The Outsiders - SE Hinton

Published by Pearson Education Limited: Essex, England, 2007.
First published 1967.

The Outsiders is notable for a few reasons: it is one of the first 'Young Adult' books to be given that title, and its author was only 17 when she wrote and published the book. It was also made into a film by Francis Ford Coppola (that I haven't seen), starring, among others, Patrick Swayze and Tom Cruise!

The book follows Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old member of the Greasers gang. Ponyboy is mostly in the gang because his brothers are; he is kind and considerate and loves reading (although he does also get involved in gang fights). When a fellow gang-member kills someone from a rival gang, he and Ponyboy are forced to flee, and end up saving some children from a life-threatening scenario.

I began this book without knowing that the author was 17 at the time of writing, but when I found out that information it did make a bit more sense, as the book does go in a few different directions over the course of the plot. The plot-points I mentioned above are only from one main section.

Its an interesting book.

For a book with a meandering plot, it is fairly well written. 

It seems to portray the lives of the gang members relatively well.

Maybe worth a read.

Completed 8 February 2021.

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