Freak Show

By James St. James

Book Overview

Soon to be a major motion picture with Bette Midler, Laverne Cox, Abigail Breslin, and Alex Lawther starring as Billy Bloom

"Freak Show has it all. It's hilarious, sad, sexy, and glamorous--just the way life should be."--Perez Hilton

"Gutsy, funny, over-the-top Billy Bloom is a profile in courage."--The Washington Post

Meet Billy Bloom, new student at the ultra-white, ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy and drag queen extraordinaire. Actually, ?drag queen? does not begin to describe Billy and his fabulousness. Any way you slice it, Billy is not a typical seventeen-year-old, and the Bible Belles, Aberzombies, and Football Heroes at the academy have never seen anyone quite like him before. But thanks to the help and support of one good friend, Billy's able to take a stand for outcasts and underdogs everywhere in his own outrageous, over-thetop, sad, funny, brilliant, and unique way.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142412317
• ISBN13: 9780142412312
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

an absolte must-read

whether you're gay, straight, bi, transsexual, transgender, young, old, or a little bit of everything, this book will change the way you think. i loved every minute of it. james st. james really knows how to evoke all kinds of emotions in the readers. i liked it better than party monster.

One of a kind

This is a very funny novel about a drag queen in a conservative private high school in Florida. The main character is charming, his voice is unique, the pace is fast, and the writing is hilarious. After reading a lot of young adult novels, it was so refreshing to read this one. It really stands out from the pack.

Extremely Strange but Fabulous

I have been a fan of James St. James for years. I had previously read Disco Bloodbath and watched Party Monster (both the Movie, and the Shockumentary). James St. James is awesome with words and has a gift of interpreting them. From the very first sentence of Freak Show, I knew the book was going to be over-the-top fabulous. I made the mistake of starting to read it right before I went to bed. I could not put the book down and as a result I only got 3 hours of sleep. I read the whole thing in one sitting. It was just too good to put down! I suggest that everyone read Freak Show. As strange as it is, one can also learn from the book.

Loved It

Imagine "Disco Bloodbath" without the sex and drugs, and guess what? It's still a blast! This novel is a witty romp through the perilous high school world of one very special 17 year-old boy named Billy Bloom. It even has a happy ending, though not quite the one you might expect. I loved it. Tears, I'm telling you, TEARS WELLED! Party Monster: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland

Fabulous in every way

I thoroughly enjoyed St. James' previous book Disco Bloodbath, so when I saw this lovely little gem in my list of recommendations, I ordered it immediately. I finished it in 2 days flat (would've been sooner, if not for work and sleep and all that jazz.) The exploits of teen drag queen Billy trying to make it in a school full of uptight, straight-laced, super conservative rich brats had me laughing hysterically, groaning audibly, getting angry, even crying...rarely has a book elicited this much of a reaction from me. This story seemed like a mix of Mean Girls, Hairspray, Bruno, and even a little bit Napoleon Dynamite, all told with wit, humor and candor. It also sends a wonderful message about acceptance, not just of other people, but also of oneself. This book should be required reading not only for GLBT kids, but for anyone who has ever felt like they didn't belong (and quite frankly, who hasn't?) I sincerely hope this becomes a movie. If it does, you better believe I will pull up to the premiere in a giant purple stilleto, decked out in my best SuperFreak costume and proudly waving my scarlet F in the air! EVER UPWARD, O FREAK OF NATURE!