What do you think?
Rate this book
Freaks, Alive on the Inside
Book by Annette Curtis Klause
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 2006
21 people are currently reading
981 people want to read
About the author
Annette Curtis Klause
10 books1,060 followersAnnette Curtis Klause broke new ground in young adult literature with The Silver Kiss, a book that is at once "sexy, scaring, and moving," according to Roger Sutton writing in the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. A vampire love story, Klause's first novel is a darkly seductive thriller with heart and message.
Born in Bristol, England, in 1953, Klause became fascinated with grisly things at an early age. "My mother read and sang to me," Klause explained. "But my daddy used to sit me on his lap and tell me the plots to gangster and monster movies. I knew all about Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Jimmy Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson before I ever saw any of their movies." Her father also let her speak to Willoughby, an imaginary little boy who lived down his throat.
When she was seven, Klause and her family moved north to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She recalls that her first experience with creative writing occurred when she was incapacitated with a twisted ankle at age eight or nine. Klause wrote a poem about her mother ironing and decided from then on to save all her poems in a notebook. Soon she was writing and illustrating her own books, mostly about a cat and the kittens she has. At age ten she and a neighborhood friend began making up plays and performing them on a tape recorder. "The plays usually involved some kind of humorous mistake," Klause recalled, "like a woman calling up a plant nursery instead of a nursery school for her child."
It was also about this time when Klause wrote her first (unpublished) bit of horror, The Blood Ridden Pool of Solen Goom. Each of the chapters ended with ". . . and more blood flowed into the blood ridden pool of Solen Goom." Increasingly she read fantasy and science-fiction books, in addition to Mark Twain and, as she got older, the beatnik books of Jack Kerouac. "I wanted desperately to be a beatnik," she remembered. She also read her first vampire book at age fourteen: Jane Gaskell's The Shiny Narrow Grin, which was Klause's initial inspiration for her first novel many years later. "I was smitten by the pale young man who appeared in a few suspenseful scenes," Klause related, "and became mesmerized with the whole concept of vampires." Initially, Klause responded to this fascination by writing poetry, which she described as "a pretentious, over-written, dreadful sequence of poems interspersed with prose called The Saga of the Vampire[also unpublished]." These early writings would later become invaluable for Klause when she set out on the journey of her first novel.
Klause's life was distinctly changed when she was fifteen and her father moved the family to Washington, DC, for career reasons. In high school Klause continued writing poetry. After finishing college in 1976, Klause went on to graduate school in library science. She took poetry workshops in college, but poetry was soon replaced by short stories once she graduated and started working in libraries. Klause began sending her work out to magazines, collecting numerous rejection letters. Several of her poems and a short story were published in anthologies and small magazine reviews, but it took several years of concerted effort to find her voice and her audience.
"I finally took a writing workshop with Larry Callen, a well-known children's writer," Klause noted. "I knew I wanted to write for young people. I'm still working through my own adolescence, so it seemed appropriate. I continued with further ones. I still go to the writing group Larry Callen introduced me to, and often chuckle about how an idea or action will affect the people in my group even as I am writing." Klause soon graduated from short stories, and with the help and encouragement of Callen, set to work on a novel. "I wanted to write for teenagers, so I thought back to what I liked to read at that age. In a way, I stole from myself with The Silver Kiss, because I looked at my old writing notebooks and found the vampire poem I had written as a t
Born in Bristol, England, in 1953, Klause became fascinated with grisly things at an early age. "My mother read and sang to me," Klause explained. "But my daddy used to sit me on his lap and tell me the plots to gangster and monster movies. I knew all about Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Jimmy Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson before I ever saw any of their movies." Her father also let her speak to Willoughby, an imaginary little boy who lived down his throat.
When she was seven, Klause and her family moved north to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She recalls that her first experience with creative writing occurred when she was incapacitated with a twisted ankle at age eight or nine. Klause wrote a poem about her mother ironing and decided from then on to save all her poems in a notebook. Soon she was writing and illustrating her own books, mostly about a cat and the kittens she has. At age ten she and a neighborhood friend began making up plays and performing them on a tape recorder. "The plays usually involved some kind of humorous mistake," Klause recalled, "like a woman calling up a plant nursery instead of a nursery school for her child."
It was also about this time when Klause wrote her first (unpublished) bit of horror, The Blood Ridden Pool of Solen Goom. Each of the chapters ended with ". . . and more blood flowed into the blood ridden pool of Solen Goom." Increasingly she read fantasy and science-fiction books, in addition to Mark Twain and, as she got older, the beatnik books of Jack Kerouac. "I wanted desperately to be a beatnik," she remembered. She also read her first vampire book at age fourteen: Jane Gaskell's The Shiny Narrow Grin, which was Klause's initial inspiration for her first novel many years later. "I was smitten by the pale young man who appeared in a few suspenseful scenes," Klause related, "and became mesmerized with the whole concept of vampires." Initially, Klause responded to this fascination by writing poetry, which she described as "a pretentious, over-written, dreadful sequence of poems interspersed with prose called The Saga of the Vampire[also unpublished]." These early writings would later become invaluable for Klause when she set out on the journey of her first novel.
Klause's life was distinctly changed when she was fifteen and her father moved the family to Washington, DC, for career reasons. In high school Klause continued writing poetry. After finishing college in 1976, Klause went on to graduate school in library science. She took poetry workshops in college, but poetry was soon replaced by short stories once she graduated and started working in libraries. Klause began sending her work out to magazines, collecting numerous rejection letters. Several of her poems and a short story were published in anthologies and small magazine reviews, but it took several years of concerted effort to find her voice and her audience.
"I finally took a writing workshop with Larry Callen, a well-known children's writer," Klause noted. "I knew I wanted to write for young people. I'm still working through my own adolescence, so it seemed appropriate. I continued with further ones. I still go to the writing group Larry Callen introduced me to, and often chuckle about how an idea or action will affect the people in my group even as I am writing." Klause soon graduated from short stories, and with the help and encouragement of Callen, set to work on a novel. "I wanted to write for teenagers, so I thought back to what I liked to read at that age. In a way, I stole from myself with The Silver Kiss, because I looked at my old writing notebooks and found the vampire poem I had written as a t
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
July 12, 2021
This was... not a very good book.
