Freak Show

Written by James St. James

Narrated by Ben Estus, Suzanne Toren, Tracey Petrillo and Caitlin Kelly

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-the-top, sad, funny, brilliant, and unique way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: May 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781478942801

James St. James

James St. James who was once dubbed a "celebutante" by Newsweek magazine, is now a radio personality, an editor and contributor to The World of Wonder Report, and author of Party Monster and Freak Show.

Reviews for Freak Show

[bookconcierge · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Billy Bloom is a gay teenager who has recently moved to Florida. It’s bad enough being the new kid at school when you are a senior, but being an emerging drag queen at an ultra-rich, ultra-conservative school is even more challenging. Billy tries to make friends but the teasing, taunting and bullying he has to endure get out of hand quickly. Deciding that he has to be himself and speak up (and out loud) for all those other “shadow kids” trying to get along by not being noticed, Billy makes a momentous decision – he’s going to run for Homecoming Queen!

There is a nugget of a great story here. Billy’s situation is shared by many teens, who struggle with being themselves and also fitting in (or at least not being bullied, harassed, beaten up). His efforts are sometimes hilariously funny, sometimes incredibly touching, and sometimes so very inappropriate that they took me completely aback. I found myself alternately cheering for Billy and cringing at his antics. He was so over-the-top and the other students such caricatures that the important message here was somewhat lost in the glitter and drama.

The writing is, frankly, not very good. I nearly gave up after just a couple of pages because I am way past the teenage years and not very interested in wallowing in teen angst and self-absorption. But it’s a very fast read, and I flew through it. The young adult audience will probably enjoy it more.

[pussreboots · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Freak Show by James St. James is about a gay teenager with a unique fashion sense, being relocated from a liberal eastern seaboard school to a hyper-conservative prep-school in Florida.

Billy Bloom, the protagonist, narrates in a first person, stream of consciousness that's similar to many a tween or YA book featuring a young woman looking for first love and greater freedom from her over protective or overly weird parents.

Bill though, being (or trying to be) as out and proud as as he is, where he is, runs the threat of personal harm that usually doesn't appear in the female heterosexual YA books (even though that danger does exist in real life). Of the ones I've read, Behaving Like Adults by Anna Maxted, albeit an adult book, comes closet to being an equivalent.

That said, I found the tone somewhat jarring. It never really settled on either being a comedy or a drama. Nor did it balance the two swings of the pendulum to be a dramady.

[jwarren42 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I get what St. James is doing here, and it's a very cool idea. The problem is with me as a reader--I prefer my narrators to be more serious-minded. Some very interesting things happen in this book, but the problem is that I just couldn't deal with the narrator's point of view on them. I like the sort-of "burst of thought" technique for the narration, and the attempt to create a different type of LGBTQ narrator is a valid one. I personally just didn't connect with the narrator at all.

[satyridae · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the story but I think I had to work too hard for it.
The main character is sympathetic and believably over-the-top. The writing is spotty- it does a great job of conveying Billy's personality and motivation but somehow meanders and leaves gaps. Billy spends a fair amount of time in tight places (literally) and that particular behaviour is never explicated to my satisfaction- yeah, I get it as a symbol, but it's as awkward as an adolescent drag q....oh, right. Nevermind.

[splreference · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite book of 2007 is Freak Show. It's like nothing I've read before. Billy Bloom is gay, but it’s mostly theoretical, as he hasn’t had much experience. When he has to move to Florida, he can’t believe his bad luck. His new school is a mix of Bible Belles, Aberzombies, and Football Heroes, none of whom are exactly his type. Billy’s efforts to fit in and stand out at the same time are both hilarious and heartrending. He is flamboyant..out there. Readers are in for a wild ride as Billy’s story of bravado, pain, and unexpected love is revealed. Funny and heartbreaking at the same time.

[knicke_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pretty much a wish-fulfillment fable, and ridiculously heavy on the stereotyping, but fun nonetheless. I just wish it had tried to be either fabulous frippery or social commentary; it tries to be both, which doesn't quite work. On the other hand, I don't know of any other YA books about teenage drag queens, so I'm glad this is out there. Though I really hope someone else tackles transgender issues in a more realistic way for this audience, and SOON.

[salisb27 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A book about a boy's journey to self-discovery through personal and social ridicule. Trying to fit in, the main character knows the importance of remaining himself and certainly does with individualistic and innovative vigor.

[slaybelle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this. Once I saw a YA novel by James-freaking-St. James proudly on display at the library, I knew I had to grab it. Hysterically, laugh out loud funny -- totally worth a soak in the tub and box full of chocolates read.

[chechenthriller · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Freakin' good.

[samtheteenlibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Billy Bloom is a fabulous drag queen of a teenager who finds himself out of luck when his mother sends him off to live with his rich father in the rural Florida swamps for his last year of high school. Surrounded by a family who doesn't accept him, students who are horrified by him or praying on his behalf, and constant physical threats, Billy decides to take it upon himself to shake up his private institution and make progress for the GLBTQ community.

The bright pink cover with the cross-dressing boy doll really grabs your attention. This book is definitely meant for the older teen sector; there is a fairly graphic part describing a group attack on Billy that leaves him nearly dead, as well as a fair amount of blue language scattered throughout. Billy himself is 100% over the top (swap queen and Carrie themed outfits, a homecoming float that is literally a 13 foot high purple platform shoe), but as someone who had a Billy of her own as a close friend through the high school years I find his voice to be very authentic of a serious teen queen. The book is able to explore the raw nature of bigotry but still be upbeat. Billy is a drag queen and the focus of the book is on how this community comes to terms with it, but the focus is not as much on gay relationships or sexuality. It's just one eccentric boy's coming of age story.

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[kpickett_11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Billy Bloom, teen drag queen, has just moved in with his father in Florida to attend the ultra-white, ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy. Unfortunately, Billy’s new classmates are not as accepting of his fashion and exuberant attitude as his previous school in Darien, Connecticut. However, he is sure that his swarthy pirate outfit for the first day of school will win them all over.Billy’s unfailingly positive outlook on his new situation is heartbreaking to say the least. When Billy gets a crush on the school quarterback, it becomes positively tragic. When it finally becomes obvious to Billy that he will never be accepted by those in control of Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, after some very serious beatings that land him in the hospital, Billy decides on the perfect revenge, and beings his campaign to be elected Prom Queen. Billy, encourages other “freaks” to come out of the woodwork and take what is rightfully theirs from the undeservingly popular.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. Laugh out loud funny.

[jenniferthomp75 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

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

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

[kewpie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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