Freaky Green Eyes
My rating:
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it it was amazing
add to my books

Freaky Green Eyes

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55  ·  rating details  ·  993 ratings  ·  148 reviews

"Later, I would think of it as crossing over. From a known territory into an unknown. From a place where people know you to a place where people only think they know you."

Sometimes Franky Pierson has a hard time dealing with life. Like when her parents separate and her mother vanishes, Franky wants to believe that her mom has simply pulled a disappearing act.

...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published February 15th 2005 by HarperTeen (first published August 14th 2003)
more details... edit details
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherSpeak by Laurie Halse AndersonCrank by Ellen  HopkinsGo Ask Alice by Beatrice SparksWintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Best Teen Books About Real Problems
86th out of 597 books — 2,428 voters
Just Listen by Sarah DessenThe Lightning Thief by Rick RiordanA Walk to Remember by Nicholas SparksThirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherThe Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
books i read in 2009
138th out of 165 books — 26 voters


More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,618)
filter  |  sort: default (?)  |  rating details
Jennifer Wardrip
Reviewed by Mark Frye, author and reviewer for TeensReadToo.com

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 door...more
Abby
Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Sarai
I listened to this on CD. The reader was fine, but I did get a little tired of hearing the phrase Freaky Green Eyes all the time. I also became a little annoyed with Francesca for being such a ninny toward her mother, but the book did a pretty good job of describing why she was acting that way. I also did not like the two chapters where Francesca was being interviewed by the police and all we heard was Francesca's answers. It may come across differently in print.

From School Library J...more
K
K rated it 5 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Melissa
I was initially hooked by this book when I realized it takes place in Seattle, as well as a fictional town that sounds an awful lot like Anacortes. I love the way this author writes. True to form, she doesn't shrink back from hard, dark topics. But this book was a little too dark for me, and I was just as overwhelmed as the narrator when I realized the horror of the situation she was in. Some say the dad was a little too much of a stereotype, but I think his manipulative, controlling "I lov...more
Tracie
Tracie rated it 1 of 5 stars
Shelves: library_book
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Kelly
Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars
This young adult book deals with a pretty serious situation. It is written as a recolection of memories from a teenaged girl, Francesca. Her parents are going through a divorce and then something strange happens. Her mother disappears.
Joyce Carol Oates does an amazing job of telling a story through the eyes of a young teen girl. She keeps the language on the level of someone that age but is not afraid to talk about the biological changes she is going through. Oates gives details and hints ...more
Kiley Drummond
I thought this book was excellent, the way it teased with my emotions, just made it great.
Melissa Pilakowski
At 100 pages in, it's disappointing, especially for a Joyce Carol Oates. The protagonist's voice seems to pop in and out of character, and overall Franky/Freaky is just plain flat. It's a struggle to finish it. Another reviewer compared it to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. It's not in the same league. I honestly think it's another example of an author dipping into the YA without having read much in the genre, which is a mistake. Francine Prose, whom I admire as much as Joyce Carol Oates, ...more
Dee Brecke
A true psychological thriller, Freaky Green Eyes really blew me away! Francesca, who prefers to be called "Franky," is the daughter of a famous sportscaster who is a former Seattle Seahawk, Reid Pierson. Reid Pierson is very strong, charismatic and controlling. He hates weakness, and has to always be right. 15-year-old Franky adores him and sees her mother's sensitivity as shameful weakness. Her mother, scared to death of Reid, pursues her own art and spends a few days a week at her ca...more
Shelly
Shelly rated it 5 of 5 stars
Book #34 for 2011 - I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! I started it yesterday while my kids were napping, read it after they went to bed last night and got up early this morning to finish it! Meet Francesca (aka "Franky" and "Freaky Green Eyes") - she lives in Seattle with her mother, father (who is a famous sportscaster, sister and step-brother.) Her father is a highly respected man in their community, however, Franky's family is not what everyone thinks it is. When her mot...more
Linda
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Lara
Lara rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: ya-fic
Years ago I read 'Solstice' and resolved never again to read anything by Joyce Carol Oates, but I was intrigued by the fact that she had published a YA book, so I took another chance, and I am glad I did. What began as a book about family angst has taken a dark turn into murder mystery. Gripping!

