This is another book that I think just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed it enough that I finished reading, but it took me a long time. There was a huge cast of characters abs honestly, I had trouble remembering who was who at some points. It was an interesting concept, and the writing was beautiful and descriptive, but I felt bored and found I had to force myself to pick up the book to read. I would be interested in reading more by Jane Flett, but overall this one was just middle of the road for me.

Freakslaw by Jane Flett, with a multitude of cast members, rapid fire storytelling in one dimensional characters we hear a story about a circus of freaks that come to a Scottish town knee-deep in tradition and family, whose town members want them there as much as those in the circus want to be a town member which is not at all. in the book, we hear about an over sexualized teenager, whose favorite thing to do is create a story of lies right before having underaged sex with random men and sometimes women. It would’ve been easier to identify or even feel sympathy for the characters in the circus have they not had a in your face type attitude throughout the book. It ultimately ends up with a nerds versus Jock ending. That one was hard to get in to because despite it being overly described the reasons to care about either side was few and far between. I think had the author spent as much time on why we should care about these characters as she did on the flowery way to describe them. It would’ve been a much better read. also, I wouldn’t put this book under the genre horror.#NetGalley, #ZandoPress, #TheBlindReviewer, #JaneFlett, #FreaksLaw,

I enjoyed this one. Love me a book with carnival freaks, magic, teenaged rebellion and more! The structure could be hard for some people to get into - it switches to different characters POV by each paragraph sometimes which can be confusing. I just went with the flow and got used to it - and enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I gave it a good try at 105 pages and I just couldn't do it anymore, unfortunately. The writing style is just odd, and when a book starts from chapter to chapter jumping to a different character each time with too many characters, it's just too much. It sounded like it might turn out like Freak Show from American horror story which was my favorite season, but it's far from it.

There was way too many characters to follow, i kept struggling at all times to remember who’s who and it made it very hard to care about any of them. Nancy was insufferable which didn’t help but even for others they weren’t truly appealing even if interesting and they were all written with only revenge as goal and nothing else, making them very empty

3.5 rounded down - Originally DNFed at 40% in the winter and finally just picked it back up. The atmosphere and vibes are deliciously gritty but the story took way too long to come to fruition and I often lost track of which character was which. I think it would be a perfect book to read in the late summer and will maybe come back to it down the road and see if my opinions change without a couple month long hiatus.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! My only complaint is that I wish it was a little longer so we could get to know some of the characters better!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

90s Scotland, in a small town called Pitlaw, a bunch of brightly colored caravans barge in and the townsfolk sense a change in the air. Pitlaw is just a town of hard working men who never miss a get together at the pub, their loyal housewives and kids who are most likely destined for the same fate, but what happens when something as tempting, as new and as troublemaking as a funfair like the Freakslaw arrives is anyone's guess... Moth to a flame and all that.

The people of the Freakslaw, however, know what they're here for: revenge and some fun along the way.

The main characters of this book are queer angst and a thirst for revenge. There's also a hungry joy that lives between those pages, one that has sharp teeth and isn't afraid to bare them. This book is for those who understand the power in reclaiming a slur, in taking the outsider's prejudiced discomfort and turning it against themselves, for the ones who wear "queer" as a "we're here and try hard as you might to hurt us, we'll never disappear".

It's cathartic, allowing some space for that rage to exist and it was the reason why I picked this book up. I was super satisfied with this story's arc, even if I found it lacking in other areas. Every single character that's part of the Freakslaw was endearing — even Nancy, and I just love a found family of queer weirdos who would do anything to protect their own. This is not a book you come to for moral goodness, by the way: these characters are flawed, they're angry and want payback for every judging look, every insult, every bruise once inflicted upon them, and to them whatever method is as good as any.

There isn't much character building here but I didn't find that too unfortunate. If anything I feel like it works so well for the story the book's trying to tell: that of queer individuals who form a beautiful whole, together against the world, but still retain their uniqueness, as opposed to Pitlaw where everyone is desperately isolated yet expected to fit the same mold.

I also loved the way that this takes the ableist, queerphobic narrative of a freak show and makes it something else entirely.

The writing in this left me wanting more edge. This book is categorized as horror but its' voice often felt a little too passive for me to feel that urgency that would've made it more explosive; it's more brutal thriller than graphic horror. But it is nonetheless a gripping read and if you find yourself relating to any of the feelings I invoked earlier, I think you will enjoy this. The last act is what makes this book worth the slow earlier parts, in my opinion.

I would recommend this to anyone who's in need of letting out some pent up rage (which I know is a lot of us at the moment) but maybe not to those who don't quite relate to the first paragraph following my blurb.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

Freakslaw has a truly unique and imaginative concept, and the writing is undeniably strong. The author’s ability to weave metaphors throughout the narrative gives the story a vibrant and rich atmosphere. The premise itself is clever, and there’s a lot of potential for the story to really draw readers in.

However, the execution falls short in a few key areas. While the plot is engaging, it feels a bit too linear and predictable, lacking the twists and turns that could have elevated the story. The pacing also struggles due to the book’s length, and unfortunately, there aren’t many truly shocking or horrific moments to make it as gripping as it could have been.

