Recent Read: Out of the Easy

Josie is the daughter of a prostitute. But despite her growing up among prostitutes in a New Orleans brothel, she's smart, loves literature, and sets her sights on a life outside of the Big Easy. She dreams of going to Smith College after meeting a student there, but can't see how she'll ever be accepted or have enough money. And even as she decides to try, a wealthy tourist's suspicious death threatens to disrupt her her friends, family and future.

There's a little bit of everything in Ruta Sepetys's second novel: mystery, historical setting, romance, the criminal underbelly of New Orleans, and a valiant girl striving for something better. But despite the murder and prostitution (among other things), this is no titillating thriller. Instead, Out of the Easy is about character, decisions, and relationships (with a little scandal thrown in). Sepetys has created interesting, likable characters, and she includes a lot of historical detail. Even though it's not your typical page-tuner, there's a lot going on. I'm so pleased to find that Sepetys is just as good the second time around (if you haven't read Between Shades of Gray--not to be confused with 50 Shades of Grey--you should get it). She seems to have an attraction to the human spirit.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Philomel
Releases February 12, 2013
review based on advanced reader copy--uncorrected proof



Review based on uncorrected advanced galley.