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Freaks

by Kieran Larwood (Goodreads Author)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 67 ratings · 20 reviews

The Freaks are a band of misfits, trapped in a nightly Victorian sideshow. There’s Wolf-girl, Sheba, with her amazing sense of smell; Sister Moon, who can move at the speed of light; and Monkey Boy, ace climber and human stink bomb. But during the day, the Freaks decide to put their extraordinary talents to use. And in a world of child-snatchers, grave robbers and dastardl...more

Paperback, 243 pages

Published April 5th 2012 by Chicken House

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May 11, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, bullies, death, families, friendship, mysteries, urban-life, writing, ncbla2014

Set in Victorian England during the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition, this book offers some insight into the fate of those who were poor or considered different from others. The story centers around Sheba, a girl whose features become furry and wolf-like when she is angry. Sheba is purchased from her owner, a fisherman who earns extra cash by showing off the freaks he possesses, by another man who lives in London and has several freaks who do his bidding. Not surprisingly, Sheba discovers that her...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Leonie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Another book I read as part of the Rotherham Children's book awards and another I really enjoyed. The ideas were new and as far as I know haven't been done before. Sheba is a wolf girl covered head to toe with fur, sharp little fangs and even sharper claws she was bought from the workhouse by a sideshow owner Mr Grunchgirdle kept in a cage with the other 'freaks' a stuffed squirrel with a fish tail where it's legs should be and a two headed lamb Sheba dreams about what her life could have been l...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Julianna Helms rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-with-brother, own-arc

Full review: This will be posted on my blog at 12AM PST on January 31st, 2013,

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Apr 07, 2013 Kim McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here we are back in jolly old Victorian London for another historical mystery but this time it is with a twist - our cast of characters includes a strange group of freaks including Mama Rat and her band of furry performers, Gigantus, Sister Moon and her many knives, MonkeyBoy and Sheba the Wolf Girl. Together they make up a sideshow in the not so grand side of London but in their off hours they will stop at nothing to solve who or what is kidnapping the street urchin children from the mud of the...more

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May 13, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: tween readers

Shelves: libr-264-tweens-9-13-age-group

Sheba was orphaned by her parents, and she believed it was because they were ashamed of her furry face and body, amber colored eyes, claw like nails, and extraordinary sense of smell. Sheba was dubbed the Wolfgirl; and her days were spent locked away in a cage as an exhibit for a seaside Freakshow called Grunchgirdle’s World of Curiosities. Sheba’s only friend was a two-headed sheep named Flossy. The World of Curiosities was experiencing a dry spell; there had not been any visitors in four mouth...more Sheba was orphaned by her parents, and she believed it was because they were ashamed of her furry face and body, amber colored eyes, claw like nails, and extraordinary sense of smell. Sheba was dubbed the Wolfgirl; and her days were spent locked away in a cage as an exhibit for a seaside Freakshow called Grunchgirdle’s World of Curiosities. Sheba’s only friend was a two-headed sheep named Flossy. The World of Curiosities was experiencing a dry spell; there had not been any visitors in four mouths, two weeks, and three days. That was, until a stranger appeared inquiring after the sale of any Freaks Grunchgirdle had available. Sheba and Flossy were purchased for twelve pounds by Plumbscuttle’s Peculiars: Terrifying Freaks of Every Size & Description. Now she was traveling to London, with an odd collection of traveling companions. There was Gigantus, the man mountain, who enjoyed writing romantic scenarios. Monkeyboy who smelled really bad, loved to shout insults, and throw poo-balls at unexpected strangers. There was also Sister Moon a knife welding, master ninja with cat like eyes. And lastly, there was Mama Rat and her little circus performing ratties—Bartholomew, Matthew, Judas, Thaddeus, Simon, and Peter. Sheba and Flossy were starting to relax into their new London environment. On her first night, as a display for Plumbscuttle’s Peculiars, Sheba met a little girl named Till, who was a mudlark. Soon after, Sheba learned that Till had gone missing, but she was not the only one. It was rumored that a giant, man-eating, monster eel living in the Thames was taking the little mudlarks. Now, it was up to Sheba and the other Peculiars to use their special abilities to find and rescue the missing children.

Kieran Larwood’s book Freaks is a steampunk-adventure tween readers will love. The book cover and story will appeal to both juvenile girls and boys, plus the wonderful world of curiosity will bewitch them. Each character had a unique ability and physical anomaly that will intrigue young teens and the dialog will have them laughing. Tweens will enjoy this book immensely. Besides the fantastical characteristics and plot action of Larwood’s book, tweens will tackle issues such as individuality, acceptance, and companionship. In addition, juveniles will discover that having specially abilities can be used to help others, instead of being ashamed of who they are, they can use what qualities they have to do good things in the world. The main protagonist Sheba wrestle with being considered different and having people stare and make fun of her, because of what she looked like. Tweens experience much of the same type of teasing and mockery when they stand apart from their peers. This book can be an entertaining way for younger readers to examine and welcome their distinctiveness. Juveniles can ponder the idea that their physical presence is only one part of who they are and they should not shy away from meaningful friendship based on looks alone. This book is recommended to tweens with an aptitude for adventure.
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Mar 07, 2013 Slmstanley rated it 5 of 5 stars

The ARC of this book that I received had a different cover (one I liked a lot better, actually.) The work itself is on the list of my favorite YA titles I've read so far this year.

Don't be fooled by the cover and title that this is another of those 'high school outcast' books. It's anything but. Freaks is the story of Sheba, wolf-girl and real-life freak. She lives in a cage in a tiny seaside town, with a two-headed lamb as her only friend. Though by day she's an exhibit in a small, sad freak s...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the book world, this was to me what Hotel Transylvania was in the movie world - a gigantic disappointment. I went into this book wanting so much for it to be something that I could enjoy, with character development and interesting, fresh plot executions. That is not what I got. The main character Sheba is a wolf-girl, longing for a family but who can only remember a life of being passed from one freak show to another - being someone's property. It is different this time, with her new owner p...more In the book world, this was to me what Hotel Transylvania was in the movie world - a gigantic disappointment. I went into this book wanting so much for it to be something that I could enjoy, with character development and interesting, fresh plot executions. That is not what I got. The main character Sheba is a wolf-girl, longing for a family but who can only remember a life of being passed from one freak show to another - being someone's property. It is different this time, with her new owner possessing more freaks than Sheba has ever before been in contact with - this time she might be part of a ragtag family. But with something stealing street children and sinister goings on, can Sheba and the other freaks figure out what's going on and put a stop to it before it's too late? Also, will Sheba figure out who she really is and where her family went after they left her? I am not a huge fan of steampunk, which usually makes or breaks a book for me when it's involved in the plot. This was book that it helped along, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to save it. The constant throwing of poop by Monkeyboy was a bit much for me as a reader. Alongside the usage of tried and true villains and predictable twists, this was boring and disgusting. The only freak that even really caught my attention was Sister Moon, but she was such a stereotypically drawn Asian character that I cringed when she was speaking, or you were learning new things about her. The eventual revelation of the mechanical monsters stealing the street children was a very 'meh' moment. Sheba was a cute girl, with a raw deal but as much as I sympathized, she didn't really appeal to me as a character all that much. I was skimming pages about halfway through, all the way to the end. This book might appeal to children who are reluctant readers, but ones with any sense of good books will probably not choose this one. And I definitely don't blame them. But props to the author for keeping me reading to the end...or maybe that was just because it was a review book.

VERDICT: 1.5/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published March 1st, 2013.*(less)

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May 16, 2013 Marie-Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

London 1851: Sie sind die einzige Hoffnung für die Kinder, die unter mysteriösen Umständen in der Themse verschwinden. Nachts treten sie als schaurige Attraktionen in einer Freakshow auf. Aber bei Tage ermitteln sie. Und bald finden Sheba, das Wolfsmädchen, Sister Moon, die schneller ist als der Blitz, der Riese Gigantus und Monkeyboy, die menschliche Stinkbombe, eine erste Spur. Doch wer ist der geheimnisvolle Fremde, der die Freaks plötzlich verfolgt? Was haben Baupläne für eine Maschine in Kr...more London 1851: Sie sind die einzige Hoffnung für die Kinder, die unter mysteriösen Umständen in der Themse verschwinden. Nachts treten sie als schaurige Attraktionen in einer Freakshow auf. Aber bei Tage ermitteln sie. Und bald finden Sheba, das Wolfsmädchen, Sister Moon, die schneller ist als der Blitz, der Riese Gigantus und Monkeyboy, die menschliche Stinkbombe, eine erste Spur. Doch wer ist der geheimnisvolle Fremde, der die Freaks plötzlich verfolgt? Was haben Baupläne für eine Maschine in Krabbenform damit zu tun? Und welche Rolle spielt die verschleierte Frau in Schwarz? Die Freunde dürfen keine Zeit verlieren ...

