4.51

5

Mar 03, 2015

I AM DONE! WOW. Just wow. That ending. woah. Within 40 pages I ugly cried, my heart exploded in feels, confusion happened, hope, and now I'm mind blown by the ending. WOW. Diana, you've done it again! Took me awhile to get into DiA but once i got past the 300 page mark it got so good and kept on getting better. 5/5 stars!

4

Jan 23, 2008

Gabaldon's sex-ridden, hugely researched, academically adventurous, time travel/sci-fi meets historical romance novels qualify as trash novels for lit nerds -- they're absolutely a guilty pleasure. From clan warfare to herbal medicine to genealogy to British history to WWII, the books are packed with information (what little Gaelic I know started with these books). Bonus: the heroine gets to have many, many rolls in the hay with a handsome hard-bodied Highlander. Can't really go wrong.

The books Gabaldon's sex-ridden, hugely researched, academically adventurous, time travel/sci-fi meets historical romance novels qualify as trash novels for lit nerds -- they're absolutely a guilty pleasure. From clan warfare to herbal medicine to genealogy to British history to WWII, the books are packed with information (what little Gaelic I know started with these books). Bonus: the heroine gets to have many, many rolls in the hay with a handsome hard-bodied Highlander. Can't really go wrong.

The books were recommended to me while I was living in England, and a lucky thing, too, because had I taken one look at the Fabio-in-a-kilt-of-passion American paperback cover I would have refused to read it (note: the British version was called Cross Stitch and the cover had a less-than-sexy field of heather on it). For a while I was caught up on the series, but I lost interest once the Frasers headed to America.

They are long books but the pages turn quickly. Gabaldon has a way with characters and her prose flows along at an engaging clip. Oh, but if you get all squeamish about buggery, don't bother -- the negative reviews of these books always focus prudishly (and tediously) on one specific encounter in an otherwise pretty rampantly heterosexual landscape. ...more

5

Apr 28, 2017

This book broke my heart. I knew what was going to happen because I watched Season Two before reading the book but it doesn't matter.



I have been crying forever now, like my heart is going to break into a million pieces!

*******Let me stop right here. There are going to be some spoilers. There are going to be some thoughts about things in the next book. And who knows what else, so if you haven't read these books you should probably stop here. If you don't care then carry on.*******

It was worried

This book broke my heart. I knew what was going to happen because I watched Season Two before reading the book but it doesn't matter.



I have been crying forever now, like my heart is going to break into a million pieces!

*******Let me stop right here. There are going to be some spoilers. There are going to be some thoughts about things in the next book. And who knows what else, so if you haven't read these books you should probably stop here. If you don't care then carry on.*******

It was worried when the book/show starts 20 years later. Jamie and Claire's daughter is grown and Claire named her Brianna. *Sob* because Jamie asked her to name the baby Brian if it was a boy before she left him to come back. I don't know if I can get through this, damn it.

20 years later, Claire brings her daughter, Brianna back to Scotland after Frank's death. Brianna has no idea, of course, who her father really is but she finds out. They are staying in Scotland and visiting all of the old sites and Claire took her to see a man named Roger. Claire knew Roger when he was a little boy. Claire actually knew his father, adoptive father, but he had passed away. He did keep extensive records. < --- it all leads back to things.



Claire goes back to some of the old haunts while Roger takes Brianna around. It breaks my freaking heart. Everything breaks my freaking heart.

I woke three times in the dark predawn. First in sorrow, then in joy, and at last, in solitude. The tears of a bone-deep loss woke me slowly, bathing my face like the comforting touch of a damp cloth in soothing hands. I turned my face to the wet pillow and sailed a salty river into the caverns of grief remembered, into the subterranean depths of sleep.

I came awake then in fierce joy, body arched bowlike in the throes of physical joining, the touch of him fresh on my skin, dying along the paths of my nerves as the ripples of consummation spread from my center. I repelled consciousness, turning again, seeking the sharp, warm smell of a man's satisfied desire, in reassuring arms of my lover, sleep.

The third time I woke alone, beyond the touch of love or grief. The sight of the stones was fresh in my mind. A small circle, standing stones on the crest of a steep green hill. The name of the hill is Craigh na Dun; the fairies' hill. Some say the hill is enchanted, others say it is cursed. Both are right. But no one knows the function or the purpose of the stones.

Except me.



I'm so worried about the next book being more heartbreak. It's been 20 years after all. Jamie has been with other women and I think has a child, but they weren't like I was thinking. Yes, I asked ahead. He has never forgotten Claire but I hope they can get their love back. Anyway, on with this review.

At one point Claire finally admits everything to Brianna and Roger. Roger had already found some papers confirming things that Claire was saying but he was keeping them a secret because he didn't know what to make of it. Brianna freaks clean out as you can imagine.

But the best part is where we get to go back in time before Claire came back and hear their story.

They have set off for France to see if they can get in with Jamie's cousin < -- was it cousin, Jacob. Anyway, Jamie could not set foot back into Scotland so this is where they landed. Murtagh was with them but they left the others behind. They were going to try to change history so that the Klan wouldn't be killed during a certain battle.

It was very bizarre in France with all of the creeps they had to deal with and then Captain Randall shows up. Claire and Jamie thought he was dead. He's never dead, he just keeps on and on. Like I said before, there is a red hot poker waiting for that evil man.

The king of France is another nutter. You can read all of that for yourself.

Jamie takes in a little boy who is a thief and gets him off the streets. I fall in love with him. His name is Fergus and that Randall gets his paws on Fergus and I can't even say. Red hot poker people, red hot poker!

I was heartbroken again when Claire and Jamie lose their first child that was a little girl as well. There were a lot of different situations that could have caused that. Claire thinks it was because Jamie was dueling with Randall (there is a lot of stuff behind that) but she was poisoned at one point and attacked so who really knows.

Jamie gets put in jail and has no idea what happened to Claire. He thought she was dead. But Claire had to have sex with the weird king to get Jamie out of jail. It wasn't like me or Claire thought though, it was weird but not all, well anyway. It was just weird. And no way to leave her pregnant.

Jamie finds Claire a little later on when she is in the country staying with one of their friends. Claire is mad and doesn't want Jamie near her until they talk and finally get it straightened out. Thank goodness because it was all so very sad.

Then they are sent back to Scotland. It was another condition from the king and he said he would take care of him not being allowed there.

Of they go back home and they think they are safe but no. They thought they stopped what was coming, but no. They go to battle and it's not good and it's sad.

There are other things and more battle and Jamie sends Claire back. He just knows he's going to die and he doesn't want Claire or their unborn baby (yep they got preggers again) to be killed too and it just about killed me to read this. I thought I was okay when I watched it and I was over it and could handle it. Noooooooooooooo, I'm still heartbroken. I only hope they can get the love they had for each other back as strong as it was. The first book is the best book and will always be, but I will love them all as long as Jamie and Claire have their love. I love their love story! And that's all I need.



They cut each other's hands (Claire's idea) and . . . .

Unwrapping the blood-spotted handkerchief, I pressed my wounded hand tightly against his, fingers gripped together. The blood was warm and slick, not yet sticky between our hands.

"Blood of my Blood . . ." I whispered.
". . . and Bone of my Bone," he answered softly. Neither of us could finish the vow, "so long as we both shall live," but the unspoken words hung aching between us. Finally he smiled crookedly.
"Longer than that," he said firmly, and pulled me to him once more.





JUST KILL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Claire, Brianna and Roger witness something that shows that Claire might can go back through the stones.

Then something else.

"One man, a Fraser of the Master of Lovat's regiment, escaped. . ." Roger repeated softly. He looked up from the stark page to see her eyes, wide and unseeing as a deer's fixed in the headlights of an oncoming car.

"He meant to die on Culloden Field," Roger whispered.
"But he didn't."



