From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10–Francesca (Franky) Pierson opens this story by Joyce Carol Oates (HarperTempest, 2003) by introducing us to the no-nonsense, competent, take-action adult persona she feels taking shape inside herself whom she calls Freaky Green Eyes. It's these eyes that see her situation clearly, although Francesca herself doesn't want to connect all the dots and let herself understand her family's awful situation. Her father is an abuser, both emotionally and physically, and Francesca and her younger sister and older half-brother all know how to tiptoe around him and keep him absolutely happy and in control. But her mother seems increasingly unwilling to keep him in balance by being completely subservient and compliant. Franky turns against her mother emotionally for rocking the boat, yet sees the truth. When her mother and a male friend disappear, it becomes obvious to listeners that Franky's father is to blame. As Freaky Green Eyes comes more and more to the fore, Franky begins to see her family's situation more realistically. Stina Nielsen lets listener's hear Franky's dawning awareness of the terrible truth, perfectly voicing her emotional responses to the situation. Teens in upper middle and high school will be drawn to this fine psychological portrayal of family violence.–Jane P. Fenn, Corning-Painted Post West High School, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. Freaky Green Eyes is the name 15-year-old Franky gives to her stronger self, the part that has to deal with the enigma that is her parents' relationship. With a nod to the O. J. Simpson case, Oates pulls readers into a fast-paced, first-person thriller that begins when Franky's mother, an artist, begins spending alone time at her cabin. It's immediately clear that her situation isn't idyllic; Franky's father, former football hero and popular sportscaster Reid Pierson, is calling the shots as to when his wife can come and go. There's no nuance to Reid's character. He's a charming, controlling bully who rules his family; should his will be thwarted, he gets physical. When Mrs. Pierson and a male friend disappear, there's also no mystery about who's behind the abduction; the clues, if that's what they are meant to be, are awkwardly dropped. Yet what could have been a predictable plot in the hands of a less-experienced writer becomes an absorbing page-turner as Franky slowly lets herself accept the violence that has always been in her family and finds the courage to stand up to her father. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description

"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. Yet deep within herself, a secret part of her she calls Freaky Green Eyes knows that something is terribly wrong. And only Freaky can open Franky's eyes to the truth.

Card catalog description
Fourteen-year-old Frankie relates the events of the year leading up to her mother's mysterious disappearance and her own struggle to discover and accept the truth about her parents' relationship.

ANNOTATION

Fifteen-year-old Frankie relates the events of the year leading up to her mother's mysterious disappearance and her own struggle to discover and accept the truth about her parents' relationship.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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. It began with me a year ago this past July. A few weeks after my fourteenth birthday. When Freaky Green Eyes came into my heart. When her parents separate, Franky Pierson has no trouble deciding whose side she's on. After all, her mother is the one who chose to leave. And when her mother is suddenly reported missing, Franky believes she's simply pulled a disappearing act and deserted their family for good. But a part of Franky, a part she calls Freaky Green Eyes, knows that something is wrong. And it's up to Freaky to open Franky's eyes to the truth.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In our 2003 Best Books citation, PW wrote, "The daughter of a charismatic football star-turned-sportscaster narrates this captivating novel, which bears some resemblance to the O.J. Simpson story. Oates builds the mounting tension masterfully." Ages 14-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

VOYA - Christine Sanderson

Fourteen-year-old Francesca "Franky" Pierson, daughter of a former football star and famous broadcaster, cannot understand her mother's reluctance to be a part of her father's success. When her parents separate, she shuts her mother out of her life and closes her eyes to the signs that her popular father is controlling and abusive. Earlier that summer, however, Franky had discovered an inner strength and refers to that part of herself as "Freaky Green Eyes." As the summer continues, Freaky Green Eyes allows her to accept the truth about her parents' relationship and finally to testify against her father when she realizes that he has murdered her mother. "I was Freaky Green Eyes, and knew what I wanted and wasn't afraid." For readers old enough to remember the O. J. Simpson trial, there are obvious parallels, including Franky's quick-tempered, football star father and the murder of her mother and a friend. Oates's use of an adolescent narrator who comes of age while learning the truth about her family and helping to solve her mother's murder, however, adds an original dimension to this story. For younger readers without the trial as a frame of reference, the novel stands on its own as a realistic treatment of domestic abuse. Given the book's strong female protagonist, it should have broad appeal with girls, particularly in junior high school. It is appropriate for all libraries. VOYA Codes: 3Q 4P J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, HarperCollins, 352p,

KLIATT - Claire Rosser

This thriller reminds the reader of the infamous O.J. Simpson case, in that it is about the family of a highly successful sports commentator and the murder of his wife, the narrator's mother. Franky (Francesca) adores her father and blames her mother for making him mad. She herself successfully fights off a violent encounter with an older teenager who tries to rape her, who accuses her of having "freaky green eyes" when she gets angry. So Franky doesn't know why her mother can't defend herself better. Her mother is trying her best to establish a life away from the controlling obsessions of her husband, Franky's father. She gets a cottage in a harbor community and pursues her art, telling her children she loves them and their father, but needs to have her own space. Franky and her younger sister see this as desertion and have very little understanding of the true situation. But when their mother disappears altogether, Franky questions her own assumptions about the family situation, and she opens her eyes to the possibility that her father is a murderer. Oates creates a suspenseful story about a strong, intelligent young woman. The high stakes involved in facing the truth are grippingly realistic; in fact, Franky's older brother is never able to accept his father's guilt and interprets Franky's cooperation with the police as betrayal. This will be a popular selection in the YA collection. KLIATT Codes: JS; Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2003, HarperCollins, 341p.,

Kirkus Reviews