She has a great quote in this book about surfing the internet:

"Surfing the Web, you don't need to concentrate. Almost, you don't need a brain. Your brain is the Web. You don...more
Amy
Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: ya-literature
This came across my desk and I have enjoyed Joyce Carol Oates in the past so I read it. Right away there is an almost rape scene with a party where everyone is drinking. This would make me uncomfortable to have 6th and 7th graders read it so I would not recommend it to them. Only a very mature 8th grader. There is some language and some domestic violence. I liked the way the story was told and it had some interesting narrations through email, journal, and court testimony. I also liked how ...more
Lara
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Diane
Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: fiction, mystery
Okay, so there isn’t a huge collection of audio books at the College Hill Library, but I have read some gems. So when I found a Joyce Carol Oates, I had to snap it up. I’m listening on my commute so I’m not fully in the moment. In the back of my mind I’m thinking that I expected better writing from Joyce, with whom we were totally enthralled at her appearance at Syracuse in October. Didn’t she write run on sentences like this?
So finally in the middle of the second CD, at a stop light of co...more
Sandra
Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: fiction
Var ska jag börja? Vilken fantastisk bok! Det här är min första lästa bok av Joyce Carol Oates, och det kommer definitivt inte bli min sista! Vilken handling, vilka karaktärer...


Ok, vi börjar med handlingen. Så fantastiskt utvecklad och väl uttänkt. Man dras in i hela berättelsen och det känns så overkligt ibland, men egentligen är det så realistiskt som det kan bli. Vilken hemsk miljö som huvudkaraktären tvingas leva i. Att en så ung tjej ska tvingas bli manipulerad och provocer...more
Nellie Malseed
i was expecting this book to be a novel aimed at young readers, but it turned out to be more a teen fiction novel. this was an enjoyable read because of the generally unpredictable and unique story line, and also of the easy to read style. this writing style in the novel was certaily slightly different, with the voice of "Freaky" often shining through. this book also had a few stunningly written passages and ideas throughout, so i congratulate Carol Oates on this. This is a book of whi...more
Ashley
Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: young-adult
"Freaky Green Eyes" is Franky's code name for the more daring side of herself, a side she has to tap into more and more as her mom goes missing--first moving out of the house under mysterious circumstances--then disappearing altogether. It takes Freaky to help Franky see aspects of her father that she's hidden from herself and to do what it takes to bring the truth to light.

This is part family drama, part mystery, and all engaging. Although not the most memorable of Oates' ...more
Diane *Ahnnihilate*
★★★½☆

I'll keep this review short and state what I liked and didn't:

*What I liked about this book is it's simplicity and relatability.
I think the author captured the right emotions (however frustrating they were) for this particular situation. It was believable.