I also recommend listening to the audio versions of these books! The narrator, Davina Porter, has it nailed - freaking nailed! ❤

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List ...more

4

Mar 28, 2011

My feelings toward Diana Gabaldon are very love/hate. She is, on the one hand, one of the greatest writers I have ever come across. I want to shake her hand for being so carefully detailed and doing what must have been an unbelievable amount of research to put together her 7 (currently) gigantic novels of this series. I love her characters, how the events are all interwoven with true historical happenings... she is just generally a literary genius when it comes to historical fiction.

But... My feelings toward Diana Gabaldon are very love/hate. She is, on the one hand, one of the greatest writers I have ever come across. I want to shake her hand for being so carefully detailed and doing what must have been an unbelievable amount of research to put together her 7 (currently) gigantic novels of this series. I love her characters, how the events are all interwoven with true historical happenings... she is just generally a literary genius when it comes to historical fiction.

But... seriously, I couldn't help but think repeatedly "why did we need to know that? what has the last 200 pages really added to the overall story?" The books are so well written but they are about 500-600 pages too long. Gabaldon frequently wanders off into subplots that we (or I, at least) don't care about. Her waffle would get an A* in a literary test but it's still waffle. And the general size of her books is off-putting, she should have left out those bits that we didn't need to hear and gave the readers a much less forboding 400-500 page novel.

The start of this book was even slower than Outlander, who actually cares about Roger Wakefield here? The whole point of this extremely long-winded beginning was to tell us that something bad had happened to make Claire return to the future, where she had given birth to Jamie's daughter and, for whatever reason, believed her wonderful red-headed Scot had been killed in the battle of Culloden. We are then taken back in time to when Claire and Jamie are in France trying to stop the rebellion before it ever happened.

This seemed a bit scientifically risky to me. If you assumed that they could change time and prevent the battle, surely this would result in a complete upheaval of historical events resulting in many changes. If such a huge thing happened, it is likely that everything would change and unlikely that Claire Randall would ever have ended up in Scotland at exactly that time to go wandering through the stones. And then, of course, had she not gone through the stones, she would have never been there to warn Jamie and stop the rebellion so... it's a bit of a historical and scientific conundrum. Therefore, I like my time travel to not interfer with past events - it wouldn't make sense. Unless it's a Back To The Future scenario where he actually fills in some of the necessary blanks.

To be honest, I didn't enjoy this book as much as Outlander because I didn't feel as much happened. But I adore the relationship between Claire and Jamie, even more so after reading this second installment, and I will definitely be reading Voyager as soon as I can get myself ready for another hefty volume. And thank god for the ending of this book when my slowly increasing depression throughout was finally alleviated - can't wait to see where this will take our characters! ...more

4

Jan 12, 2010

*This review will be a little spoily, read it at your own risk*

“Ok, so I set the date on 2012….and set it for Kansas City Kansas…..Kemper’s deck. I think all I have to do is reverse the directions on Google maps on the laptop. Uh…..turn the key. Yay, it works.”

“Or I thought so, Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore (had to do it!).”

“Hello Stephanie. Toto……I love the Wizard of Oz.”

“Aaaaack! Claire Beachum Randel Fraser! You just scared the piss out of me. Don’t sneak up on a person sitting *This review will be a little spoily, read it at your own risk*

“Ok, so I set the date on 2012….and set it for Kansas City Kansas…..Kemper’s deck. I think all I have to do is reverse the directions on Google maps on the laptop. Uh…..turn the key. Yay, it works.”

“Or I thought so, Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore (had to do it!).”

“Hello Stephanie. Toto……I love the Wizard of Oz.”

“Aaaaack! Claire Beachum Randel Fraser! You just scared the piss out of me. Don’t sneak up on a person sitting on a time mower, and whisper in their ear. It’s downright creepy.” Sighs. “Hey Claire, you look a little older than the last time I saw you,moments ago , but don’t worry you still look young and fresh and beautiful.”

“Oh thank you Stephanie, I have to admit that people mention that a lot! I mean a lot! It must have been all that whiskey and malnutrition in the 1700’s that preserved me.”

“Well, Claire, could you fill me in on the when and the where this is?”

“Still in Scotland, but we’re in 1968. Frank, Brianna and I moved to the States where I became a doctor. We stayed there until Frank passed away. I brought Brianna back to get her acquainted with her roots.”

“Brianna is your daughter? Is that her over there? Wow! Tall, beautiful…..look at that mane of red hair. She looks just like her father Jam….mph…nni. “

“Keep your voice down, she doesn’t know that Frank wasn’t her biological father. I brought her here to break the news and tell her who her father really was……Jamie Frasier.”

“Get your hand off my mouth…that’s rude! Did Frank look just like Jamie?”

“No. Total opposites. Frank was short and had dark hair.”

“She doesn’t look much like you, and nothing like Frank, she is an Amazonian redhead. She didn’t once ask you about that?”

“Not once. Did I mention the whiskey and the malnutrition?”

“Claire, don’t tell me. You drank alcohol during your pregnancy? You were a trained nurse then; don’t tell me you didn’t know better!”

“Just a little…..bottle…….every day, Stephanie, we didn’t know any better back then.”

“Ok, never mind. If she never grasped the fact that Frank wasn’t her father on her own because of possible fetal alcohol syndrome, how is she supposed to understand time travel now?”

“You have a point there. Maybe I’ll find a young handsome historian to help explain things to her.”

“I don’t see the logic, but you go with it Claire. I’m afraid to ask, but what were you and Jamie up to during the rest of the time you were back in time, besides getting drunk and having lots of sex?”

“We tried to change history by joining the Jacobite cause and save a bunch of lives. We went to France to get this accomplished. I had to have sex with the King of France to get Jamie out of The Bastille; it wasn’t very good on account of his tiny penis. “

“Oh dear god…..I did ask. “

“Yes you did. And guess who we ran into? Jack Randel! Jamie wanted to kill him straight away, but I stopped him because I was afraid Frank would never be born if he killed him. Jack is Frank’s ancestor you see.”

“I see……but I thought you killed Jack Randle with cows, which didn’t seem to upset you at all at the time. Now you get all angry about it? ”

“I changed my mind. Turns out it wasn’t Jack trampled by the cows. It’s really hard to identify someone after a trampling.”

“But Claire, you tried to change the course of history without ANY concern for the consequences. Any number of people could have been born that wouldn’t have and others who were never born that should have…….and you are concerned NOW about Frank, one person, never existing? Oh my head hurts again.”

“Claire it’s been great, but I have to get this timemower back to its rightful owner, he has a short fuse. There we go……forgot to hit enter. Please, don’t mess with history anymore Claire. Promise?”

“um…..sure, Stephanie, I promise.”

“I don’t believe you……”
...more

4

Oct 07, 2016

1.) Outlander
2.) Dragonfly In Amber .5
3.) Voyager .5
4.) Drums of Autumn .5

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I've never cried so hard in my life over fictional characters before 1.) Outlander ★★★★★
2.) Dragonfly In Amber ★★★★.5
3.) Voyager ★★★.5
4.) Drums of Autumn ★★★.5

--------------------------------------------------

I've never cried so hard in my life over fictional characters before ...more

5

Aug 19, 2013

SWEET BLEEDING JESUS!!! I KNEW IT!!!!!!! DAMNED BLOODY FUCKING CLIFFHANGERS!!!!! Sensational story!!!!

5 STARS

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”We are bound, you and I, and nothing on this earth shall part me from you.”

What can I say? I am completely BLOWN AWAY by this series!!!! An amazing sequel to Outlander, this book brings Claire and Jamie through a tumultuous quest to try and change history in order to save Scotland from a pointless but inevitable war that will eventually result in the deaths of SWEET BLEEDING JESUS!!! I KNEW IT!!!!!!! DAMNED BLOODY FUCKING CLIFFHANGERS!!!!! Sensational story!!!!

5 STARS ★★★★★

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”We are bound, you and I, and nothing on this earth shall part me from you.”

What can I say? I am completely BLOWN AWAY by this series!!!! An amazing sequel to Outlander, this book brings Claire and Jamie through a tumultuous quest to try and change history in order to save Scotland from a pointless but inevitable war that will eventually result in the deaths of thousands of Highland clansmen. Having this condemning knowledge of the future has them risking everything to prevent this looming tragedy. They risk their lives, their love, and their future to save Scotland.

”There’s only you.”
Doom, or save. That I cannot do. For I have no power beyond that of knowledge, no ability to bend others to my will, no way to stop them doing what they will. There is only me…. And I was not enough.

After nearly dying from his stay in Wentworth Prison, and the subsequent escape and passage to France, Jamie finds himself in the company of his cousin, Jared Fraser, a wealthy Scottish émigré and wine and spirits importer in Le Havre. Jamie is soon asked to manage Jared’s business in Paris, while Jared tended to his travels. And Claire and Jamie both realize that this new position will allow them access to the best aristocratic circles in Paris, and thus to Charles Stuart, and even to King Louis himself.

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”Big, aren’t you?” “…Can you Dance?”

Using these political connections, they are quickly able to infiltrate the Jacobite circle and use their influence and knowledge to try and thwart Bonnie Prince Charlie’s cause and claim to the throne of England. But they must be discreet in their endeavors to prevent the Jacobite rising because they could quickly lose not only their position in society, but their lives as well.

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Their time in Paris would also find them expecting their first child. But the trials and tribulations of their time in Paris being constant, stressful and occasionally life threatening, Claire and Jamie put not only their lives but their love on the line as well. (view spoiler)[Eventually this would end tragically when a ghost from the past reappears, threating to tear them apart forever. (hide spoiler)]

I am sorry. – J

I must!

This did not end well for anyone. And would be quite costly for all.

Now in danger and confident that they had exhausted their resources in France which required a costly pardon from King Louis, Jamie and Claire were finally able to return to Scotland, and Lallybroch. But the peace of Jamie’s home wouldn’t last long, for the Jacobite rising was indeed progressing, despite their efforts at preventing it. And as Laird of Brach Tuarach, Jamie being unwillingly volunteered to represent Prince Charlie was now facing treason if he refused his position in the uprising.

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Needless to say there was never a dull moment in this book!!! And amongst the characters from the first book, there were some additions to the story that I really loved. First of all, Murtagh was in rare form throughout this book. I just LOVE this character in all of his surly Scottish glory…always there…always faithfull… and always pulling off miracles!!! But a new character on the scene that really captured by heart was Fergus!!! OMG This little French orphan boy found in the brothel…he was just absolutely my FAVORITE!!!! He was so sweet, and loving, faithful to the death, and full of fire and mischief as well. And so in love with Jamie…just like the rest of us!!!! I also loved meeting Jamie’s crotchety old grandfather, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat from Beaufort Castle. What a fabulous cantankerous character he was!!!

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Then that incredible ending!!!!! HOLY HELL!!!!

“Blood of my Blood," he whispered, "and bone of my bone. You carry me within ye, Claire, and ye canna leave me now, no matter what happens, You are mine, always, if ye will it or no, if ye want me or nay. Mine, and I wilna let ye go.”

My heart broke completely for them!!! I was literally SOBBING at the end!!!!! After such a long and treacherous road together, and with SO MUCH LOVE for each other, I just couldn’t bear it!!!!!

“I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower's stem.”

Thank GOD for sequels!!!! So incredibly well written!!! Such a clever story too. I just LOVE THIS SERIES!!!!!!! And I am COMPLETELY GONE FOR JAMIE FRASER!!!!! MOVE OVER Alexander Barrington…You’re going to have to share that number one spot with James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser!!!!!

I want to say more, but I really just want to get back to my reading!!!! On to Voyager!!!!!

“Then let amourous kisses dwell
On our lips, begin and tell
A Thousand and a Hundred score
A Hundred and a Thousand more”

[image error] ...more

3

Aug 02, 2018

While I didn't love this one as much as Outlander, I did enjoy it and am finding myself somewhere between a 3-3.5 stars. After the initial shock of the jump forward in time, I eased into the story and enjoyed traveling from France, to Lallybroch, back to where we began, and of course adored the continuation of Jamie and Claire's love story.

4

Feb 19, 2017

4.5 stars right off the top! I got hooked on the Outlander series last year when I read the first book in this series by Diana Gabaldon. I knew I wanted to try another one, and now that I've devoured the second novel, Dragonfly in Amber, in this historical fiction and fantasy series, I have added the rest and even started watching the television drama. I'm a major fan, especially because followers on my blog selected this as my 'Book Bucket List' read for May 2018. I'm so glad they pushed me to 4.5 stars right off the top! I got hooked on the Outlander series last year when I read the first book in this series by Diana Gabaldon. I knew I wanted to try another one, and now that I've devoured the second novel, Dragonfly in Amber, in this historical fiction and fantasy series, I have added the rest and even started watching the television drama. I'm a major fan, especially because followers on my blog selected this as my 'Book Bucket List' read for May 2018. I'm so glad they pushed me to take on this ~950 behemoth despite everything else on my TBR. Now I'm trying to add in the next one in June... and to think these were written nearly 30 years ago in the early 1990s.

Where do I begin? My normal review format won't do as I really just want to gush about the book, as my friend Noriko would say. Yes, there's the time travel, the Scottish setting, and Jamie / Claire, but it's so much more. The sheer brilliance in the relationships, complexities in the plot, and historical facts and embellishments (in a good way) is phenomenal. It's like I'm absorbed into a life I wish I could live for a few hours... no different than when I read Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or Pillars of the Earth. I adore these giant tomes because of the author's ability to build realistic worlds with just a touch of disbelief to give me something to deeply ponder.

Gabaldon's attention to details is quite strong. I'm a history buff and love learning about new characters, then looking up to see if they're based on real people. All the clans of Scotland shine through. I was especially pleased when they visited the Kilmarnock villages, as my ancestors lived there in the early 1800s before emigrating to America. I can't wait to visit the town to see how it compares to the novel, family stories and everything in between. This is a true genealogy lover's book because it combines all the analytical and historical aspects of discovering your past and your supposed family. Then learning the wicked secrets, and oh, are they wicked.

The only things I'd say that stopped me from giving this 5 stars fall into two categories. There are some sections that are overly detailed to the point you begin skimming a paragraph here and there. When that happens, the action and plot (usually my most important element in a book) feels pushed to the side. It happened once every 100 pages or so... not for more than a page or two, but enough that maybe it needed to be a ~900 page book instead of a ~950 page book. Ha! The other area was something that felt a bit different from Outlander. It's almost as if Gabaldon took a few too many "pun" liberties in this one, covering bathing or bathroom habits all too frequently. I love when it's brought up in books, but it was done in a too-humorous way which forced me to step out of the book instead of stay connected to true 18th century life. Even in the 1940s which is where Claire is from before she time travels, they still lacked some of the things we consider necessary today. I like when it's brought up once or twice, but not for pages where she laughs about it and then says "but it is what it is" essentially.

All that said, the plot is smart and charming. The introduction of a good side to one of the formerly bad characters is interesting, but I know it's long from over. The travel between France and Scotland is compelling. I just finished Follett's Column of Fire and saw a strong and tight connection here. If you love a touch of fantasy and historical fiction, and don't mind strong sexual content, then you need to give this a chance, even if the entire series is around 8k pages at this point. I'll be in a book daze all week long, so I'm gonna have to select something very different to draw me out of it.

Thanks for picking this book, This Is My Truth Now voters. New poll to be setup today for June's Book Bucket List read. ...more

2

Feb 27, 2015

*Heavy sigh.*

[Theme spoilers, but no plot spoilers. Read at your own risk.]

