"Out of the Easy" by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Out of the Easy
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Published: February 12, 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Anyone who asks me for great YA or Historical Fiction reads, I will drop the name Ruta Sepetys immediately! I reviewed her novel Between Shades of Gray last summer! It's still one of my favorites (The movie adaptation called Ashes in the Snow is currently being filmed)!  Ok. Fangirl moment over. Her second novel, Out of the Easy, didn't disappoint.

For Josie Moraine, life in The Big Easy during the 1950s isn't exactly...easy. Known by the locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, she wants more out of life than what the French Quarter can offer. She works tirelessly in her best friend's bookshop and cleans for Willie, the infamous brothel madame, all while thwarting her neglectful, thieving mother and her mother's new beau who brings trouble with him wherever he goes.

As she get older, Josie dreams of attending a prestigious university on the East Coast. However, she can't seem to shake the whispers and the stares that follow her everywhere. When a mysterious murder occurs in the Quarter, Josie finds herself wrapped up in an investigation that will challenge her to rise above her station or succumb to the expectations that the Quarter residents have already laid out for her.

Josie Moraine is a great female protagonist. She's strong, sassy, and resilient. She knows how to make the best out of a bad situation, and I think young ladies will love rooting for her. The rest of the characters are as seedy as they are sympathetic. It seems like everyone in the French Quarter is up to something, but Sepetys will make readers love them anyway.

I'm not an expert on 1950s New Orleans, but the notes of racial tension, classism, and the presence of mobsters fits the time period. I also know that the author conducts extensive research before she writes, so I'm going to leave the rest to Ruta and trust that it's all accurate.

I really enjoyed this book, however, it's not one that I would consider using in my classroom library. The details surrounding the brothel and the prostitutes are something that I consider inappropriate to read within a school building. But older kids and adults, if you're looking for your next historical fiction read, then this is one that you should get your hands on!

Kaylee says: