The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
YA Coming of Age. 188 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
“Stay gold, Ponyboy.”
No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he’s got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends—true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up on “greasers” like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect—until the night someone takes things too far.
The Outsiders is a dramatic and enduring work of young adult fiction that laid the groundwork for the genre. S. E. Hinton’s classic novel of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was first published.
My Review:
I first read this book in 7th grade. I’d moved in the middle of the school year and it was a class read in the new school. The teacher handed me a copy and told me to “catch up” when I could. The class was on chapter four. (Evidently she’d missed the 800 page book I was in the middle of. Suffice it to say, she figured out pretty quickly that I’m a reader. XD)
Well, I took the book home and came back the next day on chapter ten (of twelve). When the poor teacher came around she gasped and said “You can’t read ahead!” I honestly wonder if she was afraid I’d spoil something for the other kids. Otherwise, I’m not sure why she’d be so worried. All I remember is giving her an incredulous look and thinking, “Have you read this?! I can’t stop here!! Do you have any idea what’s happening!?” I finished the book very shortly thereafter.
It’s been almost twenty years since I read the book, but I’ve never forgotten how the book made me feel. I remembered bits and pieces of the storyline, but forgot many of the details. So I wondered what I’d think upon a reread. And, honestly, whew! It definitely held up.
I love how beautifully this book portrays the suffering and brokenness of our world and yet shows that there is courage and honor, too. The themes of hope and perseverance really strike a chord with me. It’s a story of hardship and the beauty of choosing hope and goodness, especially when life is unfair. Because the truth is, life is unfair. We will face trials and prejudice and pain. No one goes through this life unscarred. But we do get to choose how we respond.
While simple, the story is profound. The emotional impact is still there. It’s a quick and easy read and one I should probably not wait another twenty years to reread 😉
Content: there’s some mild language and gang violence, though not graphic. It’s essentially a story about two gangs at war with one another. It deals with poverty, abuse, death, grief, and other deep topics, but in a way that’s still appropriate for teens. I read it when I was 11 or 12 and honestly, I’d say 12 was probably fine.
More:
On GraceBought
You may also want to check out these other classics:
The Westing Game, The Giver, and Charlotte’s Web
Or these MG coming of age stories: