The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Amy    
Lynnie 

young adult, fiction

First published in 1967, The Outsiders was written by S.E. Hinton when she was 16-years old. Both beloved and frequently banned, the story of two rival gangs divided by their economic status has stood the test of time and is still being assigned by middle school teachers almost 50 years later.


Lynnie's Review

I first read this book in 7th grade and have read it many times since.  I've always had a soft spot for Ponyboy (my first literary boyfriend!). The conflict between the Greasers and Socs and how it shaped the life of all the characters in the novel is engaging from beginning to end.  This is the first book I remember reading that felt like I was reading about real life- it's the first book I remember sobbing over when bad things happened to my favorite characters. 

The best thing about The Outsiders is the characters. Every one of them, even the secondary characters, are beautifully drawn and each of them feels genuine. There is a sense of family among the main characters (the Greasers), that makes sense in the world they live in; they support each other and believe in each other no matter the consequences.  The circumstances of their lives may not be ideal, but they do the best they can with what they have and what they know, which I think is a theme that is a relevant today as it was when this book was written.


Amy's Review
 
Believe it or not, I've never read this book until now. It was never assigned reading for me. Despite my love for young adult novels and the fact that this is one of my sister's favorite novels, it just never happened. I never even saw the movie.

So, I'm very happy to report that I really loved this novel. It was real and raw and genuine. Ponyboy led a very unfortunate life yet he was surrounded by love and caring young men who managed to understand the importance of "family" despite their rough edges. The boys did not make wise decisions most of the time, but they were loyal and smart enough to have dreams and hopes for their youngest. They did the best they could and didn't hold it against each other when those bad decisions got in the way of their best intentions. It was a fascinating story. I'm glad I finally read it!

Leave a comment and let us know what you thought about The Outsiders.


--Lynnie