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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
For some reason I can’t explain, the premise of this book really appealed to me so I was very excited to read this book. It’s more character driven and doesn’t have much of an actual plot, but I really enjoyed this book. Josie, or Jo, is the daughter of a prostitute in New Orleans and in 1950 is 17. She’s very intelligent and nothing like her mother. She’s trying desperately to get out of New Orleans and make a better life for herself, but gets mixed up in all sorts of mischief, mostly thanks to her mother’s bad decisions. It’s a coming of age story with found family, a bit of mystery, and the moral that our decisions shape our destiny. Would definitely recommend.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think I love this writer. All three of her books that I've read to date have been amazing, and I can't wait to start the next one.
Her characterizations are strong, her writing is empathetic, and her characters are flawed and wounded but decent. More please!
1/3/23: I reread this book for Book Club. I still like it, I still like Josie and the setting, but on second read,.
I understand this is Ruta's second book, and I can see a bit of the evolving author. I still enjoy it: Josie's determination, the kindness that is found anywhere in life (potentially), as well as the corruption found anywhere in life (potentially). I am solidly middle class. I can see myself easily being either a class mate or a classmate's parent who would have looked askance at Josie from ignorance. I like this kind of reading because it makes me think more carefully about how I am walking through the world and interacting with other people.
Her characterizations are strong, her writing is empathetic, and her characters are flawed and wounded but decent. More please!
1/3/23: I reread this book for Book Club. I still like it, I still like Josie and the setting, but on second read,
Spoiler
the black hand, Willie, her death and the resolution of the black hand all seem rushed. It's almost like Ruta was enjoying being in the world and then realized she was making it harder to get the story to end.I understand this is Ruta's second book, and I can see a bit of the evolving author. I still enjoy it: Josie's determination, the kindness that is found anywhere in life (potentially), as well as the corruption found anywhere in life (potentially). I am solidly middle class. I can see myself easily being either a class mate or a classmate's parent who would have looked askance at Josie from ignorance. I like this kind of reading because it makes me think more carefully about how I am walking through the world and interacting with other people.
I really loved this book. I had not heard anything about this book when I bought it, but I was looking for a dark YA book set in New Orleans, and this was the first one I found. Now, it’s not that dark or creepy, but it is definitely mysterious and was a wonderful read. There were cute parts and there were sad parts, and although I didn’t cry when reading this, there were times when I was feeling all the emotions for Josie. This book really surprised me with how good it was, and I will definitely be picking up Rita Sepetys’ other books now. This book made me just want to drop everything and move to New Orleans, even though Josie was trying to do the opposite, I couldn’t help but be allured by the New Orleans atmosphere that the book set up. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a historical fiction mystery novel with fun friendships set in New Orleans.
This book was amazing! Ruta Sepetys is now my favorite author I have read all of her books and can not wait for what she is writing next! Better review to come!
I have read a few books by this author and am always impressed by her stories and reflections on various places and time periods. Although I enjoyed this book, I struggled with the lack of depth to the characters. I also struggled with all of the loose ends. And some things just did not make sense, like Charlie holding his box and typing letters (did it mean something) and Patrick just totally leaving and no further discussion about his love? I appreciated what the author was trying to do here, but would have liked some more depth and explanation.
Not as powerful as Sepeyts' first book, but still a gripping story. And Josie is a main character to root for.
I've never been to New Orleans, but I now I feel like I have after reading this book. The main character, Josie Moraine, has A LOT of obstacles to overcome in order to attain her dream of getting out of New Orleans and attending college. But, you're rooting for her the whole way, just hoping that something good will happen to her.
I must admit, this book made me cry twice!
I must admit, this book made me cry twice!
I enjoyed most of the characters and most of the plot line. What busted this book down to a 3 star for me was the dialog. There were areas where it didn't flow naturally, and/or didn't ring true. There were areas where the characters could have come off a great deal smarter than their dialog allowed.