Currently reading
A Clash of Kings
The Diviners
The Book of (Even More) Awesome
Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories
Shatter Me
Cress
Truth & Dare: 20 Tales of Heartbreak and Happiness
Watchmen
The Outsiders
To be honest, if I’d never heard anything about The Outsiders, I don’t think I would have felt drawn to it. Yet it’s considered a YA classic, and one day when I was volunteering at my local library and shelving books, this novel jumped out at me. I was pleasantly surprised.This novel is definitely not a fluffy read. It’s the story of people struggling to get by amidst discrimination. I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t think I would be able to relate to the characters who consider themselves greasers. I’m not sure that I even know anyone who I would consider a greaser.Part of the reason why I enjoyed this book as much as I did is because the plot is a perfect mixture of action, suspense and emotion. Ponyboy’s problems are real and honest, and while I’ve never gotten into a fight on the streets, I can relate to his struggles of grief and not always getting along with family. While I connected most with Ponyboy, I loved that his friends weren’t just greasers but people with ambitions and interests. Soda was probably my favorite character.Despite my initial reservations, I understand why The Outsiders is a classic, and it’s a book that will stay with me for quite some time. The content of this novel is often violent, but I wouldn’t hesitate to hand it over to a teenager or an adult, because I think Hinton conveys an important message about choices and mobility.