Review: Out of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys

GoodReads Summary: It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

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Publication date: 07/03/13 (UK)

1950, New Orleans. Josie, the daughter of a heartless and uncaring brothel prostitute dreams of escaping the Big Easy, and going to college. She wants nothing more than to start fresh, and leave behind the whispers that follow her every waking step...

Josie is one of the strongest YA heroines I've come across. She moved way from home into an apartment on top of a bookshop at the sheer age of 11, and now (at the age of 17) works there. Her cruel and selfish mother neglects her, steals from her, and obsesses over a abusive man that reeks of trouble. But, despite all of this, Josie is not one to dwell on her misfortunes, instead she soldiers on, determined to one day achieve her dreams.

Out of The Easy features a colourful cast of characters. My favourite character by far, though, has to be Willie, the madame of the brothel. I think this description "wicked stepmother with the fairy godmother heart" fits her well. Despite her icey exterior, she cares deeply for Josie. She is a brilliant, if not unconventional mother figure.

The love interest, Jesse, with his leather jacket and motorbike quickly won me over. Behind his quiet and shy demeanor there is an intelligent and charming young man. The romance between Jesse and Josie is subtle, it develops at a steady pace and is just downright swoon worthy. 

I appreciated Sepetys' portrayal of the prostitutes, she shows that they're not tragic, bitter characters, instead they're just like us - they have feelings and do what they have to in order to survive. Strong, funny, and caring, these women oddly found a place in my heart.

I never would have picked this up before I  became a book blogger. YA historical fiction is just one of the many genres that book blogging has introduced me to, and for that I am grateful. Out of The Easy is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that has quickly made it to my favourites shelf.

"The only reason I'd lift my skirt is to pull out my pistol and plug you in the head."

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