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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I should say up front that I’m a massive Ruta Sepetys fan, so this is not exactly an unbiased opinion.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
On a group coaching call yesterday someone shared that they’ve been playing with the idea of “starting faster AND ending faster.” The latter really stuck with me, as evidenced by 2 DNFs in 2 days. 🙃
I tried (i almost always do for YA bookclub) but this was soooo boring to me.
Not my jam, at all.
I tried (i almost always do for YA bookclub) but this was soooo boring to me.
Not my jam, at all.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment
4.5
"My mother's a prostitute."
For most of Josie's life, that one sentence has summed up her existence. Born to a no-good mother who never wanted her and raised in a circa-1950 French Quarter brothel by a no-nonsense madam named Willie, a gentle mixed-race cab driver called Cokie, a successful writer and his literary son, and a bunch of hookers, Josie's life is nothing like that of the girls she reads about in the society pages. Although she works in a reputable bookstore and makes an honest living, she's never far away from the seedy underbelly of the Big Easy, and no one ever forgets where she came from or who her mother is...
When she meets Charlotte, a Smith College attendee from back East, Josie finally decides what she wants to do with her life. She wants to leave behind New Orleans and reinvent herself as a college student and member of polite society. But will she be able to get away from the Easy?
In Out of The Easy as in [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479s/7824322.jpg|10870318], Septys makes you care about situations and characters that at first seem dauntingly alien. She has a knack for making historical fiction relevant and relatable, and her writing is crisp, vivid, and often funny. The Cokie character treads dangerously close to Wise Black Man territory at times, but the context of the time and the genuine affection Willie and Josie have for him lessen the feeling of tokenism.
Although it's relatively clean for a book about prostitution, this one is still for the older teens and adults. It will appeal to readers who like mid-century historific, and those who like books that feel very 'movie-like' & are easy to visualize. Fans of female-oriented historical fiction like [b:Code Name Verity|11925514|Code Name Verity|Elizabeth Wein|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1337034341s/11925514.jpg|16885788] might also be fans.
"My mother's a prostitute."
For most of Josie's life, that one sentence has summed up her existence. Born to a no-good mother who never wanted her and raised in a circa-1950 French Quarter brothel by a no-nonsense madam named Willie, a gentle mixed-race cab driver called Cokie, a successful writer and his literary son, and a bunch of hookers, Josie's life is nothing like that of the girls she reads about in the society pages. Although she works in a reputable bookstore and makes an honest living, she's never far away from the seedy underbelly of the Big Easy, and no one ever forgets where she came from or who her mother is...
When she meets Charlotte, a Smith College attendee from back East, Josie finally decides what she wants to do with her life. She wants to leave behind New Orleans and reinvent herself as a college student and member of polite society. But will she be able to get away from the Easy?
In Out of The Easy as in [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479s/7824322.jpg|10870318], Septys makes you care about situations and characters that at first seem dauntingly alien. She has a knack for making historical fiction relevant and relatable, and her writing is crisp, vivid, and often funny. The Cokie character treads dangerously close to Wise Black Man territory at times, but the context of the time and the genuine affection Willie and Josie have for him lessen the feeling of tokenism.
Although it's relatively clean for a book about prostitution, this one is still for the older teens and adults. It will appeal to readers who like mid-century historific, and those who like books that feel very 'movie-like' & are easy to visualize. Fans of female-oriented historical fiction like [b:Code Name Verity|11925514|Code Name Verity|Elizabeth Wein|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1337034341s/11925514.jpg|16885788] might also be fans.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was a slow start for me, but I think that's because I was busy with work and didn't feel compelled to read in the evenings. However, once I had time to dedicate, I found it to be a quick, easy read.
Josie is a strong-willed character and it is easy to empathize with her. Her choices reflect her desire to avoid her mother's way of life, even when she thinks she has no other choice but to follow in her steps.
Despite her profession, I found Willie to be a strong figure for Josie and often wondered if she was actually Josie's mother, though nothing actually supports that observation. Perhaps it is the role she fills in Josie's life that is otherwise vacant.
Excellent book for students who are looking for strong female characters.
Josie is a strong-willed character and it is easy to empathize with her. Her choices reflect her desire to avoid her mother's way of life, even when she thinks she has no other choice but to follow in her steps.
Despite her profession, I found Willie to be a strong figure for Josie and often wondered if she was actually Josie's mother, though nothing actually supports that observation. Perhaps it is the role she fills in Josie's life that is otherwise vacant.
Excellent book for students who are looking for strong female characters.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5⭐️ I just love Ruta Sepetys's writing. Unfortunately, this one was not my favourite, and fell a bit short for me, when compared to her other books. It was still a well written story, but just not for me!
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
