"In this novel, a teenage boy fails to stop a rape committed by a high school football star and becomes locked within the legal and moral drama that ensues. Whipple's moral drama is layered with complexity...This is especially impressive given the ordinariness of this town-Danny calls it a "grease spot on an Iowa map"-which serves as a perfect stage for the story, a small place that gives birth to big sins. Whipple's writing is generally poetically unembellished, but its plainness is the source of its gathering power, and it brings into sharp relief the averageness of those who participate in this moral contest. At the novel's heart is a delicate portrayal of Danny's maturation...This is an absorbing look into how even the most ordinary human beings can suddenly become key players in a terrible drama. It is a moving exploration of the profound costs of trying to be a good person." KIRKUS REVIEWS--OUR VERDICT (GET IT)

"Loved The Outcast. Not since American Graffiti has a book captured the '60s culture in a way Whipple has--the dialogue is entertaining and authentic to the era--a slice of time in rural America that will stay with you." Ryan Dickerson--The BookDigger's Review

"The Outcast" includes blunt but realistic dialogue and, once the surface of this rural area is scratched, a diverse web of relationships. The primary focus of the narrative is on Danny and his relationships with his family. But there are also enemies, creating tension, harm, and a shattering climax to the storyline. There are several twists and turns in the novel's plot, which this reviewer will omit from the review, but suffice it to say the storyline is gritty and authentic, with sunshine and rainbows in short supply. The story will appeal to all those who appreciate realism and who understand that being a teenager, even with loving parents and siblings, is never straightforward. Whipple has written a book with a resounding sense of place - creating a vivid image for the reader of the cattle, the barn, the corn, the weather, and other mainstays of rural life. "The Outcast" by DL Whipple receives 4 stars from The Historical Fiction Company.