Work death caused me to read this and yes, at least it distracted me from bloodsucking things such as ✨socializing✨
Work death caused me to read this and yes, at least it distracted me from bloodsucking things such as ✨socializing✨
August 26, 2007
I'm trying to remember the last time I saw "loins" (and/or references to sexual organs and physical possibilities relating to them) this often in a YA ("recommended for readers 14 and up", it says) novel.
Right. That would be never. This book is smuttier than a, erm, circus full of, um, smutty things. We have a horny seventeen year old hero, an equally horny ghost, some bawdy freaks and other carnival folk (and lots of musing on their sexual physiology and what they can do with it), our hero being propositioned by a woman for sex because she wants to see what "special attributes" he has below the waist, a brothel, men loving men in plain English (you go, Ms. Klause!), and our hero's casual assertion that he doesn't want to disappoint another boy he thinks is moony over him, masturbation...
That said, it's all rather disappointing in the end. It lacks the fierceness of Blood and Chocolate and the subtlety of The Silver Kiss. But it's good to see ACK's name on a book again.
Right. That would be never. This book is smuttier than a, erm, circus full of, um, smutty things. We have a horny seventeen year old hero, an equally horny ghost, some bawdy freaks and other carnival folk (and lots of musing on their sexual physiology and what they can do with it), our hero being propositioned by a woman for sex because she wants to see what "special attributes" he has below the waist, a brothel, men loving men in plain English (you go, Ms. Klause!), and our hero's casual assertion that he doesn't want to disappoint another boy he thinks is moony over him, masturbation...
That said, it's all rather disappointing in the end. It lacks the fierceness of Blood and Chocolate and the subtlety of The Silver Kiss. But it's good to see ACK's name on a book again.
March 11, 2008
I could not get into this at all. I thought from the back cover that maybe it was going to interrupt the idea that people with disabilities are fuck-ups. But it actually served to re-centralize non-disabled normality/perspective because the non-disabled main character, a 14 year old boy named Abel, leaves the "freak show" community his parents are part of and that he grew up around, in order to stop being the "odd one out" and ignored because he *isn't* a freak. Couple that with an exoticized (seemingly Egyptian or Arab) ghost woman subplot, and the result is I only got to page 40 before throwing it down in disengaged disgust.
December 15, 2009
Abel Dandy is the only "normal" person at Faeryland, a circus of oddities, or Freaks, at the turn of the century. Even his doting parents are freaks. Abel's only hope for being in the show instead of being an errand boy, is to hone his skills as a knife thrower. He's always wondered what it would be like on the outside, to be like everyone else instead of being the odd one out.
I loved the characters in this book. Abel was a strong main character, he never failed in his support of the people who were family to him, but bashed by the rest of society. All of the supporting characters were based on real circus acts from history. My favorite character was Apollo, the 12 year old puppy boy, who followed Abel when he ran away. He wanted to escape his abusive father and looked up to Abel. Apollo's wide-eyed innocence and optimism was quite similar to an actual puppy and he was a lot fun to read about.
The mysterious ring and the dreams that Abel had about the beautiful girl seemed somewhat disjointed from the rest of the story. The way that his dream girl reveals herself at last is very odd and wasn't believable to me. I would have rather had the entire book be about the circus and Abel's adventures on the road.
I picked up this book for the cover, and my appreciation for the artwork grew as I read the book and realized what all of the elements represented. I love a cover illustration that is truly made for a specific book instead of a manipulated stock photo. All of the main characters and story elements are woven together in this gorgeous illustration.
This was a very unique, enjoyable read with a great message and colorful cast of characters.
reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
I loved the characters in this book. Abel was a strong main character, he never failed in his support of the people who were family to him, but bashed by the rest of society. All of the supporting characters were based on real circus acts from history. My favorite character was Apollo, the 12 year old puppy boy, who followed Abel when he ran away. He wanted to escape his abusive father and looked up to Abel. Apollo's wide-eyed innocence and optimism was quite similar to an actual puppy and he was a lot fun to read about.
The mysterious ring and the dreams that Abel had about the beautiful girl seemed somewhat disjointed from the rest of the story. The way that his dream girl reveals herself at last is very odd and wasn't believable to me. I would have rather had the entire book be about the circus and Abel's adventures on the road.
I picked up this book for the cover, and my appreciation for the artwork grew as I read the book and realized what all of the elements represented. I love a cover illustration that is truly made for a specific book instead of a manipulated stock photo. All of the main characters and story elements are woven together in this gorgeous illustration.
This was a very unique, enjoyable read with a great message and colorful cast of characters.
reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
February 8, 2010
Hmm... This book was interesting. I liked it more by the end than I did in the beginning/middle. At first, I was incredibly annoyed at the main character. Abel was ridiculously selfish and self-centered, and everything he had one of those- Why me?! What about me?! thoughts, I wanted to smack him. Life is not just about you and your convinience buster, so get over it! However, by the end, he did seem to have grown up some. I also liked that he tried to be courageous and strong as a person, but he was terrified much of the time, and generally didn't do so great in confrontations. He got taken down and hurt just like a normal person would. He wasn't some crazy good fighter or anything, just because he was the main character. I didn't like this one as much as I remember liking Blood and Chocolate, or The Silver Kiss, but it was an enjoyable read. A little strange, but still pretty good.
April 27, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were so completely different from each other, yet they all played an intricate part in each other lives
February 22, 2011
I picked this up recently (while looking for a DIFFERENT book based on sideshow life), based on both my interest in historic carnival sideshow and James Jean's gorgeous cover (having loved his work on DC/Vertigo's Fables). I found the idea of the "normal" boy growing up in the freak show and striking off on his own in the carny world compelling, but was left feeling oddly unfulfilled in the end.
Now, I DO have to commend Klause for rather gracefully representing several sides of the turn of the century sideshow.... historically, in many cases the freaks were the highest paid performers in a sideshow, and in some cases owned the show, and this is reflected in Faeryland. In some cases, of course, they were dehumanized objects of exploitation by others, as reflected in the "Monster Menagerie".... at that time there was also the Eugenics movement, which assigned a lower class and lower level of "moral fiber" or inherent intellect to minorities and those born "disfigured", which was reflected in the attitude of the Marvel Brothers Circus. So, my hat is off to Klause for depicting that trifecta of different attitudes toward the "human oddities" in lieu of oversimplifying. Her fascination with the topic is evident and the cast of human marvels we meet are interesting, varied and clearly informed by a study of the historic sideshow.
With that said, the Mysterious Dream Woman plot came across, to me, as an odd fit... for one, it was the main component of the book's somewhat overbearing level of sexuality. Yes, I realize teenagers are sexual beings but, to be frank, there's only so many times you can hear about your 14-year-old protagonist's raging erection (or "burning in his loins")before it becomes downright uncomfortable. Following the inclusion of the "Dream Woman" into reality, when she is revealed to be an Egyptian priestess whose mummy is on display in the Monster Menagerie, woken and revived by ancient magic, the relationship comes across as built purely on hormones and destiny. And of course this feeds into my constant frustration with the whole subcategory of "paranormal romance", which is that at no time does anyone, especially those involved, seem to give real consideration to the fact that Abel is in a relationship with a reanimated corpse.
In the end, though, the real frustration for me comes from the sneaking feeling that the star-crossed paranormal romance represents the idea that, somehow, the world of the early 20th century freak show isn't strange and interesting enough on its own.
There also comes a point in some stories when you see that the author has either run out of steam or is approaching a deadline, and is really just trying to be done. The final 2 chapters of Freaks felt a bit like that for me, and the clean wrap-up with the Good Guys converging for the rescue seemed just a little Deus Ex Machina for my taste.
Once again, the author's interest in the subject matter comes through clearly, and we're introduced to a cast of extremely interesting and varied characters, but in the end the book felt like a good meal that was over too soon, with one element that didn't fit. Still, it was fun read, based on some very interesting and well-researched slices of an extremely odd piece of american history.
Now, I DO have to commend Klause for rather gracefully representing several sides of the turn of the century sideshow.... historically, in many cases the freaks were the highest paid performers in a sideshow, and in some cases owned the show, and this is reflected in Faeryland. In some cases, of course, they were dehumanized objects of exploitation by others, as reflected in the "Monster Menagerie".... at that time there was also the Eugenics movement, which assigned a lower class and lower level of "moral fiber" or inherent intellect to minorities and those born "disfigured", which was reflected in the attitude of the Marvel Brothers Circus. So, my hat is off to Klause for depicting that trifecta of different attitudes toward the "human oddities" in lieu of oversimplifying. Her fascination with the topic is evident and the cast of human marvels we meet are interesting, varied and clearly informed by a study of the historic sideshow.
With that said, the Mysterious Dream Woman plot came across, to me, as an odd fit... for one, it was the main component of the book's somewhat overbearing level of sexuality. Yes, I realize teenagers are sexual beings but, to be frank, there's only so many times you can hear about your 14-year-old protagonist's raging erection (or "burning in his loins")before it becomes downright uncomfortable. Following the inclusion of the "Dream Woman" into reality, when she is revealed to be an Egyptian priestess whose mummy is on display in the Monster Menagerie, woken and revived by ancient magic, the relationship comes across as built purely on hormones and destiny. And of course this feeds into my constant frustration with the whole subcategory of "paranormal romance", which is that at no time does anyone, especially those involved, seem to give real consideration to the fact that Abel is in a relationship with a reanimated corpse.
In the end, though, the real frustration for me comes from the sneaking feeling that the star-crossed paranormal romance represents the idea that, somehow, the world of the early 20th century freak show isn't strange and interesting enough on its own.
There also comes a point in some stories when you see that the author has either run out of steam or is approaching a deadline, and is really just trying to be done. The final 2 chapters of Freaks felt a bit like that for me, and the clean wrap-up with the Good Guys converging for the rescue seemed just a little Deus Ex Machina for my taste.
Once again, the author's interest in the subject matter comes through clearly, and we're introduced to a cast of extremely interesting and varied characters, but in the end the book felt like a good meal that was over too soon, with one element that didn't fit. Still, it was fun read, based on some very interesting and well-researched slices of an extremely odd piece of american history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2015
I don't know what it is about circuses in books, but I find them magical and they always grip me entirely.
I loved the idea that Abel Dandy is brought up in a freak circus, when he is the only one that isn't a freak. He ended up getting visions that took him away from his family, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for his parents, and yet his adventure awaited him.
I loved the different types of circus he encountered, I felt like I was running away with him.
Friendship is an on going theme in this book, and it just proves that friendship is one of the most relationships in people's lives. True friends is what everyone needs, and it just shows how powerful friendship can truly be. This is what I liked most about the book, because friendship is so important to me, myself.
I would definitely reread this book if I had the chance to, but with the amount of books I've got to read, it doesn't seem likely. I think a film adaptation of this would be amazing also, but then again, I'd be worried it would spoil the amazing story.
I loved the idea that Abel Dandy is brought up in a freak circus, when he is the only one that isn't a freak. He ended up getting visions that took him away from his family, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for his parents, and yet his adventure awaited him.
I loved the different types of circus he encountered, I felt like I was running away with him.
Friendship is an on going theme in this book, and it just proves that friendship is one of the most relationships in people's lives. True friends is what everyone needs, and it just shows how powerful friendship can truly be. This is what I liked most about the book, because friendship is so important to me, myself.
I would definitely reread this book if I had the chance to, but with the amount of books I've got to read, it doesn't seem likely. I think a film adaptation of this would be amazing also, but then again, I'd be worried it would spoil the amazing story.
June 13, 2017
I'm going to start this out by saying the cover is beautiful and by one of my favourite artists.
That said, I agree with most of the reviewers of this book in that it does talk about the boy and his out of control sexual desires quite a bit. It doesn't make the book any less appropriate for an older teen audience (14+) but it does get a little tedious. We know how a boy his age would react to an enticing topless dance. We don't need to hear about it every time he has a dream, honestly. I did enjoy the story, though, and would recommend it for people interested in a rarely used subject in YA of circus acts and sideshows. It seems that Klause did quite a bit of research on the subject while writing and you actually get transported to the time and place with ease - the history doesn't seem forced.
I didn't like it as much as I remember liking Blood and Chocolate but I like it much better than The Silver Kiss (which seemed quite juvenile and ordinary to me).
That said, I agree with most of the reviewers of this book in that it does talk about the boy and his out of control sexual desires quite a bit. It doesn't make the book any less appropriate for an older teen audience (14+) but it does get a little tedious. We know how a boy his age would react to an enticing topless dance. We don't need to hear about it every time he has a dream, honestly. I did enjoy the story, though, and would recommend it for people interested in a rarely used subject in YA of circus acts and sideshows. It seems that Klause did quite a bit of research on the subject while writing and you actually get transported to the time and place with ease - the history doesn't seem forced.
I didn't like it as much as I remember liking Blood and Chocolate but I like it much better than The Silver Kiss (which seemed quite juvenile and ordinary to me).
July 27, 2009
I read in an interview that the author was forced to do a rush job on this novel by her publisher. It isn't the best Klause is capable of but her less-than-best is still head and shoulders above many of the other books in this genre.
The plot revolves around so-called "human oddities" employed by traveling freakshows as well as reincarnation and a love story with an Egyptian mummy. This book poses sophisticated questions to the YA reader such as whether individuals with a strange appearance should hide away or be allowed to exhibit themselves and earn a living that way, even if they have to endure the scorn of gawkers. The chase scenes were good and the author managed the multiple characters well. I often think there are too many novels set around WWII but if this book had been pushed ahead a few decades, Klause could have described the conflict between the American Eugenics movement and their Nazi admirers versus the circus freak characters in the story.
The plot revolves around so-called "human oddities" employed by traveling freakshows as well as reincarnation and a love story with an Egyptian mummy. This book poses sophisticated questions to the YA reader such as whether individuals with a strange appearance should hide away or be allowed to exhibit themselves and earn a living that way, even if they have to endure the scorn of gawkers. The chase scenes were good and the author managed the multiple characters well. I often think there are too many novels set around WWII but if this book had been pushed ahead a few decades, Klause could have described the conflict between the American Eugenics movement and their Nazi admirers versus the circus freak characters in the story.
April 28, 2008
Not nearly as engrossing or sexy as Klause's Blood and Chocolate , but it has some entertaining aspects. I like the idea of exploring the lives of human freaks in shows and circuses of the 1890's, but Klause throws in a rather ridiculous and unnecessary supernatural subplot involving an ancient Egyptian mummy who comes to life as a hot teenage fantasy. The characters of the freaks, on the other hand, are interesting and movingly human. I wish she'd focused on them and felt free to step away from fantasy for once.
December 4, 2008
I liked the concept of the book ("normal" kid growing up in a late-1800's/early-1900's era freak show, clearly inspired by the film Freaks and Coney Island in its heyday), but I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd expected to. It feels overly sexual for YA novel, and, quite honestly, the mysterious woman subplot mostly just annoyed me. The heartwarming ending helped redeem it a bit, but...eh.
I think I need to read some freak show/carnival histories next.
I think I need to read some freak show/carnival histories next.
October 9, 2022
It was back in highschool when I first discovered Annette Curtis Klaus, I read Blood & Chocolate so many times along with The Silver Kiss. I was addicted to those two books. So when I was at Halfprice books last year and came across Freaks: Alive on the Inside, I had no clue of its existence. (It came out the year I graduated which makes sense as to why I didn't know about it.) So naturally I bought it. Would I ahve been addicted to this book back then had I read it, to be honest probably not, but I still would have enjoyed it like I did now.
Freaks: Alive on the Inside (can I mention that I thought this was just called Freaks, I thought the Alive on the Inside was just a blurb on the cover haha) Is a story about Abel Dandy a regular kid growing up in a circus full of "freaks". First I want to say I love that this YA story followed a male character through the whole book, no split pov with girls it's strictly a story revolving around a young man. I make a big deal about this because I feel like this is extremely rare now a days, not many YA books have male main characters and usually if they do its split with female povs as well.
Now to put Abel's character in the plainest terms possible, it would be major horny. A few other reviewers say he is 14, that's not true, on the first page of the book he states that he is 17
So honestly his horniness made total sense, was it awkward at times while reading, sure, but that's probably because I am an adult and not into hearing about what a 17 year old kid wants haha, but had I been 17 when reading this, I doubt it would have bothered me. Outside of his horniness, Abel is actually a very dependable, and caring character. While he does leave his family circus to head out into the world to find his place and make his fortune (and maybe find love on the way) you see the many layers of his character. After the dog boy Apollo follows him, a whole string of events start to roll out that really help portray the type of person Abel really is. While he does feel the like he has zero chances of making it big because he is normal in a world full of different people, he actually genuinely loves and adores them, while also respecting them and wanting them to be treated like proper people in society.
Along his journey you get to see 3 different types of circuses, his home circus that employes differently abled people, such as siamese twins, little people, people with missing limbs and such, they are employees, who make an actual living working for the circus. They get to put on performances and are paid for doing so, and none of them are forced into doing it. The 2nd circus he comes into contact with is one that absolutely refuses to higher differently abled people as they find it to be dehumanizing but not in the way you would think. They are the kind who think they are doing what's good for them by turning them over to the asylums, where they are tortured or killed while thinking they have taken the high moral road, they actually see them as even less by thinking they shouldn't be seen in public period, and should be locked up. The 3rd circus is the one that exploites differently abled people, they are forced into slave contracts, they aren't paid, they do no performances. They are meant to sit on stage and just have people gawk at them. I really liked how Klause included all 3 different types and allowed us to see Abel's reaction to each one.
We spend a majority of the book with the 3rd circus, where Abel's character really got to shine, he immediately recognized the horrible atrocities that the people of the circus were facing, and wasted no time speaking up about it. He also instantly recognized how many of them had been tricked, coerced or even stolen to be apart of this circus. He is observant and spent a lot of time getting to know them while also working on a way to save them. Of course he did at times think of himself and internally complain about how this was all throwing off his original plans, but not once did he ever put himself before helping the others, his plans always consisted of getting them taken care of first then himself. I really loved his moments with the children, he was like that big brother who you could always count on.
Now I really loved and enjoyed all the parts with the circus, it was entertaining and captivating and I wanted to know how Abel was going to save everyone. The other portion of the story, the dream lady and the Egyptian past was.....weird. One of my favorite tropes is lovers being reborn to find each other, and while this isn't exactly that it has the idea behind it, but it was executed is a such a weird way. It felt out of place in this world of Abel's circus life. It was also when Abel's horniness really popped up, and it was made more weird when the mummy body was brought it, that was just uncomfortable. Also the dream lady is older than Abel which I have to say is very uncommon in stories, it's usually the male who is like centuries older. I just honestly didn't care for this portion, it just didn't fit the overall story in my mind.
Freaks: Alive on the Inside is a strange mix of story themes, but still weirdly captivating in its own right.
Freaks: Alive on the Inside (can I mention that I thought this was just called Freaks, I thought the Alive on the Inside was just a blurb on the cover haha) Is a story about Abel Dandy a regular kid growing up in a circus full of "freaks". First I want to say I love that this YA story followed a male character through the whole book, no split pov with girls it's strictly a story revolving around a young man. I make a big deal about this because I feel like this is extremely rare now a days, not many YA books have male main characters and usually if they do its split with female povs as well.
Now to put Abel's character in the plainest terms possible, it would be major horny. A few other reviewers say he is 14, that's not true, on the first page of the book he states that he is 17
but I was seventeen and yearned to kiss a mouth sometimes without getting hair up my nose.
So honestly his horniness made total sense, was it awkward at times while reading, sure, but that's probably because I am an adult and not into hearing about what a 17 year old kid wants haha, but had I been 17 when reading this, I doubt it would have bothered me. Outside of his horniness, Abel is actually a very dependable, and caring character. While he does leave his family circus to head out into the world to find his place and make his fortune (and maybe find love on the way) you see the many layers of his character. After the dog boy Apollo follows him, a whole string of events start to roll out that really help portray the type of person Abel really is. While he does feel the like he has zero chances of making it big because he is normal in a world full of different people, he actually genuinely loves and adores them, while also respecting them and wanting them to be treated like proper people in society.
Along his journey you get to see 3 different types of circuses, his home circus that employes differently abled people, such as siamese twins, little people, people with missing limbs and such, they are employees, who make an actual living working for the circus. They get to put on performances and are paid for doing so, and none of them are forced into doing it. The 2nd circus he comes into contact with is one that absolutely refuses to higher differently abled people as they find it to be dehumanizing but not in the way you would think. They are the kind who think they are doing what's good for them by turning them over to the asylums, where they are tortured or killed while thinking they have taken the high moral road, they actually see them as even less by thinking they shouldn't be seen in public period, and should be locked up. The 3rd circus is the one that exploites differently abled people, they are forced into slave contracts, they aren't paid, they do no performances. They are meant to sit on stage and just have people gawk at them. I really liked how Klause included all 3 different types and allowed us to see Abel's reaction to each one.
We spend a majority of the book with the 3rd circus, where Abel's character really got to shine, he immediately recognized the horrible atrocities that the people of the circus were facing, and wasted no time speaking up about it. He also instantly recognized how many of them had been tricked, coerced or even stolen to be apart of this circus. He is observant and spent a lot of time getting to know them while also working on a way to save them. Of course he did at times think of himself and internally complain about how this was all throwing off his original plans, but not once did he ever put himself before helping the others, his plans always consisted of getting them taken care of first then himself. I really loved his moments with the children, he was like that big brother who you could always count on.
Now I really loved and enjoyed all the parts with the circus, it was entertaining and captivating and I wanted to know how Abel was going to save everyone. The other portion of the story, the dream lady and the Egyptian past was.....weird. One of my favorite tropes is lovers being reborn to find each other, and while this isn't exactly that it has the idea behind it, but it was executed is a such a weird way. It felt out of place in this world of Abel's circus life. It was also when Abel's horniness really popped up, and it was made more weird when the mummy body was brought it, that was just uncomfortable. Also the dream lady is older than Abel which I have to say is very uncommon in stories, it's usually the male who is like centuries older. I just honestly didn't care for this portion, it just didn't fit the overall story in my mind.
Freaks: Alive on the Inside is a strange mix of story themes, but still weirdly captivating in its own right.
September 7, 2014
Honestly I couldn't get past the first two chapters in this book.
January 5, 2023
I've always been fascinated by circus stories, especially ones that are a bit dark and infused with magic. I think this one had some moments, but the problematic outweighed the good in the end.
Raised as an outsider even among the band of outsiders that make up their circus and "oddity" community, Abel is looking for a way to break away and find his own fortune. Running away ends up raising more questions than answers however, as he finds himself haunted by unsettling recurring dreams as he's surrounded by real life threats.
There's something that can be said in the underlying theme of embracing difference and overturning an exploitative system into one that allows for empowerment and creativity. There is a beauty in that, and those are the parts of the story I enjoyed the most. Apollo "the Puppy Boy" has one of the best arcs in this respect--even better than Abel's, I would say. Also, for a story where *very* dark things happen (including murder and child abuse) it manages to wrap on a very uplifting note.
Unfortunately, then there are the problems. The N
-word is dropped on a number of occasions in passing. Even having this set in the past. I feel like this was incredibly unnecessary, especially in the context it was used. It felt like a defiant choice to throw this out there (and not in a good way) especially considering how few black characters there even were. What does this serve?
Also, again I'm encountering a book where arguably the most sinister character is if not officially non-binary, at least playing with gender roles and cross-dressing. In Klause's world of "freaks" of various sizes, shapes, and abilities, there's a very heteronormative alignment with all the other characters. The bearded ladies may have beards, but they are paired with men. Ceecee is the only character that really truly plays with identity and they are clearly the only true monster (even in a show that literally bills itself a collection of traveling monsters). I wonder at this. Now, you may argue that with CeeCee it's not truly their identity but a role they are playing for profit. I think the optics and damage is the same, regardless, but I feel like there isn't enough context for us to think that it is just an act. Ceecee is still regularly wearing makeup and gender ambiguous dress even "off the clock" and even at the funeral when others are dressed down or even hidden. And as I pointed out with the other book where I encountered this recently, it's a problem for the one truly genderfluid character to be coded as a cretin and villain.
Aaaand then we have Abel. Abel has a loyalty and set of ethics that is sometimes quite admirable but even then he can be hard to root for. A lot of Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix energy at work through much of this: resentment, anger, sulkiness, hormones. Every woman or girl he encounters he sees as a possible conquest or a tool he can employ to secure the next step on his journey. The love(?) story with Abel is the weakest *and* wildest of the plot threads. I never was on board for it however it played--as a first time/first crush story or as a time-crossing, geography-defying fated love story. Curtis Klause seems to hedge her bets with both, not committing enough to either angle for the reader to feel okay about it.
On the plus side, I do feel that she did a great job of creating a recognizable homage to source material she says inspired her. Having seen the movie Freaks myself, I feel like the dynamics between the self-identified (and embracing) "freaks" feels very true in moments to what I remember from the movie. I almost wish Abel could have been allowed to find himself without the romance attached. It would have been a lot stronger. He's a better friend and brother than a boyfriend.
Can't really recommend it as her best work, but check out her other books for sure
Raised as an outsider even among the band of outsiders that make up their circus and "oddity" community, Abel is looking for a way to break away and find his own fortune. Running away ends up raising more questions than answers however, as he finds himself haunted by unsettling recurring dreams as he's surrounded by real life threats.
There's something that can be said in the underlying theme of embracing difference and overturning an exploitative system into one that allows for empowerment and creativity. There is a beauty in that, and those are the parts of the story I enjoyed the most. Apollo "the Puppy Boy" has one of the best arcs in this respect--even better than Abel's, I would say. Also, for a story where *very* dark things happen (including murder and child abuse) it manages to wrap on a very uplifting note.
Unfortunately, then there are the problems. The N
-word is dropped on a number of occasions in passing. Even having this set in the past. I feel like this was incredibly unnecessary, especially in the context it was used. It felt like a defiant choice to throw this out there (and not in a good way) especially considering how few black characters there even were. What does this serve?
Also, again I'm encountering a book where arguably the most sinister character is if not officially non-binary, at least playing with gender roles and cross-dressing. In Klause's world of "freaks" of various sizes, shapes, and abilities, there's a very heteronormative alignment with all the other characters. The bearded ladies may have beards, but they are paired with men. Ceecee is the only character that really truly plays with identity and they are clearly the only true monster (even in a show that literally bills itself a collection of traveling monsters). I wonder at this. Now, you may argue that with CeeCee it's not truly their identity but a role they are playing for profit. I think the optics and damage is the same, regardless, but I feel like there isn't enough context for us to think that it is just an act. Ceecee is still regularly wearing makeup and gender ambiguous dress even "off the clock" and even at the funeral when others are dressed down or even hidden. And as I pointed out with the other book where I encountered this recently, it's a problem for the one truly genderfluid character to be coded as a cretin and villain.
Aaaand then we have Abel. Abel has a loyalty and set of ethics that is sometimes quite admirable but even then he can be hard to root for. A lot of Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix energy at work through much of this: resentment, anger, sulkiness, hormones. Every woman or girl he encounters he sees as a possible conquest or a tool he can employ to secure the next step on his journey. The love(?) story with Abel is the weakest *and* wildest of the plot threads. I never was on board for it however it played--as a first time/first crush story or as a time-crossing, geography-defying fated love story. Curtis Klause seems to hedge her bets with both, not committing enough to either angle for the reader to feel okay about it.
On the plus side, I do feel that she did a great job of creating a recognizable homage to source material she says inspired her. Having seen the movie Freaks myself, I feel like the dynamics between the self-identified (and embracing) "freaks" feels very true in moments to what I remember from the movie. I almost wish Abel could have been allowed to find himself without the romance attached. It would have been a lot stronger. He's a better friend and brother than a boyfriend.
Can't really recommend it as her best work, but check out her other books for sure
October 17, 2017
The book I read over the past three weeks is Freaks: Alive, on the inside by Annette Curtis Klause which is the story of a boy named Abel whose live revolves around the Freak Show. He runs off one day and encounters many adventures. I found this book at the Beaumont High School campus library and it immediately caught my eye and pulled me in even more as I test read the first page.
