A Book Review: First on the List: Out of the Easy By Ruta Sepetys

A Book Review on 

'Out of the Easy' By Ruta Sepetys

I recently finished this book and I've read another by the same author and they're both honestly just brilliant for a number of reasons. They're both very, very down to earth and they capture a reality many of us would never be able to dream of, first and foremost because both of her books are set in the past. Here's the blurb of this one, so you can get a feel for what I mean :)

'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.

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.'

 (Sourced from x)

I found this book especially poignant because it didn't try to disguise the truth of the matter, it didn't try to create a reality that would never have come about, it told it how it would've been and in many ways that honesty is what brings that flair and enjoyment in a book. 

It also flowed incredibly well and by that I mean that though things happened that you may not have expected to happen, they didn't happy awkwardly or completely out of the blue. They integrated into the plot wonderfully and you didn't feel like you were being lurched along whatever way the author wanted the story to go. There were some parts that I wasn't sure about but they still worked well with the book and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a good read at the weekend :)

In summary, the book encapsulates what it's like for a girl of lower class to try and make something of herself and it's endearing to us as the reader because it makes you realise what life was like back then I guess. The funny thing is, we'll never really know what life was really like at all seeing as though it's set 60 years ago but the way it's written works very well indeed.

I hope that you guys enjoyed my review, I know it wasn't particularly detailed on characters or whatever but I was mesmerised by the book as a whole and I would love to hear your thoughts on any details if any of you guys have read the book yourselves :)

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day!