Freaky Green Eyes

Reread another teen book by this author and enjoyed her style of writing so I purchased this one. Can't wait to read. Book came quickly and in great shape.

Wonderful writer amazing book!

What a great read!

I bought this from Amazon UK.Oh, boy does JCO know how to pack a punch, even when writing YA fiction. Freaky Green Eyes turned out to be a lot, lot darker than I expected. I really like the YA fiction I’ve read by JCO in the past and was really enjoy this novel, which at first, seemed to be about a teenage girl watching her parent’s marriage fall apart. I was already in love with Franky’s voice and the way she saw the world. Then her mother goes missing and suddenly Freaky Green Eyes turned into a different, darker book. I loved it. I thought Franky/Freaky was a great character. She was clearly suffering from some version of the Electra complex by ignoring signs that her father was a bastard but she did the right thing in the end. I’d highly recommend Freaky Green Eyes.

Prolific author Joyce Carol Oates delivers yet again with FREAKY GREEN EYES. With a plot that gradually unfolds to expose a family's destructive private life, this book covers a topic touched upon by many but seldom handled so artfully.As in her previous novels, such as WE WERE THE MULVANEYS, Oates unveils a family that is picture-perfect to the world at large but dysfunctional and horrific behind closed doors.The narrator -- Franky -- unveils the true nature of her father slowly, shocking the reader by the level of her own denial, but is blunt with her criticism towards her mother, whom she views as weak and unloving for moving away. The reader will want to love Reid, the broadcaster and former football star, as the world does, but something is not "right" about how ordered he keeps his family. When their mother leaves, Franky and her younger sister Samantha have no buffer in their lives and begin to see their dad's true nature.The strength of FREAKY GREEN EYES is Oates' narrator and manner of narration. Descriptions are scant and to the point, dialogue is crisp and revealing, and her use of foreknowledge keeps the reader feeling "edgy" until the climax. The reader sees Franky's world through the flawed understanding of a co-dependent child in an abusive home. Children in this type of environment react to the truth as they see it, not as it necessarily really is, and often quite illogically. In this regard, Joyce's "voice" for Franky is quite realistic. A girl her age would not be able to handle things any better than she does in this novel.But Franky's strengths are as realistic as her shortcomings. Her growth as a character begins in the first chapter and continues to the story's conclusion. "Freaky Green Eyes" is the willful, strong side of her personality, first unveiled while fending off a rapist, a side she relies heavily upon as she begins to doubt her father's version of events regarding her mother's eventual disappearance. The realism of Franky's flaws and strengths gives her story strong appeal.This is a masterful young adult novel about the sensitive subject of domestic violence. Readers will empathize with children growing up in such an environment after reading it. Highly recommended. Five stars.Reviewed by: Mark Frye, author and reviewer

Fifteen-year-old Franky Pierson knows that her famous sportscaster father has a bad temper. She also knows that her parents do not get along and that sometimes violence erupts. When her mother moves into a cabin she owns and only visits a few days a week, Franky thinks they just need their own space for a little while. But things seem to get worse and her father's behavior becomes more extreme.Franky's alter ego, Freaky Green Eyes, is a tough personality that saves her from dangerous and scary situations and is now needed more and more often at home. When her mother disappears, Franky does not want to know what happened. But the truth always seems to have a way of getting out.Fans of Joyce Carol Oates's marvelous BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL most likely will be disappointed with this effort. It's fairly obvious early on in the book what's going to happen and who will be to blame for it. While Franky's denial of her terrible home life is realistic, it goes on for far too long for the patience of readers.I believe the symbolism of the Freaky Green Eyes is too heavy-handed for savvy teen readers. The book starts by explaining the name in a scene that is strongly reminiscent of Laurie Halse Anderson's SPEAK. But the near-rape scene does not quite fit in with the domestic violence in Franky's home, making the nickname somewhat confusing.Oates has always been a master of voice, and readers will understand Franky even if they are exasperated with her delayed ability to see the signs of what's coming. Her strong characterization is not enough, however, to overcome the stereotyped parents and predictable plot. --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

As a fan of another of Oates young adult books, Big Mouth and Ugly Girl, I had high expectations for this one. The writing is superb, after all it is Joyce Carol Oates and the woman can write. I was somewhat disappointed in the plot. Essentially the book seems to me to be a meditation on what might have happened in the O.J. Simpson case. As far as that goes, it is a deep and textured reflection. It seemed to me the whole story was rather neatly wrapped up in the end, unlike in real life where there are still so many unanswered questions. Perhaps in young adult you can't leave things just hanging and all has to be neatly resolved. I think a young adult reader might be more satisfied with the conclusion and not as engaged by the psychologial journey to get there.

Oh, boy does JCO know how to pack a punch, even when writing YA fiction. Freaky Green Eyes turned out to be a lot, lot darker than I expected. I really like the YA fiction I’ve read by JCO in the past and was really enjoy this novel, which at first, seemed to be about a teenage girl watching her parent’s marriage fall apart. I was already in love with Franky’s voice and the way she saw the world. Then her mother goes missing and suddenly Freaky Green Eyes turned into a different, darker book. I loved it. I thought Franky/Freaky was a great character. She was clearly suffering from some version of the Electra complex by ignoring signs that her father was a bastard but she did the right thing in the end. I’d highly recommend Freaky Green Eyes.

ok

I chose 5 stars for this book because I really like it. It is a very interesting book that picks up realistic problems. The main focus is on the theme domestic violence and how outsiders don't notice anything because to the outside,everything seems normal. It is something a lot of people go through, which makes this book very realistic and touching. It is an exciting story that is good to use as school material or for private uses as well. Especially teenagers will love this book because the protagonist is a teenager so they can identify with her. She has the usual teenage problems that make her go through some hard times just as everybody one day.I would definitely say you need to read this book because it is an amazingly detailed written story.I highly recommend this book to children 12 years and older.

alles super

You will too.