Module 4 Review - Out of the Easy

 

Bibliographic Information

Sepetys, Ruta. 2013. OUT OF THE EASY. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN: 978-0147508430

Plot 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 to 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. With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.

Critical Analysis

“There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.” - Sir Francis Bacon

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys is a story told from the perspective of our young protagonist, 17 year old Josie Moraine. Growing up as the daughter of a brothel prostitute in New Orleans' French Quarter, Josie Moraine had a rough childhood and has no knowledge of who her father is or could be. In order to avoid ending up like her mother, she is determined to make more out of her life... But things aren't that simple for her. After living in the book shop she works in for quite some time, she's now working on a plan to leave New Orleans and start a new life in college. Her plans get much more complicated when a mysterious death in the Quarter might be linked to her or her mother... She has never been close to her mother, and now her mother's old 'boyfriend' is back in town looking for trouble. There are a lot of twists and turns in this novel, most of which I wasn’t expecting and kept me interested as I read. Even though Josie has had a rough start, she's determined to change her life, and I liked how the bookshop (my kryptonite as a librarian) played a key role in the story. In addition to the setting and prose, the character development is excellent, and I felt like I was right there with the characters in the 1950s. This history of New Orleans has always been very interesting to me, and you could tell that Ruta Sepetys did her research on the history and culture of the time and city.

Since Out of the Easy was told in first person perspective, Josie’s thoughts and feelings led her to become a very relatable character. She is sassy, smart, tough, and independent. She is always seeking more for herself, and strives to give herself a better life. She made me feel inspired. She also broke my heart in a way, especially as a mother of a daughter. Josie literally wants to escape the life that she was raised in, and her mother is cruel and mocks her. While Josie is resilient and inspiring, she shouldn’t have to be. However, the message the book gives is a strong one. When chasing your dreams, you don’t need anyone else to achieve them. Be brave and strong like Josie. Bad experiences do not mean that you are going to have a bad life, and life is so worth living. I recommend this book to all teenagers who feel trapped in the life they have been given. If you feel that you are trapped in the circumstances you have been given, the only real way out is to rely on yourself.

Awards Won & Review Excerpt(s)

*A New York Times Bestseller

*A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice

*A Junior Library Guild Book Pick

*An Indie Next List Top Ten Pick

*Publishers Weekly (starred review) - “Irresistible from the get-go.”

*School Library Journal (starred review) - “A Dickensian array of characters; the mystique, ambience, and language of the French Quarter … and a coming-of-age realization that personal decisions ultimately shape one’s future.”

*Kirkus Reviews (starred review) - “With a rich and realistic setting, a compelling and entertaining first-person narration, a colorful cast of memorable characters and an intriguing storyline, this is a surefire winner. Immensely satisfying.”

Connections

*The author chose to write this story solely from Josie's point of view. How did that choice affect you as a reader? Select another character from the story and describe how your reading experience would have been different if the story had been told from her/his perspective?

*Research the history, culture, and notable places in New Orleans during the 1950s. Create a presentation, poster, or a digital project about how the historical context influenced the novel's events. Some resources include: 

-The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) - www.hnoc.org

-New Orleans Public Library Digital Archives - archives.nolalibrary.org

-Louisiana Folklife Program - www.louisianafolklife.org

*Read other novels by Ruta Sepetys:

-THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE. ISBN 978-0142423639

-SALT TO THE SEA. ISBN 978-0142423622

-BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY. ISBN 978-0142420591