I don't even know where to start because properly reviewing this would involve so much quoting and backing up and I don't have the energy for that after 700+ pages. The short of it is that the romantic hero character perpetuates rape culture by using the words 'rape' and 'sex' synonymously, blaming sexual assault on what the woman is wearing, and claiming that once men get aroused they literally cannot stop themselves *Heavy sigh.*

[Theme spoilers, but no plot spoilers. Read at your own risk.]

I don't even know where to start because properly reviewing this would involve so much quoting and backing up and I don't have the energy for that after 700+ pages. The short of it is that the romantic hero character perpetuates rape culture by using the words 'rape' and 'sex' synonymously, blaming sexual assault on what the woman is wearing, and claiming that once men get aroused they literally cannot stop themselves from ravaging anyone nearby. His wife, the modern woman, actually shows fear that he will beat and rape her. Though she momentarily gets mad at him, she soon finds herself unable to keep her hands off of him (wash, rinse, repeat), thus showing all the rapeyness in romantic light. That's my problem with it.

Also, if you don't know what an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship looks like, read the last 3 paragraphs of page 677 and the first half of page 678. Jealousy, demands, physical shaking, blaming her for his actions, shaming her past, solving their problems through sex. Oh look at that, I did have the energy to give at least one example. I found this to be unhealthy. Perhaps you don't. But I've lived through a very similar type of relationship and if this is what's selling as "romantic" then this book is part of the problem. I hope and pray that most readers can discern that this is undesirable.

I've discussed cultural relativism on my channel. I can respect when a book needs to show troublesome content to stay accurate to the time period. What I don't respect is this content being romanticized. There are villains in this series who behave the same way. Heroes can absolutely be morally gray, or have a darker side without portraying something harmful. When the villains and heroes act the same, what is the actual distinction between them? Are we just rooting for the hottest one?

I had so many problems with the sexism and rape culture in this book that you may be wondering why I gave it 2 stars? Despite the problematic subjects, I do consider the writing to be of quality. I have no idea if the history was well researched, but it had a depth that felt well researched. To be fair, historical fiction isn't my genre of choice, but perhaps you'd enjoy this more if it is yours.

I did also REALLY enjoy the parts of the book set in the 1960s when Jamie is out of the picture. Yes, I know I'm weird. Isn't Jamie supposed to be the main thrill of the story? Well, not for me. I was much more interested in the way the story played with time travel and its repercussions in Claire's original time. This time period bookended the story and honestly I was reading all of the past setting just to find out how the timelines would converge.

If you're curious, from what I've watched of Outlander season 2, the show DID eliminate the problematic lines from Jamie. The show seems to be a better treatment and so I do think I'll continue the show since it's my preferred, less harmful version of this story that lets the genuinely interesting premise shine. ...more

3

Feb 04, 2008

Having enjoyed the first volume of this series, I was expecting something good of this one, so I'm a bit sad it didn't match my expectations.

First, because in the first and final parts, the point of view jumps around from first person (Claire) to third person, due to the fact that we follow another character and Claire isn't always there. The problem is that this character does almost nothing but notice how Claire is so beautiful and wonderful... Second, the book drags a bit in some parts. Having enjoyed the first volume of this series, I was expecting something good of this one, so I'm a bit sad it didn't match my expectations.

First, because in the first and final parts, the point of view jumps around from first person (Claire) to third person, due to the fact that we follow another character and Claire isn't always there. The problem is that this character does almost nothing but notice how Claire is so beautiful and wonderful... Second, the book drags a bit in some parts. Third, the flashback idea is nice, but it loses when during the reading you think "well, she's telling this story to her daughter, so obviously she survives all this..."

So, we find ourselves in 1968, Claire and her daughter are in Scotland and the first thinks this is the chance to tell the truth about what happened to her, 20 years before. We go on a long flashback, this one told only from Claire's point of view, picking up where the first volume left us. We follow Claire and Jamie in Paris who, knowing what History will tell, try to avoid a massacre in case Charles Edward Stuart (also known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and pretender to the English throne) is able to reach Scotland and take his quest forward. As the first book, the story's rhythm is somewhat slow, enabling us to get to know the French court and the politics behind History. But, if this was pulled nicely on the previous volume, the same doesn't happen here, making the book dull and dragging where there was no need. It was easy to put it down and find excuses to not pick it up again.

The end was interesting though and was left open since there's another book... which I will not pick up so soon, as I need a rest from this. ...more

5

Oct 23, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the sequel to Outlander, and begins in 1968, twenty-one years after we left Claire and Jaime recovering in the French Abbey, pondering their decision to try and stop Bonnie Prince Charlie from starting a war which they know will decimate the Highland Clans.

At first, this is such a jolt you think you've picked up the wrong book. Feverishly checking online, you are reassured that this is in fact the sequel. Going back to the book, it all becomes clear, though you are panicking at the idea This is the sequel to Outlander, and begins in 1968, twenty-one years after we left Claire and Jaime recovering in the French Abbey, pondering their decision to try and stop Bonnie Prince Charlie from starting a war which they know will decimate the Highland Clans.

At first, this is such a jolt you think you've picked up the wrong book. Feverishly checking online, you are reassured that this is in fact the sequel. Going back to the book, it all becomes clear, though you are panicking at the idea of twenty-odd long years of separation for Jaimie and Claire. Followed by a horrible wrench of the heart when we learn from Claire that Jaimie died at the battle at Culloden, Prince Charles' final stand.

Claire is back in Scotland for the first time since returning to her own time, pregnant and disorientated. Her husband, Frank Randall, has died, and she is keeping a promise to herself to tell her daughter Brianna about her real father. She goes back to the Reverend Wakefield's house to find his adopted son, Roger, in residence after the Reverend's death. Roger, too, must hear her story, for reasons she does not reveal until the end. And so, as she tells her story, we learn what happened after the events in Outlander and how she came to return to Frank, and what happened to Jaimie.

I have a confession to make. First, I'll say that the start of this book made me so sad, I wondered whether I could read it at all. Secondly, I'll say that I did not mean to shatter this well-written illusion of the hangman's rope by cheating. I did flip to the back of the book, but not to read the last page or anything. I am always hoping that there is some kind of guide on pronounciation, and I'm one of those people who read everything from the author's bio and acknowledgements page to the copyright details. There was no guide on pronounciation, but there was one of those ads for the next book, Voyager, which begins by stating that Claire has gone back to 18th century Scotland because she believes Jaimie is still alive.

This was a bit of a mixed blessing. First, it did make it a whole lot easier to read this book, knowing that he would survive. But I also actually like to feel what an author intended me to feel, and I did not shed a tear at Claire and Jaimie's parting before the battle of Culloden when, faced with dying the traitor's death for killing his cousin Dougal and betraying his country, Jaimie has decided to die in battle. That, I regretted, though it did make it easier to sleep! Some reviewers didn't like the way the narration kept switching between Roger's 3rd-person and Claire's 1st-person narrative at the beginning and end. Personally, I didn't have a problem with it, I found it easy to tell them apart. I admit I skimmed a bit at the end, when Claire and Roger are looking for Geillis Duncan/Gillian Edgars. I was feeling a bit impatient by then.

As for Gabaldon's writing style, which I haven't said much about before, I do find her a tad long-winded. She tells a great story, very well-researched and, despite the time travel, believable. But her descriptions can be a little flowery, and often unnecessary. She bogs down the pace with pointless asides on the state of wilting flowers by a door as they wait for it to be answered. I know it adds to the character development - in this case, to make clear that Gillian has not been home for some time and her husband is unable to look after himself. Except that this is made clear several times over. A lot of the description is unnecessary, and often distracting. Removing some of it would definitely have cut down fewer trees to make this fat, hefty book. Don't get me wrong, I love fat and hefty. But it's ultimately a sad story, and the little flowery sentences sprinkled throughout were as annoying as little bugs flitting about your face that won't piss off no matter how hard you wave your arm around, looking like a complete twit.

Now I've got that off my chest, I'll reiterate: I did enjoy this book, and I will continue with the series, just not now. I need some recuperation time first. ...more

5

Jun 13, 2014

UPDATE:

This book was even better second time around! Probably because I knew what to expect so I didn’t feel like I would die of anxiety attack every other chapter and could properly enjoy/feel all the tiny details/emotions of this story.

REVIEW:
“I’m honest enough to say that I dinna care what the right and wrong of it may be, so long as you are here wi’ me, Claire,” he said softly. “If it was a sin for you to choose me…then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him for tempting ye to it.” - UPDATE:

This book was even better second time around! Probably because I knew what to expect so I didn’t feel like I would die of anxiety attack every other chapter and could properly enjoy/feel all the tiny details/emotions of this story.

REVIEW:
“I’m honest enough to say that I dinna care what the right and wrong of it may be, so long as you are here wi’ me, Claire,” he said softly. “If it was a sin for you to choose me…then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him for tempting ye to it.” - Jamie
I love Jamie's playfulness, temper and selflessness.

I love Claire's wit and determination.

I love Mrs. Gabaldon's writing abilities and complex storytelling skills.

And I freaking adore this series!

Do not make any excuses, you have to read and experience this epic story yourself!

James Fraser in all his glory:

“I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower's stem.” - Claire
And just a little advice for my fellow readers:



MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
...more

3

Dec 18, 2011

OK, so admittedly, it took me a really long time to finish this book, and yes, I have some problems with it.

While it started off great (mostly, I think, due to the fact that I was still coming down off the high caused by the first book), the story quickly devolved into a mess of boring details and gut-wrenching melodrama. I first became stuck somewhere around 70%, I believe. The story was just dragging. I managed, with far more time than is usually necessary for me, to make it to the 83% mark OK, so admittedly, it took me a really long time to finish this book, and yes, I have some problems with it.

While it started off great (mostly, I think, due to the fact that I was still coming down off the high caused by the first book), the story quickly devolved into a mess of boring details and gut-wrenching melodrama. I first became stuck somewhere around 70%, I believe. The story was just dragging. I managed, with far more time than is usually necessary for me, to make it to the 83% mark before giving up. For months. I simply didn't have it in me to read any more. I knew what was coming, so not only did I not want to get to that part that I knew would make my stomach hurt, I also couldn't get past those ridiculously sleepy, dragged out battle details. Over and over again with the battles and the tending to the sick and the moving with the army.

Yesterday, however, I got an itch to read the first one again. I did so in a few hours (admittedly, I skimmed some, as this is not a book that can be read in its entirety in a few hours). After having done so, I was overwhelmed by the desire to finish this one. So I did. The ending of the book was much better than the rest of it. After all that snooze worthy political intrigue, it was nice to finally get to some climactic scenes. I wasn't disappointed, and even found myself unable to tear my focus away until I knew what happened (even though I knew it was going to be a bit heartbreaking).

I can't really describe what it is about these books that makes them so wonderful. If you're in any way a competent reader, you should be able to recognize and appreciate the time, effort, and care Diana Gabaldon put into crafting these stories. The character development is phenomenal. Claire and Jamie have a romance that feels absolutely real. That was what caught me again about the first book; after reading so many mediocre sexual fantasies disguised as romance fiction over the last year, it's truly amazing to read stories like these and be able to fully comprehend the meaning of the phrase "epic romance".

I'm really talking this up while only giving it three stars. Weird, I know. But the thing is, the book would have been perfect...had it just been edited down some. Gabaldon is a true wordsmith, but I fear her talent for words resulted in this book being rather too full of them. You wouldn't think such a thing was possible, but I assure you, it is. It's not that the book is too long, I love long stories. It's that the book is too long simply due to the endless political machinations and battle descriptions. I felt some of this could have been sped along without compromising the historical integrity of the work.

That being said, I'm glad I read it. I'm onto the third now, and really looking forward to more adventure. ...more

5

Apr 23, 2008

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Dragonfly in Amber is no ordinary romance novel. In fact, in spite of its romance and paranormal elements, it is far more of a historical novel than anything else in my opinion. This book basks the reader in lush descriptions of 18th century European history, from the political intrigue in the courts of King Louis XV of France, to the everyday life of a merchant, to the inner workings of hospitals of that time. Then it sweeps the reader along, back to the beautiful Reviewed for THC Reviews
Dragonfly in Amber is no ordinary romance novel. In fact, in spite of its romance and paranormal elements, it is far more of a historical novel than anything else in my opinion. This book basks the reader in lush descriptions of 18th century European history, from the political intrigue in the courts of King Louis XV of France, to the everyday life of a merchant, to the inner workings of hospitals of that time. Then it sweeps the reader along, back to the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and eventually into the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 in which Bonnie Prince Charlie tried unsuccessfully to retake the throne of both Scotland and England. The author made liberal use of real historical personages from King Louis and Prince Charles to their courtiers, advisers and Scottish clan chieftains. Diana Gabaldon constantly amazes me with how she can realistically weave fictional characters into real historical settings and bring it all to life in such a way that it is a joy to read and never a bore. Even everyday things become special in her world. I was especially fascinated with the insights into medical treatment in that era, including the use of plants and herbs for healing. Claire works for a time, at an indigent hospital in Paris where all manner of “healers” volunteer their time and “medical services” to the patients. In many ways, it is amazing to see just how far we've come since then, but I was also intrigued by the use of what appeared to be acupuncture in one scene and the use of a small dog to sniff out infections in another. Of course, both of these are still quite useful in medicine today. There is also a tangled web of ancestral ties that will certainly keep readers on their toes. All in all, Diana Gabaldon simply has a wonderful way with painting word pictures that just swept me up in the story and made me feel like I had indeed been transported back in time.

Just because I think that Dragonfly in Amber is stronger as a historical novel, does not mean that the other elements were in any way lacking. It still has the beautiful romance of Jamie and Claire at its core. These two characters have simply enthralled me in a way that many characters in traditional romance fail to do. Jamie and Claire are absolutely perfect for each other, and in this story have settled into a very comfortable marriage in which it seems like they have been together much longer than they have. To me, this has always been part of the beauty of their relationship, in that they are the best of friends while still being passionate lovers. Even when they talk about the mundane things of life or engage in fun lighthearted bantering it expresses a deep intimacy. Jamie and Claire trust each other implicitly and even when that trust seems to have been compromised, they still find their way back to each other. This is a couple who epitomize the word, soulmate, and who would literally live and die for one another, and theirs is a love that spans both space and time and will never end. In my opinion, this is what true romance is all about, but for anyone seeking hot steamy love scenes, they won't really be found in this book. Most of these parts are fairly non-explicit and don't contain a lot of detail, but that certainly didn't matter to me, as the relationship is always the most important thing for me in any romance. There are even a couple of side romances in the form a heartbreakingly tragic relationship between a couple of Frank Randall's ancestors and a sweet budding connection between Brianna Randall Fraser and Roger Wakefield, who are very important characters in later books.

The other element that was incredibly well-done is the time travel. Diana Gabaldon has written a scholarly article outlining her own theories of time travel, and it certainly is borne out in this book. I found Jamie and Claire's attempts to alter history to be very intellectually engaging. It presents a didactical argument as to whether it would be possible to change history if time travel were a reality, something which I love to ponder. It also asks the question of whether a person could cease to exist if that history was revised. There was also a great little rabbit trail where Claire mulls over the effects of time travel on germs and disease which I found to be a fun thing to speculate about too. The one thing I would not have wanted to do, is hold the fate of so many people in my hands the way Jamie and Claire did, due to their knowledge of the future. Many times over the course of the story they had to make really difficult choices, and even did some things that might be considered somewhat immoral or unethical, and contemplated doing far worse for the sake of the greater good. Of course, they never came to these conclusions lightly, and I love how Ms. Gabaldon brought out all the gut-wrenching emotions that were associated with that decision-making process.

