even really good. Some go into lesser categories which means they weren’t well written or were majorly flawed. But this book goes into my top category “the best of the best” and hardly anything that I read goes into this collection. To get here the book has to take over, where nothing matters but what’s happening in the story, and I’m living and feeling the story and the characters. It’s so rare that when it happens I hold onto that feeling for as long as I can. These are also the books I’ll read again and probably purchase a hard copy to have it and savor it. Like having a part of that story with me safe and tucked away into the pages of a real book that I can hold and remember, and read it again and again if I want to. This is one of those books I’ll remember forever.
Right now I’m supposed to already be showered and on my way to the next thing but I HAD to finish reading this book. I can tell it will be one of my favorite books of all time and I’m going to tell people about it. The characters are so real, and Jason is so sympathetic trying as hard as he can to get through the voices in his head to what is real so he can help his friend Sunshine. I’m amazed at the character of Agent Mercer and that’s all I can say without giving anything away. I hope I’m not giving anything away.
I put all the books I read (I read very fast and there are A LOT of them) on my kindle into categories and most of them go into “the ones I like”, which means I liked them and they were good and even really good. Some go into lesser categories which means they weren’t well written or were majorly flawed. But this book goes into my top category “the best of the best” and hardly anything that I read goes into this collection. To get here the book has to take over, where nothing matters but what’s happening in the story, and I’m living and feeling the story and the characters. It’s so rare that when it happens I hold onto that feeling for as long as I can. These are also the books I’ll read again and probably purchase a hard copy to have it and savor it. Like having a part of that story with me safe and tucked away into the pages of a real book that I can hold and remember, and read it again and again if I want to. This is one of those books I’ll remember forever.
February 7, 2020
I just picked this book based on a random library suggestion, and actually ended up being pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the read.
The story centers around Jason, a teenage boy with schizophrenia that often just goes by Freak, and his two best friends Sunshine (selective mutism) and Drip (ADD) over a 24 hour period in which Sunshine disappears after getting off the school bus on the way home. Written from Jason's perspective, things can get a little overwhelming with his voices and shifts in attention, which I found really well done and insightful. I'm assuming since the author, Susan Vaught, is a psychologist she's representing the thought process of someone with schizophrenia well. In fact, overall, I feel like the author really humanized a character with a mental disorder that's all too often misunderstood and used as a reason to mistreat those who have it.
Anyway, bonus kudos from me here in regards to selective mutism. It's a painfully misunderstood anxiety disorder (in my opinion from firsthand experience) but the author did a good job representing it well with Sunshine. Seemed a little strange to me that Sunshine was in a special education class because of it (same with Drip, to be honest), but so it goes -- not everyone has the same experiences with the same disorder, probably especially with something as frequently misunderstood as SM, and all schools and individuals are different.
I would recommend this to teens, young adults, and us not-quite-young-nor-quite-old adults interested in a fair representation of people with these disorders! :)
The story centers around Jason, a teenage boy with schizophrenia that often just goes by Freak, and his two best friends Sunshine (selective mutism) and Drip (ADD) over a 24 hour period in which Sunshine disappears after getting off the school bus on the way home. Written from Jason's perspective, things can get a little overwhelming with his voices and shifts in attention, which I found really well done and insightful. I'm assuming since the author, Susan Vaught, is a psychologist she's representing the thought process of someone with schizophrenia well. In fact, overall, I feel like the author really humanized a character with a mental disorder that's all too often misunderstood and used as a reason to mistreat those who have it.
Anyway, bonus kudos from me here in regards to selective mutism. It's a painfully misunderstood anxiety disorder (in my opinion from firsthand experience) but the author did a good job representing it well with Sunshine. Seemed a little strange to me that Sunshine was in a special education class because of it (same with Drip, to be honest), but so it goes -- not everyone has the same experiences with the same disorder, probably especially with something as frequently misunderstood as SM, and all schools and individuals are different.
I would recommend this to teens, young adults, and us not-quite-young-nor-quite-old adults interested in a fair representation of people with these disorders! :)
January 28, 2021
Note, I am not an own voices reviewer for schizophrenia or ADHD, but I have a sister with ADHD and myself have autism, so I am somewhat familiar with the world of neurodivergent people. I really appreciated the way neurodivergent people were treated in this book. It seems very true to life to me as far as how two people with different "alphabets", as they are referred to by the main character, would interact with each other. It also helped me understand schizophrenia a lot better than I used to, if it is accurate. I will admit, unlike many of the people who enjoyed this book less, I skimmed the inner voices sections because I have a lot of self loathing issues and those were not only repetitive and not necessary to understand what was going on but were somewhat triggering for me. I still think they belong there, where a reader can decide to skim them or not, because the main character has to deal with them, and if the reader is to understand how the main character feels, it is good to know how constant these horrible thoughts are. Thrillers are also not my usual genre but I cared enough about the characters to enjoy the process.
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