Freaks Like Us [Hardcover]

Susan Vaught (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 4, 2012

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Jason “Freak” Milwaukee is relegated to the SED (Severely Emotionally Disturbed) classroom with the other kids defined by their alphabetic disorders. Freak began his life as GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) but is now SCZI (Schizophrenic). He shares a close allegiance with Drip (ADHD) and Sunshine, a selective mute (SM) who speaks only to them. When Sunshine disappears and the FBI is called in, Freak finds himself the prime suspect in her disappearance and is torn between protecting her secret and saving her life. Freak’s narrative alternates between his own salient first-person exposition and the blurry cacophony of the voices in his head, giving the reader a powerful sense of his daily struggle. We feel the atmospheric confusion that clouds his thoughts and his keen understanding of exactly how and why it makes him special. From his casual acceptance of his place on the short bus to his poignant struggles with his military parents, Freak’s attitudes and interactions offer a nuanced portrait of a teen living with a severe mental illness, both in its devastating difference and its common truth. Grades 7-12. --Thom Barthelmess

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' I love this book. Susan Vaught has absolutely nailed this character, his pain, struggles and triumphs. Bravo! Terry Trueman, Printz Honor author of Stuck in Neutral Poignantly affirming of life and love even in the face of overwhelming loss, this is a haunting tragicomic drama of grief and renewal Horn Book, starred review of 'Trigger' Going Underground is full of compelling, fully realized characters (human and parrot alike) who try to muster the courage to move forward. Listed as one of 'Eight Books That Just Might Change Your Life' Bookpage.com Mental illness is in danger of becoming just another 'charming personality quirk' in teen fiction among less talented authors clinging to Mark Haddon's coattails but Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught is in a class of its own Sunday Telegraph --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (September 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599908727
• ISBN-13: 978-1599908724
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I started writing when I was eight, and I try to write a little bit every day even though I'm a psychologist, too. I love to hear from readers.

I especially love to hear from kids and young adults who enjoy writing and reading. I'm also happy to answer parent-questions about the content of my books--or to hear from grown-ups who like what I write, too!

I hope my book make people think, make them talk, and more than anything, let them escape into a well-told story.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning and staggeringly real... September 7, 2012

By Wastepaper Prose

Format:Hardcover

Friendship, loyalty and belief are the rock solid foundation upon which Freaks Like Us is built. This slender unassuming novel is an empathetic journey and an absolute gem readers will devour.

On its face, it might look like a book about disorders or mental illness. It's so, so much more. This honest novel full of sometimes painfully self-aware characters is a story about growing up in a world that often regards you as less of a person if you're a little off.

Jason, Derrick (AKA Freak and Drip), and Sunshine all know they have issues. They all have labels. GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) and SCZI (Schizophrenic), ADHD, and SM (Selective Mute). They call themselves "alphabets".

When Sunshine goes missing and the psychological thriller/mystery begins, the characters friendship and mental stability are tested as the stressful situation pushes them to their limits. Surrounded by unfamiliar people simultaneously trying to help and creating an atmosphere of fear and panic, Jason and Drip aren't sure who they can trust or if revealing their secrets would help or just hurt. The ultimate goal is to find Sunshine, and Jason is willing to do what it takes to get her back, even if he's no longer sure he's completely innocent.

Vaught's handling of the mental illness element of the novel is stunning and staggeringly real. More often than not, disorders are footnotes of a character. Just an aside to expose detail about or add depth to a character. Rarely are they integrated into the plot the way they are in Freaks Like Us. There is no stark contrast or clinical delineation between the individual and their disorder. They exist together in a form of antagonistic symbiosis, not beneficial but accepted....

Jason's schizophrenia doesn't define him, but he knows it's a huge part of him. He claims it. Owns it. This is evident in the fact that he calls himself "Freak" without any inkling of self-deprecation. Even in the worst of situations, faced with the voices and hallucinations, he is acutely aware that it's all caused by his alphabet. This also makes him a bit unreliable as a narrator, but unfailingly sympathetic.