Jamie and Claire are two characters I won't soon forget, and I greatly look forward to reading their further adventures. Jamie is the ultimate hero who is both brave and vulnerable, and a fierce warrior but a gentle lover, a man who Claire calls “the sun.” He is selfless and chivalrous, willing to sacrifice himself for those he loves including the men under his command, and his word is his honor, something he would never dream of breaking no matter what. I love that Jamie has a sensitive heart underneath his tough exterior and isn't afraid to cry or show his true feelings. Sometimes he says some of the sweetest, most beautiful things that make me swoon. With his wry, teasing humor, he is also one of the funniest characters I have ever read. Even in the midst of the most dire circumstances, he can often make me laugh. It was absolutely hilarious (although extremely fortuitous) the amount of mileage he got out of his La Dame Blanche story about Claire, as was his confrontational “conversation” with the little dog at the hospital where Claire worked. At the same time, Jamie is still a very tortured hero who is frequently tormented by demons, both real and emotional, as a result of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Jack Randall in the first book, which led to some very intense moments in the narrative. Claire, for her part, is probably the strongest heroine I have ever read. She is an incredibly intelligent woman who always uses her wits to survive and who isn't afraid to stand up to anyone including clan leaders and even royalty. Because of her modern sensibilities, she sometimes bucks the convention of the time, but by maintaining a strong backbone, she also manages to garner the respect of nearly everyone who meets her. Still, since the book is told primarily in first person from Claire's point of view, her vulnerabilities are readily apparent to the reader. There are moments when she is truly afraid and when her emotions even get the best of her, and of course, she wears her undeniable love for Jamie on her sleeve. Claire and Jamie are just so well-matched that I could hardly bear the times that they were apart in the story, and when they came back together it was like electricity shooting off the page. Their final scenes together in Dragonfly in Amber were some of the most beautiful and poignant, but also the most heartbreaking ever to be penned. They literally left me in tears, which is a somewhat rare effect for a book to have on me.

There are just so many things to love about Dragonfly in Amber, I don't think I could possibly name them all, and there are even a few things that were a bit bothersome. On the up side, there was a widely varied and diverse cast of supporting characters from the real-life players who were mentioned earlier to plenty of fictional ones as well. Jamie's sister and brother-in-law, Jenny and Ian, who I love, appeared again along with their family. Even though he rarely has much to say, the dour Murtaugh is always a welcome addition. Jamie also takes in Fergus, a young pickpocket with the heart of a lion, although I have to admit that the historical realities for a child like him left me feeling extremely heartbroken. Jack Randall's younger brother, Alex, and Mary Hawkins, a teenage girl who Claire meets in Paris, also play important roles, as does Master Raymond, a mysterious little man who runs an apothecary shop. In addition to the strong character palette, there is plenty of intrigue that should keep readers guessing, as well as lots of adventure and excitement. On the down side, there is a quite a bit of sometimes rather gruesome violence, including sexual assault, and some vivid depictions of various war injuries which some readers may find cringe-worthy, though certainly nothing that was out of place for the time period. Most of these things did not bother me, but there was one graphic description of hanging, drawing, and quartering which left me with a queasy stomach, so sensitive readers may want to skip that part. The early parts of the book move at a rather languid pace, but there were always little side stories that made it interesting and held my attention. Overall, though there was nothing I could say I truly disliked about the book, and in fact, it was even better the second time around as this was a re-read for me.

Unlike Outlander which can be a satisfying read by itself, there is a cliffhanger ending to Dragonfly in Amber, so new readers of the series will probably want to have a copy of the next book, Voyager, on hand before starting. When I first read books 1-3 over a decade ago, I don't think I could have waited for the sequel to come, so I'm glad I didn't discover the series until the first three books had already been published. Dragonfly in Amber has forever earned a place on my keeper shelf next to its predecessor, Outlander. I can't wait to read the remaining books in the series, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, and A Breath of Snow and Ashes, as well as An Echo in the Bone, the newest Outlander book which is due to hit store shelves this September. With her amazing talent and enthralling writing style, Diana Gabaldon has also earned a place among my favorite authors. ...more

2

Feb 20, 2008

"Ugh, what a dreadful cover. I'm supposed to have this read by Sunday afternoon."

Okay, Wendy's book group will meet tomorrow to discuss book three in the Outlander series, but I just finished this second one, and man, it was a long haul, and I don't just mean the length.

What didn't work for me: the self-satisfied tone of the author's voice behind her main character, repetitive phrases (mouths always "twitching" rather than almost smiling), excessive detail without sensory or emotional power, too "Ugh, what a dreadful cover. I'm supposed to have this read by Sunday afternoon."

Okay, Wendy's book group will meet tomorrow to discuss book three in the Outlander series, but I just finished this second one, and man, it was a long haul, and I don't just mean the length.

What didn't work for me: the self-satisfied tone of the author's voice behind her main character, repetitive phrases (mouths always "twitching" rather than almost smiling), excessive detail without sensory or emotional power, too much "telling" rather than "showing," muddy use of multiple points of view, over-the-top plot turns and one too many narrow escapes. I know it's fantasy, but I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief. And I hated the stupid exchange at the dinner table with Jamie's grandfather over the manual treatment of prostatitis. Just stupid.

What did work? Of course, I love the romanticism of Scotland and France in those days of clan rivalry and court intrigue, as well as the romanticism of a different kind between Jamie and Claire. I mean who doesn't like the idea of a devoted champion who forgives one's every flaw or indiscretion and is always up for a roll in the peat moss? And that description fits Claire as well as Jamie. But most of the love scenes are pretty lame.

The central story is strong and satisfying; the intricate plotting is impressive, if sometimes tiresome, the basic outline of the characters is very appealing, and I love that Claire is a healer. But I would just get caught up in a storyline when it would shift to something else. I want to know what happens, but I'm not willing to drag myself through five, or is it six? more books that should have been edited to half their current length. ...more

5

Jun 21, 2014

For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

I will
For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

I will say that you need patience to read this series. The books are long, verra long indeed.

”This is Scotland. Of course not liking whisky is a crime.”

Twenty years have passed and Claire returns to Scotland to try and unravel some secrets.


I fell in love with Jamie in the first book, Outlander. So when this one started 20 years later with Claire being 48, I was excited as to see where it would go.


“The devil’s in the detail.” Isn’t that what they say? Well there sure was some detail in this story. I don’t know how long it took Ms Gabaldon to do her research for this. I found it authentic

“I am called Lord Broch Tuarach for formality’s sake,” the soft Scottish voice above me said. “And beyond the requirements of formality, you will never speak to me again—until you beg for your life at the point of my sword. Then, you may use my name, for it will be the last word you ever speak.”


“The price of Frank’s life was Jamie’s soul, and how was I to choose between them?”


“The window was made up of thousands of tiny colored panes, held in place by strips of melted lead. Though the entire window, a mythological scene of the Judgment of Paris, shuddered in its frame, the leading held most of the panes intact; in spite of the crash and tinkle, only a jagged hole at the feet of Aphrodite let in the soft spring air.”



“I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment,
I heard my heart break.
It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower's stem.”


“The gray cloud that had surrounded me … seemed to draw closer, wrapping me in swaddling folds that dimmed the light of the brightest day. Sounds seemed to reach me faintly, like the far-off ringing of a buoy through fog at sea.”


REMEMBER MAN, THOU ART DUST …
AND UNTO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN


“Never,” he whispered to me. “Never. Never another but me! Look at me! Tell me! Look at me, Claire!” ”

“For you are mine.
My wife, my heart, my soul.”


Jamie and Claire’s story is epic.
It was wonderful.
They were perfect together and perfect for each other.

“And I looked, held prisoner, bound to him. Looked, as he dropped the last of his masks, and showed me the depths of himself, and the wounds of his soul. I would have wept for his hurt, and for mine, had I been able. But his eyes held mine, tearless and open, boundless as the salt sea. His body held mine captive, driving me before his strength, like the west wind in the sails of a bark.

And I voyaged into him, as he into me, so that when the last small storms of love began to shake me, he cried out, and we rode the waves together as one flesh, and saw ourselves in each other’s eyes.”

Once again, we are sent on a journey through Scotland and France. Parisian Court beckons and Jamie and Claire are thrown headfirst into aristocratic life in Paris.


To be honest, some of the political detail went right over my head. I don’t know a lot about Scottish history – well I do know that they or some of them are looking for their independence from England with a referendum in September.

“Whatever you want to say about the Swiss, they are clever woodcarvers, no?”


I wasn’t’t sure if I should be shouting for the Jacobites, the Stuarts, King Louis, Bonnie Prince Charlie…


I knew I was shouting for Jamie and Claire.

“He turned to me, wordless, and the breath rushed from him as he pulled me hard against him. Our hands groped in the dying light of the setting sun, urgent in the touch of warmth, the reassurance of flesh, reminded by the hardness of the invisible bone beneath the skin, how short life is.”

I loved Jamie’s sister, Jenny and her husband, Ian.

“Aye, mo duinne. But you’re my sassenach.”


I found the Scots Gaelic to be quite lovely. Verra similar to Irish so I could understand some of it.

“You’re mine, damn ye, Claire Fraser! Mine, and I wilna share ye, with a man or a memory, or anything whatever, so long as we both shall live. You’ll no mention the man’s name to me again. D’ye hear?” He kissed me fiercely to emphasize the point. “Did ye hear me?” he asked, breaking off.”

Once again, I could be here all night and talk about Jamie and Claire but time is of the essence and the night is falling.


“I know it,” he said quietly. “I do know it, my own. Let me tell ye in your sleep how much I love you. For there’s no so much I can be saying to ye while ye wake, but the same poor words, again and again. While ye sleep in ” “my arms, I can say things to ye that would be daft and silly waking, and your dreams will know the truth of them. Go back to sleep, mo duinne.”


“There is one way,” I said. “Only one.”


“I will find you,” he whispered in my ear. “I promise. If I must endure two hundred years of purgatory, two hundred years without you—then that is my punishment, which I have earned for my crimes. For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest.”

His voice dropped, nearly to a whisper, and his arms tightened around me.

“Lord, ye gave me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well.”


“There aren’t any answers, only choices.
I’ve made a number of them myself, and no one can tell me whether they were right or wrong.”


Whoever picked the casting for the forthcoming TV series, ya picked verra well indeed.


I sort of go in blind to these books. I am really afraid that I will read a spoiler. I already did with the first one when I saw something on Pinterest.


As I said in my review for the previous book, I hope my son gets his place at Edinburgh Univeristy and I can walk in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire Fraser. This book is way more than my review. There are twists and turns and events that will tear at your heartstrings.

Looking forward to my Buddy Read tomorrow of Book 2 avec mon amie, â’¶lleskelle, n'est pas Alexandra? She is probably cringing at my ruination of the French language.


...more

5

Dec 16, 2015

This book completely blew my mind. I am in awe by Diana Gabaldon's ability to write something so beautiful and descriptive, so exciting and so heartbreaking.

Yes it took me about a month overall to read because there are parts which can be slow and dense, but I appreciate so much being able to really take my time with a story and become so invested in the history, the plot and the characters.

And these characters!!!! They have totally taken a hold of my heart and I don't see them letting go any This book completely blew my mind. I am in awe by Diana Gabaldon's ability to write something so beautiful and descriptive, so exciting and so heartbreaking.

Yes it took me about a month overall to read because there are parts which can be slow and dense, but I appreciate so much being able to really take my time with a story and become so invested in the history, the plot and the characters.

And these characters!!!! They have totally taken a hold of my heart and I don't see them letting go any time soon. ...more

5

Mar 30, 2016

Tears.

Read this review and others over on my blog
Between the sheets & covers blog
Between the sheets & covers blog
Between the sheets & covers blog

4

Aug 03, 2017

In this enthralling sequel to the hard-to-forget "Outlander" we're once more cast upon ancient European lands of yore with a roving eye which captures both the historical revisionism AND its own inherent nonsensicality attached to the serious-as-stone (heh heh) time traveling theme. Gabaldon has expertly built for us a tremendously detailed world that feels like one supremely kick ass history class lesson. (All persistent readers, I sincerely think, have had in their lifetimes a least a few In this enthralling sequel to the hard-to-forget "Outlander" we're once more cast upon ancient European lands of yore with a roving eye which captures both the historical revisionism AND its own inherent nonsensicality attached to the serious-as-stone (heh heh) time traveling theme. Gabaldon has expertly built for us a tremendously detailed world that feels like one supremely kick ass history class lesson. (All persistent readers, I sincerely think, have had in their lifetimes a least a few handfuls of these.) The flawless expertise one cannot possibly question. Our submergence in these foreign terrains is TOTAL.

& the plot. Yes, because it's so ambitiously girthy and practically pointillist in its detail, it has a rollercoaster line plot that does nothing if not take the reader by surprise. Even a history buff learned in 1700s Scotland and France will not be able to tell where Dragonfly in Amber will land. The Sassenach and Scottish Playgirl fantasy hunk may really be the quintessential Homecoming queen and king of newer novel series. Following them into their castle after the party (in this tome: at Versailles!!!!) would be our sole choice as literary voyeuristic pervs. Joy!!!! ...more

4

Sep 11, 2017

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Read for the Unapologetic Romance Readers Halloween 2017 Reading Challenge for the category of: a romance with a Celtic theme



I recently reread and reviewed OUTLANDER, to see if it would hold up to my initial reading. To my pleasant surprise, it did. I enjoyed the book so much that I immediately launched into the sequel, DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. The book starts out in the present day for Claire - the 1960s. Now she has a daughter in her 20s,
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???? Read for the Unapologetic Romance Readers Halloween 2017 Reading Challenge for the category of: a romance with a Celtic theme ????



I recently reread and reviewed OUTLANDER, to see if it would hold up to my initial reading. To my pleasant surprise, it did. I enjoyed the book so much that I immediately launched into the sequel, DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. The book starts out in the present day for Claire - the 1960s. Now she has a daughter in her 20s, and she's returned back to the place where she first disappeared. After a hundred pages or so, the book slips back into the 18th century, to Charles Stuart as he holds court in France, and, of course, to Claire and Jamie's desperate attempts to avert the Battle of Culloden.



Usually time travelers do everything they can not to change the course of history. In fact, it's like a rule: don't touch anything, don't even step on anything, because if you step on a butterfly, even, the Internet might not exist, or the US might be colonized by England. Not Claire, though. Claire comes from the 11/23/63 school of history, in the sense that she doesn't just not try to avoid changing history - she actively dedicates her life to f*cking with events.



For the greater good, of course.



This is a difficult book to rate. It's so long. Longer than it needs to be, I think you could argue. Parts of it were great. I loved the parts set in France - the plotting, the intrigue, the scandals, the violence. There were duels, rape (of course), cults, assassination attempts, poison attempts, potion-making, and, of course, long and gratuitous scenes involving primitive healthcare. Parts of the Battle of Culloden were good, too (I've been to Culloden... it's a beautiful and haunting place). Jack Randall makes an appearance, and he is just as disgusting as he was in the previous book, reminding everyone that he is the Ramsay Bolton of the Outlander universe, and everyone wants him just as dead.



(Spoiler alert: he doesn't die in this book.)

0

Oct 19, 2014

LET THE KILT DROP #2




SERIES:

This series is comprised of one epic story. Each book is like a chapter in that larger story. It is recommended that you read the books in the order they were published.
To find out when book 9 will be released click here.

Novellas:

(#7.5)(#8.5)

4

Mar 19, 2011

"For I had come back, and I dreamed once more, in the cool air of the Highlands. And the choice of my dream still echoed through ears and heart, repeated with the sound of Brianna's sleeping breath."

For those of you who haven't read Outlander, I'd think any reviews for books further in the series would be spoiler-ish...mine included.

