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.

Book Ruta Sepetys Coming of Age 2013
Out of the Easy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

RikkiA
RikkiA Adult
June 17, 2022
age 14+
kdray
kdray Adult
October 1, 2018
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.
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What's the Story?

Seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine has lived on her own since she was 11, when she left her selfish, cruel mother -- a sex worker who once showed up for Parents' Day at school wearing nothing but a fur coat. Josie spends her mornings cleaning a New Orleans brothel and helping the madam, Willie, and then works in the bookshop where she boards. A chance encounter with a tourist who's later murdered sets off a chain of tumultuous events that has Josie warily keeping her gun close at hand. All the while, Josie dreams of getting out of New Orleans and getting admitted to Smith College in Massachusetts.

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Josie feels sullied by her mother's behavior in Out of the Easy. She feels that no matter what she does, she'll always be judged as her mother's daughter. Are today's teens just as harsh when it comes to family background?

  • The brothel setting will keep some families from considering Out of the Easy. Why do you think the author took that risk? Was it worth it?

  • The brothel workers are portrayed, for the most part, as kind and compassionate women. Do you think their work puts them in a position of power, or are they victims?

Book Details

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