Freak

Ron Sanders
Masterpiece Press (2008)
ISBN 9780615142371
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (4/08)


Vilenov is a man that gets what he wants.  As a matter of fact he can get what he wants from any woman.  When a nosy neighbor of a woman named Purly, suspects that she is being taken advantage of by this man, the authorities are alerted.  When they investigate, chaos erupts.  They discover that nothing is as it appears to be.  Vilenov seems to be either drugging or hypnotizing Purly into performing sexual acts on him.  When the media gets a hold of his photo, more women come forward.  Those investigating are stumped because he appears to have the ability to alter people’s thoughts.  What appears to be happening on tape is very different from what people remember.

When Vilenov gets captured, he presents two different personas. The first is of a man who is proud that he can take what he wants whether it is a woman or money.  The second persona appears when he tells his story of his upbringing and abusive father.  While his story is compelling, he is still a vile, despicable character with no redeeming qualities.  That part of what makes “Freak” so fun to read.

“Freak” is definitely an attention-grabbing story.  Sanders created a very interesting plot from a unique idea.  It made me think, “what if?”  When people talk about superhero powers they would like to have, the answers usually involve invisibility or being able to fly.  I suspect, after reading “Freak” a few unscrupulous people would choose Vilenov’s ability to control minds so that they can do what he does.  How unsettling.

“Freak” is something different.  I am not quite sure how to categorize it.  I think it sits in a class by itself.  I also think that people who enjoy books with quirky twists will love it.

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