Barnes and Noble description:
"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."
Two really great resources that go along with this book:
- Out of the Easy discussion guide: Teachers and Book Clubs can use this guide to stir up great conversations surrounding this fascinating story.
- Out of the Easy Scholarship Contest: High School Seniors can write a 3 page essay about the book for a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship to college. The essay prompt is as follows: Out of the Easy references the following quote from Charles Dickens' David Copperfield. How does this quote relate to the journey of the characters in "Out of the Easy" and also to your personal journey as you prepare for college?
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. — Charles Dickens