The Outsiders

Review by Edan
Title: The Outsiders
Author: S. E. Hinton
Published: 1997
Publisher: Speak

Quick Summary:
Ponyboy has always lived with his brother's and friends. They are all greasers and are in a gang. They don't pick fights, as Ponyboy says, unlike the socs who are just wealthy kids looking for some greasers to jump. Ponyboy has always been proud to be a greaser, but one night some drunk socs jumped Ponyboy and his friend. Either they would take his life or they would have to take theirs. These two friends are thrown into a turmoil as they try to hide from the murder, from themselves and the police. They finally come out and Ponyboy is wound into a confusion that he doesn't understand. Is all there is to life greasers, socs, and gangs?

Review:
I found The Outsiders to be captivating and thought worthy. I got a very strong connection with the characters and understood their hardships. Even though there were many characters to keep tract of, Hinton makes sure you know who is who. The story remind me of two other books, See You at Harry's and Out of My Mind. In See You at Harry's the main character has to learn to cope with a death, blame and loneliness. She is confused about if she can be happy and live on, or if she should stay secluded and depressed. In Out of My Mind the main character, Melody, is different than everyone else around her, like Ponyboy who doesn't see a reason to fighting which everyone else does. Melody and Ponyboy have unique opinions that they can't seem find a way to tell to the world. The ending of the two books are very similar too, they both end by writing something to tell their stories for school, and they begin to write the beginning of the books. The Outsiders makes you think and ponder about Ponyboy and his life. It is a book that you don't want to finish, but has a complete ending. It is a book that makes you cry when someone dies. It is a book full of characters, thoughts, ideas and questions.

Rating:****