Parents' Guide to

Out of the Easy

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Well-told story of sex worker's daughter; for mature teens.

Out of the Easy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 14+
age 14+

Don't let the setting scare you off!

I was a little nervous about this book because of the story's backdrop of a New Orleans brothel and its prostitutes. However, I have read other novels by Ruta Sepetys, so I felt like I should give this book a chance. Out of the Easy was so good that I read it in one sitting! I feel I am very conservative, but I would have no hesitation about allowing teens 14 and up to read this novel. The sexual situations and language were not explicit and mild compared to today's standards.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (6):

The mature content of OUT OF THE EASY will make it a tough sell for some families, but it's worth taking a chance. Ruta Sepetys -- whose excellent debut novel, Between Shades of Gray, was also set against a brutal backdrop -- again delivers a richly rewarding story. Her hero is strong-willed and frustrated, struggling to keep her estranged, malevolent mother from sinking her.

The plot occasionally veers toward melodrama, but Sepetys' strong, fresh writing keeps it anchored. A fairly large chunk of the story, set in the 1950s, takes place among the women in the brothel. Sepetys presents them with compassion -- there's no discussion of how or why women become sex workers, and the only moral judgment is Josie's disdain for the johns and the work the women do, despite her fondness for Willie and many of her "nieces." The book's website includes a discussion guide.

Book Details

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