The cast of characters is diverse, but despite their originality, they never quite develop into fully fleshed-out personalities. I didn’t have trouble keeping track of them, but none of them felt particularly memorable or complex, which left the emotional impact of the book somewhat lacking.

Overall, Freakslaw is an entertaining read with a solid premise and excellent writing, but it doesn’t quite live up to its potential. It remains at a surface level, which makes it an enjoyable experience but not one that sticks with you for long.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A small town in 1990's Scotland is turned upside down when their narrow, traditional views are challenged by the introduction of a strange, unusual, colorful circus--the Freakslaw. This book has a strong narrative voice that jumps between perspectives, both in and outside of the circus; there are quite a lot of characters but each one dazzles and jumps off the page! Freakslaw is a book that welcomes conversation and holds a mirror to archaic and inane 'values' we still see as a society today--places that appear to be stuck inside of some weird time capsule/ echo chamber kind of place. Flett brilliantly contrasts fantasy and whimsy with far darker and unsettling themes (I definitely got some AHS: Freak Show vibes). This was an impressive literary horror debut and I'm SO looking forward to reading more from this author!

The characters, the setting, the vibes, the themes…everything was great. The way the story was written just did not work for me. It was so disjointed that I never really connected with any of the characters at all. Any time I started to get invested, we jumped to a completely different storyline. I have a hard time reviewing this one because I loved so many aspects of it but I had a really hard time getting through it.

The best thing about this book is the writing style. The way Jane describes the freakshow ground and what characters are doing and The horror aspect. However i just felt they were way too many characters and i was so glad there was an index to follow.

This is definitely a rollercoaster of a story. If you enjoy character driven stories this one is for you. It's definitely a fun story filled with danger, revenge and quite the funfair.

From the first page I was captivated by the prose.. Jane Flett creates a deeply vivid world with fascinating, complex characters and elements of magic that are as charming as they can be terrifying.

As a Scottish person I appreciated the Scottish writing in this book and that it was set in Scotland. I was fascinated by the premise of this book but I feel I got lost slightly in the chaos that unfolds in the book. There is also a lot of characters and I found myself taking a while to sus and remember who is who. However, the book was unlike anything I had read before with a fresh idea and take on the carnival. I did overall enjoy this book and would read more of Jane Fletts work.

this is pure chaos and i mean that in both the best way possible and also in the way that at times it left me confused.

it’s billed as a horror but it doesn’t feel like horror. it feels like a brand new story and concept and also one that i’ve heard a hundred different times. the writing was stunning and i loved it, most of the time. and ultimately i had a good time reading it and i would 100% read more from this author in the future.

Thank you, Jane Flett and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

To me, i couldn't categorize this as horror. I'm not sure where I'd put this. It wasn't scary, but I really did enjoy it. Even saying that there were moments that were dark, twisted, and downright raunchy. The descriptions so vivid I could clearly see things playing out in my head like a movie. If you're into Carnivals, the unique and the strange look no further. This book is full of the strange and unknown. There is also danger, hate, anger, and small minds of hicks that don't understand the wonders of those that are different. This book was a decently fast-paced book, and I had no trouble understanding what was going on. There is strange magic, and this book in all is a strange read.

Dazzling lights, music, and wonder, that's what a carnival is. Of course, when it arrives in the small town of Pitlaw, there are old fires that still linger... but is it in the present, the past, or both? What's going to happen when the freaks start pulling tricks and magic in this town? What will they people of this town do and the freaks of the Freakslaw do in retribution? The real question is what won't happen and what will be the outcome in the end.

I honestly had no idea how this book was going to end, and im glad I stayed with it all the way to the end. I love books like this as I don't find them often. If you have an it for something twisted and strange look no further. Sadly, it took me longer to read than I wanted, but that's what happens when you take care of a one year old.

Something wicked this way comes….again. A very strange read for me, at times it felt progressive, transgressive and others it was like I’ve read this story a million times. Likewise, the writing was gorgeous and then overwrought, the plot felt like it was diving deep and then other times I felt everything was surface level. It definitely clunks you over the head with its ideas about taking revenge on toxic masculinity, backward thinking, and small town closed mindedness etc.

The writing style is so descriptive and visceral I feel like I can smell, touch and taste everything. Which was amazing but it also made the book slightly harder to get through because my brain had to work a little harder to picture everything and keep up with what's happening.

It feels purposely chaotic, poetic and even profound in places.

I think at times there was more a focus on the vibe and atmosphere building than the plot at times.

If you're after American horror story - freakshow vibes, I'm sure you'll enjoy this read.

A traveling carnival arrives in the Scottish town of Pitlaw seeking revenge for their murdered ancestors. Their fellow "freaks."

I appreciated some of the references... ahem, Brian Molko... but overall Freakslaw fell flat. It read like a poor amalgamation of the X-Files episode "Humbug" and American Horror Story: Freak Show. Entertaining enough, but not quite memorable enough to stand out.