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A review by reclusivebookslug
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I first read this with my seventh-grade Language Arts class. It is one of the only books I was forced to read for school that I actually liked. An otherwise good book can get ruined for me by having to read it that way, so I think my enjoyment of it is a testament to how great it is.
This novel encompasses for me the potential of the YA genre. Reading it again now as a college student with much more reading experience under my belt, it seems to me that this was a necessary predecessor to some of my other favorite YA novels (The Perks of Being a Wallflower in particular comes to mind). Coming-of-age stories are so important for people of all ages -- themes of self-discovery, learning to navigate the world around you, finding a place to belong, value formation, learning to empathize with people different from yourself, and dealing with new and difficult experiences will always be relevant.
I recently saw a clip of YA author John Green addressing criticism that real teenagers are not as well-spoken as those in his books. His response was that reflecting their internal sense of self and emotional reality was more important than being strictly realistic. Young people do not see themselves the way adults might. Their hopes and worries are real and important to them, no matter how trivial other people (i.e. unempathetic, out-of-touch adults) might think their problems and accomplishments are. I find this sentiment applicable to a lot of great YA fiction, including this book, which has also been accused of being unrealistic and melodramatic.
This novel encompasses for me the potential of the YA genre. Reading it again now as a college student with much more reading experience under my belt, it seems to me that this was a necessary predecessor to some of my other favorite YA novels (The Perks of Being a Wallflower in particular comes to mind). Coming-of-age stories are so important for people of all ages -- themes of self-discovery, learning to navigate the world around you, finding a place to belong, value formation, learning to empathize with people different from yourself, and dealing with new and difficult experiences will always be relevant.
I recently saw a clip of YA author John Green addressing criticism that real teenagers are not as well-spoken as those in his books. His response was that reflecting their internal sense of self and emotional reality was more important than being strictly realistic. Young people do not see themselves the way adults might. Their hopes and worries are real and important to them, no matter how trivial other people (i.e. unempathetic, out-of-touch adults) might think their problems and accomplishments are. I find this sentiment applicable to a lot of great YA fiction, including this book, which has also been accused of being unrealistic and melodramatic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Police brutality, Death of parent, Violence, and Grief