So Abel receives a ring that’s basically been controlling him. The ring, little does he know, has been causing him to have weird dreams about a woman who speaks to him and encourages him to come to her. He leaves his home at the freakshow to try and explore new areas and be on his own for once. He tries to also find love because everyone in his town thinks he’s a “freak” because his parents are in the freakshow. He first ends up on a circus and travels with them, assisting the knife thrower to earn his keep. He later discovers that his best friend from home, Apollo (The dog boy), has sneaked away and followed Abel as he was running from home. The circus goes ballistic and kicks Abel off of their train, imprisoning Apollo. Apollo eventually was able to get out and reunite with Abel who stood at a barn where he gained a liking towards one of the girls. The girl was told to distract Abel as the owner of the place had her brother who was also a freakshow owner, steal Apollo for his own. The girl came into contact with his ring, causing her to step away and confess what was happening. (Abel has no clue that this ring is in a way helping/protecting him). Abel confronts the owner’s brother, Mink, and then agrees to go along since Apollo was delighted to join his show. During the time at the freakshow, they go through a lot of deaths and an enemy, CeeCee who is half male-half woman. Abel also discovers that Mink has kidnapped many of the children that are special, making him set a mindset to help get them home. By the end of the book, Abel finds the woman who has been in his dreams which is a 500-year mummy in which the magical ring turns her back to her young self. Abel falls in love with this woman and they all manage to get away from the twisted freakshow with the help from the friends they’ve gained along the adventure.
My thoughts at the end of the book were compelled of me screaming for more. It was such a good book and I want to know more, I want them (Abel’s friend group) to go and endeavor another adventure or encounter Mink once more. My favorite part was when Abel discovered that his ring actually had a power that was somehow connected to the Mummy to where it would restore her little by little as the ring touched her.
I feel that anyone really could have a liking towards this book. If you’re into freakshow and such things in that genre. But this book was very enjoyable and I craved more every time I put the book down. Overall it is a really great book and I recommend it for anyone.
So Abel receives a ring that’s basically been controlling him. The ring, little does he know, has been causing him to have weird dreams about a woman who speaks to him and encourages him to come to her. He leaves his home at the freakshow to try and explore new areas and be on his own for once. He tries to also find love because everyone in his town thinks he’s a “freak” because his parents are in the freakshow. He first ends up on a circus and travels with them, assisting the knife thrower to earn his keep. He later discovers that his best friend from home, Apollo (The dog boy), has sneaked away and followed Abel as he was running from home. The circus goes ballistic and kicks Abel off of their train, imprisoning Apollo. Apollo eventually was able to get out and reunite with Abel who stood at a barn where he gained a liking towards one of the girls. The girl was told to distract Abel as the owner of the place had her brother who was also a freakshow owner, steal Apollo for his own. The girl came into contact with his ring, causing her to step away and confess what was happening. (Abel has no clue that this ring is in a way helping/protecting him). Abel confronts the owner’s brother, Mink, and then agrees to go along since Apollo was delighted to join his show. During the time at the freakshow, they go through a lot of deaths and an enemy, CeeCee who is half male-half woman. Abel also discovers that Mink has kidnapped many of the children that are special, making him set a mindset to help get them home. By the end of the book, Abel finds the woman who has been in his dreams which is a 500-year mummy in which the magical ring turns her back to her young self. Abel falls in love with this woman and they all manage to get away from the twisted freakshow with the help from the friends they’ve gained along the adventure.
My thoughts at the end of the book were compelled of me screaming for more. It was such a good book and I want to know more, I want them (Abel’s friend group) to go and endeavor another adventure or encounter Mink once more. My favorite part was when Abel discovered that his ring actually had a power that was somehow connected to the Mummy to where it would restore her little by little as the ring touched her.
I feel that anyone really could have a liking towards this book. If you’re into freakshow and such things in that genre. But this book was very enjoyable and I craved more every time I put the book down. Overall it is a really great book and I recommend it for anyone.
June 13, 2024
Back in the 1970s, I saw Tod Browning's infamous film "Freaks". When it was made this film was seen by many as an exploitation of those born with various physical (and sometimes mental) anomalies, but for me it seemed that the film did just the opposite. Through watching this movie, I was shown the humanity and tribulations of these individuals. I became interested in how they were more like everyone else rather than how they were different. Because of this, I wanted to read more about these actual individuals lives, so I could try & understand who they actually were. Having been born in the 1950s, the norm of the time was to either to hide these individuals away or to display them in circus side shows or in carnivals. The movie "Freaks" was the first time I had been allowed to see what life must have been like for them.
Klaus' book is set at the turn of the 20th century and is based on the lives of several of real sideshow personages alongside that of a fictional "normal" young man named Abel Dandy . Abel has grown up in an permanent attraction known as Faeryland. He is the child of a father born with no legs and a mother born with no arms. Everyone there is family in the broad sense of the word, but they are all special in one way or another, so ironically it is Able who sees himself as a "freak".
Abel sets off on his own hoping to find his fortune. Unbeknownst to him he is followed by one of Faeryland's other denizens, Apollo who is known as the "Dog-Faced Boy". Together they find themselves in the clutches of the unscupulous Dr. Mink who runs a shabby traveling "freak show". Mink kidnaps children who have been born with physical anomalies in order to exhibit them.
While the subject matter of this book is controversial, I feel that Klaus has managed to illuminate a darker moment in human history so that we may understand it more thoroughly. By being made aware of this moment in our past, we may become more open and sensitive to all differences.
Klaus' book is set at the turn of the 20th century and is based on the lives of several of real sideshow personages alongside that of a fictional "normal" young man named Abel Dandy . Abel has grown up in an permanent attraction known as Faeryland. He is the child of a father born with no legs and a mother born with no arms. Everyone there is family in the broad sense of the word, but they are all special in one way or another, so ironically it is Able who sees himself as a "freak".
Abel sets off on his own hoping to find his fortune. Unbeknownst to him he is followed by one of Faeryland's other denizens, Apollo who is known as the "Dog-Faced Boy". Together they find themselves in the clutches of the unscupulous Dr. Mink who runs a shabby traveling "freak show". Mink kidnaps children who have been born with physical anomalies in order to exhibit them.
While the subject matter of this book is controversial, I feel that Klaus has managed to illuminate a darker moment in human history so that we may understand it more thoroughly. By being made aware of this moment in our past, we may become more open and sensitive to all differences.
June 20, 2022
*
Abel Dandy was born and raised in Faeryland, a circus with more than its share of physically unusual people. Abel, without any unique physical characteristics of his own, feels out of place and struggles to find a talent to warrant his place in the circus. He soon runs off to try to make his own way in the world- by joining a different circus- without the burdens of being associated with the people he has grown up with. These plans are dashed when a friend from his old life, Apollo, a little boy with hypertrichosis, follows him. Meanwhile, Abel is enticed by reoccurring romantic dreams of a past life with a young Egyptian woman.
The book was repetitive, with Abel running around and joining various shows all while unsurprisingly discovering the so-called "normal" people he longed to be around were mostly crueler than the accepting members of his home. And the romance just wasn't very good. Tauseret doesn't really love Abel- she loves who he used to be. And Abel generally returns her affection because he's a teenage boy.
Personal history: Purchased in a used book lot.
Abel Dandy was born and raised in Faeryland, a circus with more than its share of physically unusual people. Abel, without any unique physical characteristics of his own, feels out of place and struggles to find a talent to warrant his place in the circus. He soon runs off to try to make his own way in the world- by joining a different circus- without the burdens of being associated with the people he has grown up with. These plans are dashed when a friend from his old life, Apollo, a little boy with hypertrichosis, follows him. Meanwhile, Abel is enticed by reoccurring romantic dreams of a past life with a young Egyptian woman.
The book was repetitive, with Abel running around and joining various shows all while unsurprisingly discovering the so-called "normal" people he longed to be around were mostly crueler than the accepting members of his home. And the romance just wasn't very good. Tauseret doesn't really love Abel- she loves who he used to be. And Abel generally returns her affection because he's a teenage boy.
Personal history: Purchased in a used book lot.
March 16, 2022
I should first start this out by saying I'm completely biased. I find old circus and sideshows fascinating and Curtis Klause is one of my favorite authors. Since nine times out of ten I really hate young adult fiction.
I don't even know where to begin with Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! I enjoyed it, I was planning to save the last chapter to go to bed, I ended up finishing it. I really liked how Curtis Klause taught the reader to be understanding of and accepting of other peoples differences. I think that is super important for young adults to learn and understand.
I think my favorite part of the book was the fact that Curtis Klause did her research. When she was mentioning the human oddities I know who she was basing it on. She and I had read a few of the same books and seen some of the same movies on human oddities. I think this is going to be one of those books that I have to add to my personal collection.
I don't even know where to begin with Freaks: Alive, on the Inside! I enjoyed it, I was planning to save the last chapter to go to bed, I ended up finishing it. I really liked how Curtis Klause taught the reader to be understanding of and accepting of other peoples differences. I think that is super important for young adults to learn and understand.
I think my favorite part of the book was the fact that Curtis Klause did her research. When she was mentioning the human oddities I know who she was basing it on. She and I had read a few of the same books and seen some of the same movies on human oddities. I think this is going to be one of those books that I have to add to my personal collection.
June 16, 2018
I had some trouble getting into this audio book initially, but it ended up being good. The characters are interesting but the plot is a little slow. The whole "reincarnated star-crossed lovers" thing is a bit much but I guess the author had to have some reason for Able to leave home. Able is almost too virtuous and suffers from a superman type complex, except he thinks about and refers to sex a lot so this is more a YA high school book than middle school book. Minus the sexual references, I think the characters and plot would appeal more to middle schoolers so it is a book that doesn't fit well into either level. Also, despite the reincarnated lives thing, this book is probably more historical fiction than fantasy so if you're looking for a fantasy type book like Cirque de Freaks, this isn't what you'll get.
May 21, 2019
The story was... meh. The sexual wording throughout made me uncomfortable and it further ruined my enjoyment of what little could be enjoyed.
It laid things out so plainly with weak foreshadowing that it made reading forward feel pointless. I'm bummed because it seemed like it would be an interesting book and it felt more like a train-wreak
It laid things out so plainly with weak foreshadowing that it made reading forward feel pointless. I'm bummed because it seemed like it would be an interesting book and it felt more like a train-wreak
September 18, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is not my usual genre of choice, but when a friend of mine loaned it to me saying that I’d enjoy it, of course I’m going to give it a peek. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down!! The tale kept me enthralled wondering what would happen next the entire time. It’s definitely a book worth reading in my opinion!
Read
March 6, 2022It's a really good book, the start is a bit slower than the rest of the book, but it's just for the first chapter or two. it's more respectful of the "freak" characters; than I'm used to seeing in media. giving each of them their own personalities separate from their disabilities, and differences. it's obvious the author did their research.
August 8, 2024
I agree with the other reviewers who found this book weirdly adult for a YA book and weirdly YA for an adult book. I am a sucker for this setting/topic, but don't even waste your time on this book in a world where Geek Love exists.
January 7, 2019
Hi, thanks, I hated it.
If I could, I would not even give this book a single star. ZERO STARS.
Review episode coming to Backlist & Chill Podcast in the coming months: https://www.patreon.com/backlistandchill
If I could, I would not even give this book a single star. ZERO STARS.
Review episode coming to Backlist & Chill Podcast in the coming months: https://www.patreon.com/backlistandchill
March 19, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by this book as it's not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed the character portrayals! There was a lot of Abel's lusting after girls and I didn't like some of the wording to describe people (like C.C. as a "he/she"), but overall, I liked this story a lot.
November 11, 2018
very good book would like to read it again wish Ms. Klause would have written another.
February 7, 2020
When your whole life you live in a world where everyone's got something special, turns out being normals not so great after all.
October 28, 2021
Not my favorite of this authors work. The story was inturesting, felt like I was riding the train with the traveling circus myself. But also nothing I did not expect to happen happened.
March 12, 2023
A boring book with a pointless plot and unlikeable characters. This one wasn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews