I have to admit that I found this book hard to read. It very quickly becomes apparent that the main character ele is being abused and is held capture. When she escapes we learn the extent of what actually happened. Interesting perspective, seeing things for the first time and no knowing what they are. For a little tired of that towardsthe end though.

This book has been compared to Room, though it is from the point of view of a teenage girl instead of the young son of teenage victim of kidnapping. The first part of the novel is filled with magical elements which start to dissipate when the protagonist learns to relate to the world 'Outside'. While I saw the first twist coming from a mile away, I did not expect the second one- the epilogue helped to tie up a few loose ends, but I felt there was much more story to tell....I would like to have spent more time with the family while they went through therapy, and learned more about how the police, doctors, social workers and lawyers treat the victims of such horrific abuse. 
I would recommend this book to young male readers in particular, as I was impressed by the range of emotions shown by the father and son, and the ways they overcame their struggles with communication. I would also encourage students who enjoy this book to research modern slavery and read about children like Genie who are raised in isolation.

Plot: Ele has been held captive in a small room by a man known only as “Him”, but she’s convinced that there is, in fact, a world Outside, and she’s going to prove it, even if she’s never seen. When a hole appears in the wall at a time when everything seems like it’s ending, she sees her chance.

My thoughts: This was definitely a creepy read. It was very similar to Room by Emma Donoghue which I reviewed and really enjoyed last year, but had a bit more of a mystery element and some twists to unravel. There were points were aspects seemed a little unrealistic – I wondered occasionally why certain decisions were (or weren’t, as the case may be) being made. But overall, a good read that had a good ending.

A good debut novel. Rather slow to start, but once I got into it I enjoyed it. Dark, powerful and compelling. Recommended.

*thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children’s for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

1 star.

Wow do I feel like the odd one out with this book. While I love the cover that's pretty much it. I couldn't get into the story but I made it to the end. I hoped it would get more interesting but this clearly wasnt for me.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book. I absolutely hate giving up on a book but this was confusing and uncomfortable to read and I felt nothing for Ele..
I hope I can in future come back to it with a different frame of mind  and try again.

It has to be said that this book should come with a trigger warning- neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse- it’s all in here. Yet having said that Juckes writes in such a lyrical, compelling way as to not give you the time to dwell- you are so suckered in to this story that I left my own issues at the cover, rather than the door, as it were. The characters are so well detailed and so well drawn out, I felt I was in there with them and knew them all, I loved Ele in particular. A fantastic read.

This author has never eaten Spam: 
‘I hold the can upside down and it makes a squelch as it comes out’. No Spam has ever come out when held upside down. It needs to be dug out. 

That aside, I perhaps would have enjoyed this book a little more if I hadn’t already read Room by Emma Donoghue, which I loved. But Outside just didn’t work for me. Whereas Room got every word and nuance spot on, Outside was full of contradictions and didn’t follow its own logic. 

Possible spoilers. 

How on earth could she read and understand a book about Mozart, whilst not understanding the most basic nouns. Another occasion she doesn’t understand the word ‘rude’, but earlier in the book she talks about someone’s manners. She uses the similie ‘churned up like butter’ but on the sane page doesn’t understand the word ‘spoon’. 

She has a balanced, analytical mind and is more introspective than most adults I know! She’s very comfortable with human intimacy from Ezra and Willow which I just don’t see happening. 

I skim read to make it through to the end. Not a bad premise, but such a harrowing idea should have got under my skin, but I never felt anything for Ele.

To be honest, I didn’t even remember requesting OUTSIDE on Netgalley. When I saw it had been released a month ago, I wasn’t really excited because I hadn’t seen many reviews around the blogosphere. And that was a big mistake on my part. This book should be getting way more attention.

Let me tell you guys: OUTSIDE completely amazing and of the best books I’ve read lately. I think one of my favorite feelings is when I don’t expect anything from a book and the novel ends up becoming a huge success for me. And this is exactly what happened here. I devoured this short, compelling gem in a sitting, and I was completely captivated all the way through. I can’t recommend it enough.

The book reminded me a bit of another recent favorite (Resin), although they are quite different in many aspects. For example, in OUTSIDE, our main character, Ele, doesn’t really have a family that cares for her. We meet her when she’s been locked up for ages and she’s never seen the outside world. She has a few friends with her, but they are not really like her. I won’t say much about the plot, because I believe it’s best if you discover what happens as you read it, but it was nothing like I expected.

There was a small reveal that I didn’t think was at all surprising, maybe because I thought we were supposed to have known that from the beginning. However, there was another detail at the end that made me super emotional and I loved the conclusion to this dark, sad, and ultimately uplifting story.

My favorite aspect of OUTSIDE was Ele’s voice. It was so completely captivating, just like in RESIN. You know how much I love child narrators, and even if Ele was actually a teenager, her vocabulary and behavior weren’t exactly what you would consider “normal” for her age. I loved reading about her learning process and she became an instant favorite character. The same goes for the other two characters that appear in the story later on.

I would highly recommend OUTSIDE to everyone who loved RESIN, and for those who are looking for a short and stunning book. Let me clarify that I haven’t read THE ROOM, so I don’t really know if they are similar or not. But I’m sure this will be a great choice anyway.

A captivating and gripping read from beginning to end!
Although the book does resemble the movie and novel 'Room', it also is very unique in character, dialect and narrative.
Told from the perspective of a young girl who has been locked in a room her entire life, the story takes you on her journey and discovery of life on the outside and if it is in fact real or just a fairytale.
Recommended!

This book touches on quite a few sensitive issues which could well be triggers for some readers.  All are treated very well and I didn’t feel that they were gratuatious but I did have to take a fair few deep breaths whilst reading. 

This is nothing like anything else that I have ever read before.  Especially as the reader needs to get used to the way that Ele see’s things.  It’s very confusing at first – on purpose – as one is not always sure what is real and what Ele has invented. 

The story is told from the perspective of Ele who knows nothing of the outside world other than what she has read – and these are mainly fairy tales. 

A very moving book.

Great story. Essences of The Room mixed with fantasy and psychological nuances. Highly recommended.
I wrote a much longer review on my blog but it was a great read.

Thanks to Sarah Ann Jukes, Penguin Random House, UK Childrens, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read OUTSIDE.
This novel was reminiscent of The Room and very disturbing. For those readers who would prefer not to read about abuse this is not for you. It's written in first person and the dialect and way of speaking infiltrated my reading. I struggled with it, but that's not to say I don't think it's a worthy novel and certainly has a place in the genre.
Ele has lived 'inside' for many years with The Others and Him, and only knows about the 'outside' through fairy stories from the books she was allowed. She has no certainty that 'outside' exists but is determined to find it. Then she gets out!

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review. The book is about a Ele who lives in a room 'inside' but wants to go outside. It is written from the Ele's view, she has never spoken to people so her language is limited. Ele wants to get to the outside. I read Room several years ago and it is similarly written although the stories are different. A great read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

I received An early copy in return for my independent honest review. Thank you
This book sounded  very similar to the concept of The Room for a YA audience and so I was very excited to get to it. 
Unfortunately for me I couldn't get into the story as I didn't feel close to the characters. The writing style is easy and flows well, however it didn't offer anything new in this genre for me.Sorry I didn't finish it, however if you are a Young Adult it's target audience then you may feel differently.

A very very dark and strange novel which is not meant as a criticism.  I read this over the Christmas period (perhaps not the best timing) and finished it in one sitting from morning onwards.  The story unfolded page by page and was captivating.  The dad & son were a bit odd and I was worried that worse thing were going to happen however I was happy to read a happy ending.

I thought this book would be similar to Room but actually didn’t stand up as well.  I think this was partly because the story is purposely confusing for the first half.  I didn’t really engage with Ele until the second half of the book but by that time I had become frustrated at how quickly a child who had been kept locked up most of life had managed to assimilate herself into the outside world.  A little too far fetched for me.

I enjoyed the beginning and the end of the book. I thought the middle dragged on slightly. Overall I liked the idea of the book and the writing style was defo different and unique.

Having loved Room a few years ago, I was looking forward to reading this as it seemed a similar kind of premise, and it didn't disappoint. 

The first person narrative created a natural intrigue, leaving you guessing exactly what the situation is, what happens to the other characters and how on earth she'll survive "outside". I liked the subplot of the "outside" characters she meets and was surprised by the twist at the end. I hope there'll be a follow up!

Before I start I just want to mention a few trigger warnings. Outside does touch on some sensitive issues such as physical abuse, sexual assault, neglect, imprisonment, mental health and disassociation. These are all handled extremely well throughout the story but please do go into the book knowing this, as at times it is pretty heavy.

Outside is a book that I went into not knowing much about and for that I am glad as it really did surprise me. It is a story of inspiration, bravery and thriving to follow your dreams. This is a lot different to other books I have read and I think that is one of the reasons why it stood out so much. You go in expecting one thing but what you get is totally different.

The perspective the story is told from is one of the reasons why it is so unique. Ele knows nothing about life Outside. Her guide to the Outside is through a very limited amount of literature - mainly fairy tales. Ele sees herself as Rapunzel and is convinced she lives in a tower and is waiting to be rescued by a prince. When Ele finally gets Outside the way she describes things such as clothes, food and other everyday items could be seen as quite strange. However, you have to put yourself in Ele's shoes. What would you be like if you encountered items you'd never seen before?

Outside is very character driven. The plot itself is easy enough to follow but it is mainly about Ele's development as a character. Ele is fierce, determined and ever so brave. Her reactions to the more boring things in life was very entertaining to read and she brought with her a fresh perspective on things we take for granted. I found myself rooting for her all throughout the book and I just wanted everything to go right for her. If you read about one strong female character this year please do make it Ele. 

Overall, Outside was unlike any book I have read recently. It had me hooked and wanting to know all about Ele and her upbringing. The plot twist at the end just had me in shock. This was a heart wrenching, beautiful, character driven read that I am still thinking about to this day.