I, Emma Freke

Elizabeth Atkinson

"I, Emma Freke, am not a freak.  Or maybe I am.  I just don't know."

There are five thing Emma Freke does know.

1. Her mother didn't bother to say her name out loud before she signed the birth certificate.

2. That might not be such a big problem if she weren't almost 6 feet tall at age 12,

3. And if her mother would take a break from being a New Age weirdo and give her a straight answer about who her father is,

4. And if she didn't find it impossible to talk to someone her own age.

5. There has to be a place somewhere where she fits in...doesn't there?

When a mysterious letter comes inviting Emma to The Freke Family Reunion, to be held at a campground in the wilds of Wisconsin, Emma thinks she may just find out why she is the way she is.  But once she meets her fellow Frekes, things aren't at all what she expected.  Maybe it's better to be her own freak than someone else's Freke.

My Take:

This book is absolutely wonderful!  There were so many things I enjoyed about this book, so I'll get started with my favorite: Emma.  Feeling completely out of place in the world and not fitting in with anyone in her life, including herself, she feels lost and frustrated.  Being abruptly thrust from her New Age free spirit mom's guidance into her Stepford-esque family reunion allows her to carve her own existence in between the two.  She is a very strong girl who doesn't realize how brave she is until she has someone to stand up for, because she never stood up for herself.  After asserting herself, she learns to become comfortable in her own skin, which isn't an easy feat for a 6 foot tall 12 year old girl.  This is a great book for any girl who feels like she is too adult to relate to the kids her age, but not quite adult enough to relate to grownups (that was me!) The plot moves well, and is predicable, but the book isn't so much about the events but about Emma's character evolution.  I, Emma Freke is really a timeless book for anyone to enjoy who was ever less than confident during the preteen and teen years.  Aside from the great characters in this book, I loved the writing.  It was funny, simple, subtle, quirky and fully engaging.  It's all told from Emma's point of view, and the author does a great job of sucking the reader right in and feeling what Emma is feeling.  I can't wait to read more from this author!  This book was easy to rate: 1Pay Full Price.  Everyone can relate to this book, because we all have a bit of a Freke in us.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If I, Emma Freke was a movie, it would be rated PG

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

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