Looking for a book my daughter read some time between 1988 and 1993. Title was not "Beyond the Gates" but it was something like that or had the sense of that meaning. It was a sort of fantasy story set in an unspecified society and time. The location is a town/city surrounded by walls. Protagonist was a young girl who felt she didn't really belong but was going to have to decide her path in life soon. People whisper about what exists outside the walls but are afraid to go out. The stories they tell about what is bad about what's out there sort of appeal to her despite her fear. In the end, she decides to leave and goes out the gates into her future.

How about this --

Amazon.com: The Dark Hills Divide: The Land of Elyon, Book 1 (9780439700931): Patrick Carman: Books

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Inquisitive twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in the walled town of Bridewell. This year, she is set on solving the mystery of what lies beyond the walls. Legend says the walls were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills. But what exactly is it that the townspeople are so afraid of?

As Alexa begins to unravel the truth, pushing beyond the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment -- and exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear.