Title: Out of the Easy
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publishing date: February 13, 2013
Source: Netgalley ARC
My Summary: Josie Moraine is yearning for more in her life. The daughter of a prostitute, she has had a tough life in the New Orleans Quarter. Even though she is a smart girl and did well in school, she has not gone on to study in college. This is mostly due to the fact that she does not want to be known as the prostitute’s daughter anymore. Josie wants to live her life on her own without having to feel that people are judging her. So Jo plugs along working at the book store and cleaning the brothel in the mornings to save up for the day when she will be able to leave New Orleans.
What I Thought: This book was a beautifully written novel. I enjoyed the depth of the characters and fell in love with all of them. I loved how the author wrote about characters that society would usually think of as people on the margin. It really made me rethink the quick judgements I might be inclined to make when thinking about prostitutes and madams. I also liked the way the author surprised me on a number of occasions throughout the story and kept me on my toes as a reader. There are some true scoundrels in this narrative, but also some true gems who I would love to know and count as friends. I was rooting for Josie throughout the book and worried about her almost as much as Willie did. If you are anything like me, this is a book that you will not be able to put down.
This was another gem of a book from Ruta Sepetys. I will certainly continue to look for more from this author in the future.
