Out of the Easy

Out of the Easy

by Ruth Sepetys

Josie Moraine was named after a famous whore by her whore of a mother; but Josie is no whore.  And while she does work as a housemaid at a brothel, she doesn't want to be one of the girls who works in the upstairs rooms.

Josie's got plans.

If she can save up enough, she can get out of New Orleans and up to a private college where she'll finally get away from her mother's reputation.

But things are never easy in the Big Easy and Josie's got more trouble than she can handle.

Final thoughts: Historical fiction set in 1950's New Orleans, but that was sometimes hard to remember.  The tone and language often felt much older, as if it was set a hundred years before.  Josie is an interesting character who has read much, but is still a little naïve. I loved Willie, the madam of the brothel Josie cleans.  Cokie and Jesse are pretty great, too.  Some of the story felt a little forced, as if designed to create conflict, but not really desired as part of the overall by the author.  A good story with some well-written "real" moments.

Rating: 4/5