Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys 3.5/5 Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2013), Carnegie Medal Nominee (2014), Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award for Honor Book (2014), South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult (2015), Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award Nominee for Young Adults (2015), Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2015), Lincoln Award Nominee (2015), Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2016) Version française: Big Easy Synopsis 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. My thoughts I have been eyeing Out of the Easy since I was around 14. But, you know how it is, new exciting arrivals appear, and suddenly older books fall off the radar. Luckily, Sepetys’ fame over the years has only grown, therefore, serving as a constant reminder of the existence of OotE. After reading (and loving) her two most critically acclaimed novels Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Grey, I chose to make my way through her body of work. Unfortunately, OotE does not compare to the aforementioned novels. It was by far my least favourite, despite a promising storyline and unique setting. OotE was full of clichés which might have passed when the novel was first published in 2013, but aged badly. The characters were filled with YA tropes that made the book generic and forgettable. First, the love triangle. The classic, unforgiving and downright annoying love triangle. Granted some authors made some successful attempts at recreating the awkward drama of a teenage love triangle (notably, Tahereh Mafi), but Sepetys failed to create a convincing tension between the love interests. Indeed, both boys were strange and unlikable. Patrick is your run-of-the-mill nerd who works with her at his father’s bookstore. Jesse is the popular guy who repairs cars. Both have no real individuality and were not necessary to the basic plot. Second, we get infamous "girl-without-a-dad-seeks-to-replace-him-with-every-male-figure-that-is-remotely-nice-to-her" coupled with an absent mother. Both could have been fine, however, the constant reminders and lack of subtlety (Josie mentions several times how she wishes this random shopper would be her father) just made the situation cringeworthy. All the characters were one-note and, even if you are rooting for Josie, it is not because she is likable, but merely since wanting to see someone succeed is human instinct. The plot was a classic Sepetys plot. Just like her other novels, it is seamless and fast-paced with a good blend of tragedy, humour and action. While it is somewhat predictable, it is also satisfying to see how Josie gets from point A to point B. The ending, however, felt rushed and leaves many questions unanswered. It almost seemed like there was a setup for a sequel, but that was never made.
The writing was also, as always, entertaining. There were some cliché moments once again, but I more or less minded since the overall picture was satisfying. Combined with a fast-moving plot, OotE is ultimately a fun read while also being perfectly tragic, another Sepetys trademark. The last point I wish to raise is a more controversial one. I found the research for this book less elaborate than the two others I previously read. Both Between Shades of Gray and Salt to the Sea were set during World War II. Sepetys excelled at creating the perfect atmosphere and recalling small details that brought realism to the storyline. However, OotE is based in post-war Louisiana which is a completely different world. I was yearning for some of the same background I so adored in the other two. The feeling of the Big Easy was still discernable, and by reading the afterward you clearly understand that Sepetys did do significant research, but somehow it did not translate as well into the novel. Additionally, and here is the controversy, Sepetys made the choice to let her characters talk like they did in the 1950s, including racial slurs. Our main character is a white woman, but, this being New Orleans, she is surrounded by Black characters, specifically her ‘guardian’ nicknamed Cokie. Sepetys herself is a white woman as well. Hence, I feel like including the n-word was inappropriate. I fully understand that this word was more or less acceptable in the 1950s and it would make sense for historical accuracy for characters to use it. However, it was entirely unnecessary to the story to use the n-word. The novel would have been no-less accurate without it. Also, there is no real talk to race relations in the book. Therefore, a less informed reader could get the impression that using this word is socially acceptable as there is no explanation or context put around it. There are no explanations of the disparities between white and Black people during that period. Since the words are used so casually, I fear that some might not understand the weight that they carry especially today. I find this extremely unfortunate, and I wish the publishers would print a new version without these words. To conclude, OotE is an okay novel. It was a quick, enjoyable read, but not one that will go down in history and one that did not age well. I have yet to read Sepetys’ most recent novel, but, if asked, I would definitely recommend her WWII books over this one. If you liked Out of the Easy, you will love… Between Shades of Grey or Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill
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