Vaught's three-dimensional characters, faced paced plot, and attention to detail make Freaks Like Us the total package. It's a novel that will definitely stay on my bookshelf and one you should consider adding to yours. Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars A nonstopper May 11, 2013

By Mary McGettrick

Format:Kindle Edition

I couldn't stop reading this book. Vaught's stream-of-conciousness style choice grabbed me immediately, drawing me deeply into the story and into Freak's mind. My heart broke at the raw emotion he felt, amidst his frantic, desperate thoughts- both his own and his voices. I wanted nothing more than for him to get his Sunshine back (an apropos name choice, by the way.) You'll have no choice but to read until you're done.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tense teen thriller March 10, 2013

By Steve Benner VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Susan Vaught's latest novel, "Freaks Like Us", is a powerful and poignant thriller pitched at young adults and above. The book's central characters are a group of late teenagers, all suffering from various mental illnesses and disorders, with the first-person protagonist, Jason, suffering from severe general anxiety disorder and schizophrenia. As a consequence, he has great difficulty sifting reality from fantasy in his head; when his particularly close school-friend, Sunshine Patton, mysteriously fails to arrive home from school one evening, he rapidly finds himself spirally into confusion and chaos, drawn ever more deeply into the hunt for her. Against a background of escalating urgency, which feeds his own fears and paranoias, he suddenly finds himself the chief suspect in the eyes of both the FBI and the mother of the missing girl. As the hours tick by, Jason's panic that Sunshine is lost to him forever mounts, together with his own suspicions that he himself may indeed be to blame somehow, particularly knowing as he does that there is something that his mind as well as Sunshine herself commanded him to forget. He becomes ever more desperate and despairing. And as he grows more tired -- refusing to sleep, when he could be helping with the search -- or to take his meds -- which impair his ability to think, even as they keep him from completely falling apart, he begins to behave ever less rationally and oddly, increasing the suspicions against him. For Jason, solving the mystery of what has happened to Sunshine becomes an ever more important -- and personal -- matter.

The story is written with a wry mix of humour, grit and pathos. With consummate honesty, the author, through the words of her protagonist, builds an increasingly poignant and utterly engaging tale.... Readers of all ages should be able to identify and sympathise with Jason's plight. As the situation spirals out of his control and things begin to look increasingly bleak, not only for Sunshine but also for Jason, the tension -- and the brutality of events -- mounts to an almost unbearable pitch as the story soars to its climax and conclusion. A gripping read almost from the outset, the book becomes increasingly difficult to put down. Stunningly well-written, thrilling and convincing every inch of the way, "Freaks Like Us" is also brilliantly clever, with a wonderfully arranged ending, that is as uplifting as it is tear-jerking. It would make for a great screenplay adaptation -- the scenes already flow graphically from the page -- and is highly recommended as a marvellous read. Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Poignant and Powerful October 25, 2012

By Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

Format:Hardcover

It's rare to come across a YA book that deals with mental illnesses in a way that is sensitive, yet startlingly honest; poignant, yet funny and entertaining, yet very real. Susan Vaught's Freaks Like Us is one of those rare books.

Jason's best friend Sunshine disappears one day after school and Jason is automatically seen as a suspect because of his unpredictable mental illness. But Jason knows that schizophrenic or not, he would never hurt Sunshine. He tries to push through all the voices in his head and get to the truth because he knows there's something important about Sunshine he can't remember. Something important about someone who may have hurt her. Uncovering this truth means uncovering memories Jason is afraid of reliving, but Sunshine means everything to him and he's willing to fight anyone, even himself, to find her.

Freaks Like Us surprised me with its humor, realness, power and poignancy. Vaught has crafted a spellbinding and different coming of age story, and has done so with brilliancy, razor-sharp wit and authenticity.

Through Jason (who is called Freak), his ADHD friend Drip and the lovely Sunshine who is a selective mute, Vaught has given a captivating voice to a collection of people whose voices are often unheard. As a practicing psychologist, Vaught brings personal experience, knowledge and authenticy to her writing and this really shines through. Freaks Like Us is, at times, relentlessy honest and startling, but impossible to put down. I quickly read this book in one sitting as I was fully engrossed and invested in the story being told.

The story is told from Jason's point of view and as such, the story and flow reflect his complex, unpredictable and, at times, erratic mind.... This flow and execution aren't always easy to sift through, but are always necessary. Vaught creates such thought-provoking realism through this execution.

I found Jason's thought process and mind to be absolutely fascinating. He's a wonderfully endearing character full of humor, heart and courage. Despite his mental illness and struggles, I think readers will easily be able to relate to Jason and will definitely be invested in his journey. There's a large cast of supporting characters, ranging from Jason's parents to his friends to the school bullies to various police personal, but they are all compelling and well-developed. Jason and Drip's bromance is amusing, while I was deeply moved by Jason and Sunshine's sweet, very real relationship.

There's a great deal of the unexpected and surprising in this book, especially when it comes to Sunshine's disappearance. A quarter of the way through the book I was so sure I had it all figured out, and while some things are predictable, I never saw the climactic revelation coming. And the book ends realistically, but with so much hope.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: With its authenticity, laugh-out-loud humor, powerful poignancy and a lot of heart, Freaks Like Us took me to some unexpected places, captivating me from beginning to end. Susan Vaught has crafted a beautiful tale and given a truly remarkable character an unforgettable voice. Read more ›