Die Idee zu "Freaks in geheimer Mission" gefällt mir sehr gut, denn sie ist neu und ohne jegliche Formen der phantastischen Wesenheiten. Weiterhin ist die Geschichte in einer interessanten Zeit an einem interessanten Ort angesiedelt, die viel Spielraum für spannungsgeladene Abenteuer bieten.

"Freaks in geheimer Mission" bietet eine gut durchdachte und spannende Geschichte, die an der einen oder anderen Stelle ein wenig mehr Ausarbeitung benötigt hätte, um mehr Tiefgang und eine dichtere Atmosphäre zu schaffen. So kommt das Gefühl, das dieses Buch beim Lesen bescheren sollte, nicht ganz zum Tragen und auch das Setting kann nicht komplett überzeugen; es fehlen die Bilder, die beim Lesen im Kopf entstehen sollten.

In dieser Geschichte steckt einiges an Potential, das nicht vollkommen ausgeschöpft werden konnte, wodurch die Lesefreude ein wenig getrübt wurde. Jedwede Elemente sind stets nur angeschnitten und benötigen einen stärker ausgearbeiteten Hintergrund, um realistischer und glaubwürdiger zu erscheinen.

Allen voran die "Freaks", die zwar sehr unterschiedlich und einzigartig dargestellt wurden, denen es aber an Facettenreichtum mangelt, man erfährt einfach zu wenig über sie und kann daher nicht so recht warm mit ihnen werden.

Bei der Lektüre dieser Geschichte hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass der Autor seinen Fokus ein Stück weit weniger auf Exkremente gelegt hätte, so driftete die Handlung stellenweise ein wenig ins Eklige ab und trübte mir auch hier ein bisschen die Freude am Lesen.

Fazit: Viel ungenutztes Potential in einer dennoch spannenden und etwas anderen Geschichte.
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Feb 25, 2013 Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, for-the-blog, young-adult

Originally posted for the Mackin Books in Bloom Blog located at www.mackinbooksinbloom.com:

There are a lot of great new books out there. I am always amazed at the variety and diversity of books for kids; it seems that there is something for everyone. However, I sometimes get jaded with media, as it seems like everything is too derivative of something else. I like things that are unique, that haven’t been overdone.

A few things about Freaks piqued my interest and assured me that it would be unique...more Originally posted for the Mackin Books in Bloom Blog located at www.mackinbooksinbloom.com:

There are a lot of great new books out there. I am always amazed at the variety and diversity of books for kids; it seems that there is something for everyone. However, I sometimes get jaded with media, as it seems like everything is too derivative of something else. I like things that are unique, that haven’t been overdone.

A few things about Freaks piqued my interest and assured me that it would be unique. First, there is the eye-catching cover, depicting three of the “freaks”. Second is the tagline, “Weirdest. Crime Fighters. Ever.” Finally, the publisher’s note on the inside that describes it as the X-men meet Oliver Twist assured me that this title would be nothing if not unique!

Freaks is set in Victorian London, a time when sideshow freaks work in less-than-optimal conditions, and “street urchins” beg for money or work long hours at terrible jobs. Both of these play central roles in Freaks. The main character is Sheba, a wolf-girl who works as a sideshow attraction in Grunchgirdle’s World of Curiosities, alongside a two-headed sheep named Flossy. Grunchgirdle is a despicable man that Larwood describes as, “…a rheumy, skinny old man with the aroma of a long-dead trout.” Soon, Sheba is sold to an equally unsavory man named Plumpscuttle. It is here that she joins a group of other Freaks, including a giant named Gigantus, a ninja-like girl named Sister Moon, a rat-wrangler called Mama Rat, and Monkeyboy, who has a penchant for all things disgusting.

When a girl that Sheba befriends at the sideshow goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the sideshow performers team up to find out what is going on in the city. Why are poor kids who work near the river disappearing? What is the monstrous, crab-like thing that has been sighted there? Who could be behind all of this? Sheba convinces the other Freaks that they have to act and try to answer these questions, which takes them on an adventure throughout the city, culminating at the Crystal Palace of London’s Great Exhibition of 1851.

Freaks won the prestigious Chicken House/London Times Children’s Fiction contest. Kieran Larwood is a Kindergarten teacher in Britain, and one can see this in his writing. He obviously knows what children find funny, as Monkeyboy provides lots of one-liners and bathroom humor. Larwood concludes the book with some teaching, in this case about real Victorian London. He provides a nice history lesson about the impoverished state of the city, the history of freak shows, and the Great Exhibition.

In the book, a sign at the entrance of the freakshow reads, “A Collection of the Hideous, Horrid, and Humongous. Terror and Amazement Await You. You Are Advised to Bring a Change of Trousers.” While I won’t go that extent in encouraging you to read this book, I will say that it is a fun and unique story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Freaks will be released in March.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Ms. Library rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I got this as an ARC from netgalley, and I really WANTED to like it. I mean, its a middle grade book about a bunch of so-called "circus freaks" who decide to find out why people are going missing. It sounded interesting, and the steampunk world really drew me in. But unfortunately, the issue for me was that I never really connected to the characters. I kind of had to force myself to read this one, and make myself finish it so I could review it, and that's not a good sign.
If you are a fan of ste...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school-read

Different. I liked the insight into the history of Victorian London, the industrial revolution, and freak shows in general. Larwood did a good job of keeping it real, but while London had a muddy, stinky depth to it the characters seemed a bit shallow. I wish there had been more. The book took longer than it should have to read because I was looking for something with more mystery and adventure than it gave.

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May 10, 2013 Cecilia Rodriguez rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Steampunk style mystery. Sheba is a teenager with wolf-like qualities and is the main character.
When children go missing, it is up to the group to solve the mystery.

Larwood includes historical facts and illustrations at the back of the hardcover verison of the story.
I believe there will be more adventures for Sheba and her friends.

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Jul 04, 2012 Wightrabbit King rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent - if I could have given it more stars, I would have! Children's book, in which performers in a Freakshow solve the mystery of disappearing children in Victorian London. Non-condescending, not patronising, with an original and exciting plot line, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read - however old you may be! :)

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Aug 22, 2012 Helen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-big-bunch-of-meh, kill-me-please

Such high expectations I had!
But everything turned out rubbish in the end.

The plot turned stupid, the characters aren't thought provoking nor have any depth or personality, and the writing was boring, and the detail poorly done.

I'm very disappointed.

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Apr 25, 2013 Kathy Larson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books

Sheba, a hairy "freak", is sold to a side show in London. Picture of pre-Victorian London grimly painted within a mystery about the search for some missing poor children. Somewhat creepy characters and a scary monster might keep the kids engaged.

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Feb 24, 2013 Scarlette Thorn rated it 4 of 5 stars

this is a unique and powerfully wrighten book. put down that vampire book I say, a read a properly good and unpredictable book! I'de recomend it for 11-14 year olds, any gender.

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May 14, 2013 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrensfiction, adventure, fourstars, history

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 12, 2013 Sam added it

Fun book. My favorite was Sister Moon.

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Feb 26, 2013 Alis Bookshelf rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: upcoming-reviews

Review Coming Soon!!!

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May 17, 2013 Kathryn Laliberte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books, england

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About Kieran Larwood

Kieran Larwood is the author of Freaks, and was the winner of the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2011.
Kieran is one of only two male Reception class teachers on the Isle of Wight.
His days mainly consist of singing nursery rhymes, tying shoelaces, trying to locate who has had an ‘accident’ by sense of smell alone, and vast, endless mountains of paperwork.
Kieran graduated from S...more

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