Ruta Sepetys is rapidly climbing my personal list of favorite authors. After her debut novel Between Shades of Gray focused on the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and deportation of Lithuanians, Sepetys moves a decade forward and across the ocean to New Orleans. Here we meet Josie (Jo, Josephine), an 18-year old with dreams to escape the Big Easy in which life is so hard. It's not just the city Josie wants to leave behind but also the baggage that comes with being the daughter of a prostitute.
A self-absorbed mother, a small-time gangster, an open-yet-secretive best friend, an all-seeing madame, an unexpected visitor who provides an entry into upper-class society, a would-be wooer, and a Lord Elgin watch are but some of the threads that weave the tapestry that is Jo's life. The death of a man she meets only briefly becomes a mystery that pulls at her and leads to a string of lies. Lies abound, sometimes to protect, sometimes to avoid, sometimes to conceal. How and when will they come to light? Can hope and dreams survive in the Big Easy?
Sepetys touches on clichés but avoids falling victim to them, not allowing them to drive the characters and events. The use of stories with the story seems to be in vogue as of late, and Out of the Easy is no exception as David Copperfield is alluded to throughout the novel (notice a repeat of Dickens from Between Shades of Gray?). And while the dénouement won't surprise many readers, the climax might offer an unexpected twist. Gritty but delicate, Out of the Easy is a sophomore novel that does not disappoint and promises more hours of reading enjoyment to come.