*What I didn't like was how easy I could guess "who did it" and how little there is to explain the antagonist. I suppose this book wasn't really written to understand the villain but I ...more
Terra Biblrey
I loved it. :) It reminded me of the book speak. Whichj is amazing!
Rob Montgomery
Solid but unremarkable. Oates creates a believable first-person protagonist, but she tries (and fails) to create some sort of tension behind the character's sensible side and the burgeoning rebellious side that lurks beneath her placid, good-girl surface. It's a half-hearted push and pull that seems like an even bigger failure since it's this supposed tension that gives the book its title. Anyway. It doesn't actually pick up until the second half when it leaves the teen angst behind and turn...more
Nilay
Franky Pierson's parents separate, which causes Franky to be upset with her mother who is the one who decided to leave. However, Franky realizes things are more complicated than she assumed when her mom is reported missing. I liked reading this book because Joyce Carol Oates always includes a mystery element to her stories, particularly dealing with female protagonists. This keeps the story engaging and fun to read. The characters have to test themselves and uncover their true identities when fa...more
Kristy
Kristy rated it 5 of 5 stars
I haven't had such an emotional response to a book in a long time. I'd previously read Big Mouth Ugly Girl and liked it, but Oates really has her pulse what it's like to be a clever, maturing 14-15 year old. The way she jumps from being a little girl to a little vixen and back ran so true for me. Frankie AKA Freaky's father is a big time sportcaster in Seattle. When her beautiful and independent mother goes missing, Frankie is torn between the love she has for her father and the woman she bel...more
Casey
Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars
I got this book on a sunday afternoon and finished it the following monday morning. In just a few hours I read this amazing book and I loved every line of it. I found many connections with "Franky" the main character, as well as just finding the ease with delving into the pages and hiding away from the world by reading this book.
I feel as though anyone who finds this book on a shelf should at least give it a try due to the amazing descriptions and the vivid imagery you get, as we...more
Sabrina
Sabrina rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: laurie halse anderson and mike meyers book lovers!
so many things about this book seemed realistic that i could visualize it almost perfectly! the things that happened were very surprising and non-surprising, in a way. it seemed weird and non-real that a husband would kill and abuse his wife because we are all in our little own world, and nobody except ourselves could pop the bubble. but then again, if someone doesn't neseccarily do what the person wants, in a cruel world, it could be painful for someone with no limits, i just can't beleive a pe...more
Chinook
I didn’t realize this novel was for young adults when I bought it, however, it fits in well with all the books I keep borrowing from school. It’s a book that deals with feminist issues – spousal abuse and date rape. The main character is a fourteen year old girl who is caught between a father whose approval she craves and a mother she is upset with. A girl who suspects her father is physically abusing her mother but doesn’t want to confront it. A girl who fights off an older boy at a party; the ...more
Lydia
Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars
Joyce Carol Oates, such an outstanding adult novelist, writes a YA book that explores the alter-egos teens can create for themselves. In Oates' perspective these alter egos help the teens deal with feelings of inadequacy and not being good enough for others around them.

Francesca "Franky" can't understand what's happening around her. She tries to be "cool" and almost gets raped. Then her parents start arguing and things just seem to get worse. The ending of this book...more
Julie
I would compare reading ”Freaky Green Eyes” to eating your favorite dessert. It’s simply exquisite.

I first read “Freaky Green Eyes” back in 2004, when I was 11, and it haunted me for several years. I absolutely loved it.

I sadly forgot the title and the author, and I then spent a couple of years trying to find “Freaky Green Eyes” again. That captivating, amazing book that I read in one sitting, with my heart in my throat. I became quite obsessed with finding it, honestly. Afte...more
Pam
Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars
Freaky Green EyesJoyce Carol Oates 3/5 stars
Middle of the road book for me. It's obviously written for teenagers - the main character is Franky, the 14-year-old daughter of a famous ex-athlete sportscaster and his wife, who is tired of being the "trophy" wife. As the conflict between her mom and dad grows, so does the tension in the family. There is a mystery, and I did like the way it is solved. It's a fast read, and not a waste of time. But that's probably not the most rousing ...more
« previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 53 54
topics  posts  views  last activity   
questions 3 12 Jul 04, 2011 07:34am  
Freaky Green Eyes (Hardcover)
Freaky Green Eyes
Freaky Green Eyes
Deli Yeşil (Paperback)
Freaky Green Eyes (Hardcover)

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Your website
Pin It
3524
Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. She is also the recipient of the 2005 Prix Femina for The Falls. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and she has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978. Pseudonyms ... Rosamond Smith and Laure...more
More about Joyce Carol Oates...
We Were the Mulvaneys The Falls (P.S.) The Gravedigger's Daughter Blonde Foxfire

What's The Name of That Book???
What's The Name of That B...
3586 members
last activity 1 hour, 47 min ago
shelf: read
Ms. Simon's Advisory
Ms. Simon's Advisory
23 members
last activity Dec 18, 2011 08:39pm
shelf: read