Read clever book, told from the view of a child. Difficult to read in parts but you could feel her pain and her anxiety. Good read

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me have a copy of this book.

I had heard good things about this book when I requested it so I was really excited when I was given the opportunity to be able to read this book.

Sadly I was disappointed and struggled to get through it. It is very slow to begin and I found that the story did not grip me. I found the narrative quite confusing, I understand the want to be unique which might be why I found it difficult however I'm not sure I was a fan of it.

I really couldn't get on with any of the characters, I found them underdeveloped and they got on my nerves. However I did find it easy to connect with Ele and her strives and ambitions. Whilst I didn't particularly favour her as a character she was easy to build a relationship with.

I think this book is aimed at a certain audience and I am not one of those people unfortunately. I think you should sample this book before you read it to make sure you can connect and understand the plot. For me it was disjointed and I didn't really understand what was happening most of the time.

I do recommend that you read this book if you think it is for you. Give it a go!

I struggled with Outside from the start, felt it was a slow starter, tried to persevere but I gave up in the end.

An interesting premise however I struggled to engage with the characters on this one unfortunately. The novel had the potential to discuss the themes in depth but I felt like it didn’t go deep enough for me

A little weird to read. Took some getting in to but a nice plot once read.

Throughout the read I was routing for the girl to be released. I found the language in the book a little had to adjust as it was different to my normal books.

Would try another book from this author.

A solid read.

I don't know whether to say that I enjoyed this book, as the setting is so incredibly harsh. But I can definitely say that it pulled me in and kept me there. This is such an intense and interesting book that I almost couldn't put down!

It's not a book you can enjoy, since the setting is so cruel. But I couldn't put the book down and was completely drawn into Ele's world. Reminiscent of the movie Room, Ele's has been trapped in a small room for years. She shares this room with her brother and the Others and has invented another whole world, where trees and sky exist. We are desperate to discover if and how she escapes and watch with amazement at her will to live, survive and find hope in this dismal environment.
The story is traumatic, dramatic and leaves an impression. I really enjoyed how the author wrote in Ele's voice. We see the world as Ele's sees the world, even when she doesn't know what things are or what they are called. We are taken on a journey as she adapts and comes to term with her environments and we learn how human relationships are what makes the world stronger.

There are many words I could use to describe this book.....touching and confusing spring to mind but harrowing is the main one. It's the story of a young girl, Ele, imprisoned for so long that she isn't even sure there's anything other than her cell. The outside world is almost a fairy story. But there's clues for her there inside that there is more, and she's determined to get Outside.

So it isn't much of a spoiler (more of a warning) to say this story involves sexual abuse. Thankfully there isn't any real details on this but the writer refers to it in a powerful and sensitive manner. Ele is a character of adult and childlike whose metamorphosis from scared girl to determined woman is a revelation to read. My main criticism is that the initial chapters are confusing. Whilst more becomes clear as the book progresses its so disjointed to begin with that I almost stopped reading. But I'm glad I stuck with it.

I liked this - I like Ele and all of the world Inside the Tower. I liked how we understood that He abused her but it wasn't graphic. I was dying for her to escape and was really glad that she found Willow and Ezra on the Outside. I would've liked more resolution at the end but I did like the book.

A haunting book. One that touches on lots of different subjects from abuse to being held in captivity. It reminded me of Room by Emma Donoghue. But I also found it hard to wrap my head around what Ele could and couldn't understand which left me slightly confused at times.

OMG! I thought I knew what to expect when I started to read this book. I was mistaken. This is a very graphic novel featuring gross abuse and neglect of the worst kind.

It's also a novel that shows not only the worst of human behaviour but also the very best of human behaviour. Kindness without question. Patience and freedom to be who you are.

A great book, it did remind me of 'Room' but went off in a different direction. A very satisfying page turner.

What a great book. If you can cope with the strange descriptive writing. I really enjoyed it. Quick read and amazing ending.

A curious and unsettling mystery that slowly unravels piece by piece to reveal a shocking truth as the main character Ele goes on a quest to find Proof of the Outside. Although, I had mostly guessed the outcome, the book was gripping and cowed the true horror of reality through the interesting use of fairy tales and monsters.

The subject matter may be too much for some but the author did a good job of not going over the top with details. It kept me intrigued by giving me just enough to keep going. You want to figure out why Ele is where she is and who is keeping her there. Really enjoyed the ending.

I struggled with the writing which made it slow to read, however the story was worth keeping with it and there was definitely a payoff at the end.

I loved Room so I was really looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately, I found it incredibly difficult to follow, particularly surprising because it's meant to be written for a younger audience, and it was only at the end that everything became clear.

On the upside, it's quite short so it didn't take long to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

*** ARC provided by Netgalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***

Outside is reminiscent of ‘Room’ by Emma Donaghue. It’s a young adult version of events. Ele lives in the tower with the others and her aim is to find proofs of the outside. Throughout the book it is difficult to discern what is within Ele’s mind and what is factual.

I think this is a great debut by Juckes, it is heart warming and I loved the family she was able to find herself. Ezra-dad was certainly my favourite character and was well written. I’d certainly recommend and will be watching out for others by Juckes.

I wasn’t sure when I first started this book but am so glad I continued reading. A disturbing story very close to some real life instances. Also profoundly moving with an important twist at the end. Highly recommended.

An interesting premise, but overall I was annoyed with the main character. I also felt like the Others were badly developed and were an overall let down.

An excellent read for fans of psychological thrillers or crime books - a gripping story, engaging characters and it was well-written. I would highly recommend!