Overall, this was a fun read.
Freakslaw is the story of those in the margins and those against them (and differences and freedom).

This is a carnivalesque novel of perfect length.
Personal favourites: the setting and the concept, which are quite difficult to write, because of its unfamiliar nature to many artists, the characters and the carnivalesque themes. The writer’s foreword and intentions.

What others might enjoy but I was not 100% on board with: the writing style and the tone were not for me. I found the style more engaging in some chapters. It is not a difficult read, though I expected a more frightening story (this may be my own misunderstanding).

The character list might be handy to many, though it could be placed at the end in the Appendices, for those who lose track of who is who (in general, this was not difficult; a few characters are more prominent, and for great reasons so).

Freaky, fun and fascinating. Great main character whose story will keep many hooked - it’s unusual and it’s different to many we read today. I liked that she was so out there, and I think I’d read more of this world if that happened!!

Pitlaw really is a Godforsaken place, really not where you want to be growing up.

So it's no surprise that the fair coming to town is a big thing, especially for the teenagers.

But they hadn't reckoned on the folk of the fair being so...different

I feel like this would be a fantastic read for people whose favourite season of American Horror Story was Freak Show!

I loved that this was set in a conservative small town within Scotland, and the great respect and care the author took to include people who this history would be important to - queer people and disabled people, alongside outcasts. The note from the author at the beginning of the book was thoughtful and sweet.

However, my main issue with this book is I feel like there were too many characters. There is a list of the main characters and the townsfolk at the start of the book, but this is difficult to refer to when reading an eBook. I feel like, in part three, we really got more of a focus on Nancy and Ruth and everything else was background, which is how I feel the whole book should have gone just because it would have given more time and focus to spend on these characters to expand their stories and their development. In my opinion, they were the most interesting. I love the devotion to the power of teenage girls in this story, and I would have loved to have seen that become a bigger part of the novel.

I did enjoy the other characters, though. I thought what was unravelling between Zed and Derek to be very honest and painful, especially, that was also one of the storylines I really enjoyed following.

The book had a rise to the conservative townsfolk getting slowly more and more enraged by the ‘freakslaw’ and I thought this was also very realistic and absolutely enraging to read.

My star rating does not mean I didn’t enjoy this book, I did! I thought it was a really good debut, I just had some minor issues with it as the characters are (for me) the most important part of the story and, as I said earlier, I think we should have followed less characters to expand on them more.

This will appeal to lots and lots of people, I think!

Massive thanks to PRH and NetGalley, who provided a copy for review!

I was excited by the premise of this book - the travelling Freakslaw funfair and how it may come to be the unravelling of a small, conservative Scottish village. It reminded me slightly of Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, which is one of my favourite books, so I was interested to see how Flett navigated this setting.

I felt that Ruth was the most fleshed-out character of the wide cast, and I think the novel could have benefitted from slimming down the character list just slightly to allow for more focus, particularly on the circus side. I didn't find the horror element too strong or the scenes overly graphic, which is probably suited to a YA audience.

2.5 stars rounded up.

2.5* rounded up.

Freakslaw is a travelling funfair that arrives at a conservative small Scottish town, to titillate, entertain, and offer an opportunity of freedom for both the townsfolk and the funfair's ancestors.

The book begins with a list of characters, which was quite off putting. There is a large cast of characters within the book which could be overwhelming. and whilst I read the list, I can't be bothered scrolling back in an ebook (or any book for that matter) to check the list as I go.

It goes on to set the scene of funfair mystique and predictable outcry from the conservative townsfolk - but not all of them. Some are drawn to the funfair and the escape it offers. There are a few evocative scenes, but mostly I was left wanting more. I didn't find this to be a horror, more just a bit odd. It had a good start, but the ending felt rushed. For the most part, it's a story I've heard before. I felt that I was promised more than I got - more horrors and magic and wonder and terror. It's not particularly graphic (at least by my standards), although there is a fair bit of sex. I particularly liked Ruth's story, especially in the first half. I felt it could have picked up the pace a little, featured more evocative horrors, and utilised the magic better. Overall, it was good in parts but left me wanting more. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

"Freakslaw" by Jane Flett is a vibrant and evocative journey into the heart of a repressed Scottish town on the cusp of transformation. Set against the backdrop of the summer of '97, the arrival of the Freakslaw funfair ignites a spark of rebellion and desire for change among the town's inhabitants. Flett's cast of eccentric characters, from deviant queers to powerful fortune tellers, infuse Pitlaw with a kaleidoscope of color and intrigue. Yet, beneath the surface lies a simmering tension and a thirst for revenge that threatens to unravel the fabric of the town. "Freakslaw" is a mesmerizing tale of longing, rebellion, and the unyielding pursuit of freedom.

Freakslaw is a novel about a travelling circus that brings something shocking to a Scottish town. Pitlaw is the kind of town that no one ever leaves, though some of its residents want to escape. When the Freakslaw comes to town, a travelling circus of those who don't fit in including a fortune teller, a teenage witch, and many others, many residents of Pitlaw are appalled, but some are drawn to the fair, and to the freedom it offers. As the potential violence between Pitlaw and Freakslaw builds up, desires will be realised and revenge will be sought.

This novel opens with a list of characters, something which tends to put me off a book as it always feels like it means it won't explain who anyone is well enough within the actual narrative, but that wasn't the case with Freakslaw, thankfully. Though there are a lot of characters, they're not too difficult to keep track of, and the narrative is pretty straightforward, with a few main characters who are followed and then a lot of supporting ones. Though it is an adult book, the main characters are mostly teenagers, and generally the book has a sense of a different kind of coming-of-age, a chance to see that adulthood isn't just a straight-laced thing. Though it is set specifically in 1997, the narrative didn't particularly feel specific to that time, giving it an almost timeless feel.

The narrative builds up predictably, with a few darker moments but mostly just what you'd expect from a small-minded-community versus weirdos and queers story. It is maybe trying to be transgressive, but if you tend to read darker books, this is very light on basically any scale. There's not a huge amount of backstory given for any of the circus performers/workers, as the book is more focused on the people of Pitlaw, particularly teenagers Ruth and Derek, and I think that people looking for a story of a travelling circus of outsiders might be disappointed by this focus, but it does suit the coming-of-age feel.

Freakslaw is a decent read that I would've gone into with a better mindset if it didn't start with a list of all of the characters. There's some good plotlines in there—Ruth and Derek both get interesting narratives—but also a lot of underutilised characters due to the nature of the book and its focus. It's fun, but for me it didn't quite live up to the queer punk label it was promoted with.

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish reading this title.

The premise sounded like lots of fun and drew me in. In Pitlaw, a town which made me think of Footloose, people don't dream big and they rarely leave. When The Freakslaw comes to town, with their bright colours and variety of acts, the townsfolk are disapproving. But they don't know The freakslaw's real purpose - revenge.

The writing was a bit too crude for me, and even though I wanted to see how the story ended, I wasn't able to push through. It just didn't feel like some of the scenes were necessary to the narrative of the story and ended up just being uncomfortable to read.

Loved this! It's dark and spooky and explores the conflict between small-town small-mindedness and difference and queerness - both of the blow-ins with the funfair, and the townsfolk who find themselves with the help of the 'freaks'.

Thanks PRH & NetGalley for the early copy. I did enjoy this and felt it was a cool, dark and queer story all focused on our needs to fit into a community and place. It felt slightly YA with the themes, characters and language (minus some swearing) but that didn't stop it being a decent read.

Queer and dark read that explores the small towns mixed in with visitors, new ideas and darkness and teens who want to belong / explore.