I'm sitting here dumbfounded, having just finished Dragonfly in Amber. I'm thinking about what to say in a review and trying to think back to the beginning of the "For I had come back, and I dreamed once more, in the cool air of the Highlands. And the choice of my dream still echoed through ears and heart, repeated with the sound of Brianna's sleeping breath."

For those of you who haven't read Outlander, I'd think any reviews for books further in the series would be spoiler-ish...mine included.

I'm sitting here dumbfounded, having just finished Dragonfly in Amber. I'm thinking about what to say in a review and trying to think back to the beginning of the book and it seems like years ago. So much has happened in the last 900 pages. Certainly, Jamie and Claire are vastly different people but so am I. I never knew I could forgive like this. Both Jamie and Claire do things in this book that, had this been any other 300 page Historical Romance or Historical Fiction, I'd have closed the book feeling angry and confused as to why an author would do that to her readers...why make her hero/heroine do such awful things to each other? Why overshadow the rest of the book by throwing in that two or three scenes that makes me question my loyalty toward them?

"Aye," he whispered, as though to himself, "I'm a big chap. big and strong. I can stand a lot. Yes, I can stand it." He whirled on me, shouting. "I can stand a lot! But just because I can, does that mean I must? Do I have to bear everyone's weakness? Can I not have my own?"

Why?

I know why, in this case. Because it made Jamie and Claire into such fallible humans, capable of such error and anger and stupidity...only to continue their lives and prove to also have such devotion, such dedication, loyalty, and this enormous love for each other. IT only truly becomes real to me when all aspects of their character are revealed, such as in this book. And this is only book two!

"Well, I'll tell ye, Sassenach, 'graceful' is possibly not the first word that springs to mind at thought of you." He slipped an arm behind me, on hand large and warm around my silk-clad shoulder.
"But I talk to you as I talk to my own soul," he said, turning me to face him. He reached up and cupped my cheek, fingers light on my temple.
"And, Sassenach," he whispered, "your face is my heart."



From the 1960's to eighteenth century France, to Scotland and the battles of Falkirk and Culloden, Dragonfly in Amber just blew my mind.

I could not help remembering one historian's description of the Highlanders' fate at Culloden - "the dead lay four deep, soaking in rain and their own blood."
The Highlanders, mismanaged and starving, but ferocious to the end, would be wasted in one decisive half-hour. They would be left to lie in heaps, bleeding in a cold April rain, the cause they had cherished for a hundred years dead along with them."

As I began reading, it was hard for me to admit what was plainly being told to me...Claire was no longer with Jamie in Scotland. No, for most of the book, she is relaying her tale of her adventures with Jamie during the Jacobite uprising over 200 years ago. These details are rich as ever, more political in the telling than Outlander was, and gives such insight into the way of life both for the aristocratic rich folks back then, but also the rabble, the workmen, the poor, the farmers, the normal people who only wanted to live their lives and raise their families and love their husbands and wives.

But men who grasp for more didn't much care for the lives of their peasants, and most everyone somehow became wrapped up in the games that kings played. Whether it was wives sending husbands and sons to war, the men themselves trotting off with pitchforks and rusty swords, the nurses and doctors and children and the list goes on. This nine hundred pages right here gives all of those details that you don't think about, and Gabaldon shoves them in your face until you can see nothing but.

And I can't help but feel such a sadness for the real men and women that this story shadows. It's such and intense feeling, to put the book down and research it on my own and realize that so much of this is true...minus the time travel, of course :D But it's hard to not dwell on the realities that are brought to light and the tragedies that played out, things that I'd never have thought of. And it is humbling...and it makes me feel guilty that I know so little of history. And I know, I know it's fiction. But what a remarkable talent to make me have all of these intense feelings, to cry for these people as if they were my own, if only for a little bit.


"I will find you," he whispered in my ear. "I promise. If I must endure two hundred years of purgatory, tow hundred years without you - then that is my punishment, which I have earned for my crimes. For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest."
His voice dropped, nearly to a whisper, and his arms tightened around me.
"Lord, ye have me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well."

The beginning of this story was confusing and shocking and I didn't want to read it. It alludes to something that breaks my heart, and I just wanted to get to the good parts...forget about the current Claire and go back to eighteenth century Scotland. But if there is one thing that I can take from this book in particular, it is that the journey is what it's all about. I still have no idea how this will all turn out...I have no idea, in fact. The getting there is all the fun...and heartbreak...that I can take. Let the ratings speak for themselves and make your decision for you. To read or not to read? With millions upon millions of rave reviews, I think the decision is easy.

"D'ye think I don't know?" he asked softly. "It's me that has the easy part now. For if ye feel for me as I do for you - then I am asking you to tear out your heart and live without it."

Buddy read with Raquel and Anna :D Ladies, I don't think I could have made it through without you!!



...more

4

Aug 02, 2009

"Drangonfly in Amber" starts with Claire coming back to 70s Scotland after the death of her husband Frank. You don't have to be a genius to realize right away that something had gone really wrong between Claire and Jamie in the 18th century. So I started the book a little sad knowing that I was surely headed for a heartbreak.

The book however soon goes back to Jamie and Claire through Claire's memories. We meet them where the 1st book left off - on the way to France to attempt to stop Charles "Drangonfly in Amber" starts with Claire coming back to 70s Scotland after the death of her husband Frank. You don't have to be a genius to realize right away that something had gone really wrong between Claire and Jamie in the 18th century. So I started the book a little sad knowing that I was surely headed for a heartbreak.

The book however soon goes back to Jamie and Claire through Claire's memories. We meet them where the 1st book left off - on the way to France to attempt to stop Charles Stuart’s plans to reclaim the throne of Scotland. Naturally, a series of adventures follows as we see our couple travel from Paris to Lallybroch to Edinburgh, etc.

Just like "Outlander," "Dragonfly in Amber" is full of adventure, curious historical facts, fascinating characters and very touching scenes of love and kinship. The passion and smuttiness of the "Outlander" are almost gone as Claire and Jamie settle into their comfortable marriage. You miss it a little in the beginning, but soon the void is filled by scenes of true companionship and marital devotion (I know, it sounds corny, but it’s not).

Although I truly enjoyed the book, I did have some concerns with it. Unlike "Outlander" written entirely from Claire's POV, this book jumps from 1st person narration to 3rd person narration in the first and last part of the book; and in the middle - a few times from Claire's to Jamie's POV. This bothered me. While I understand the need for it, I believe there is a better way to relay the story without resorting to multiple and sometimes unnecessary POVs.

The other issue I have is with the idea of time-travel itself. I wonder how Gabaldon is going to handle the issue in her future books, but I couldn't quite understand why for instance Claire would stop Jamie from killing Jack Randall to ensure the birth of her 1st husband Frank, but would readily agree to try to change the course of history knowing that the consequences of it could in theory affect the lives of millions of people, including Claire's. I am still a little puzzled by it. Plus, is Gabaldon's theory that it is impossible to change the future at all? Because so far Claire and Jamie have been unable to stop anything from happening.

In spite of these concerns, "Dragonfly in Amber" is still an engrossing read which makes you both happy and sad, heartbroken and delighted. I will definitely read "Voyager," especially because this second book in the series ends with quite a cliffhanger.

Reading challenge: #1 - D ...more

5

Nov 14, 2015

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I feel like I should warn you before you read too much of this review that there will be gushing. Major gushing. You see, I am in love with Jamie Frasier. I can't help it. It just happened and I am powerless to stop it. I had to admit to my husband that I was in love with a fictional character. He just shrugged his shoulders and looked at me like I was crazy. Oh well.



This is a story that is really all about the characters. And Jamie is one This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I feel like I should warn you before you read too much of this review that there will be gushing. Major gushing. You see, I am in love with Jamie Frasier. I can't help it. It just happened and I am powerless to stop it. I had to admit to my husband that I was in love with a fictional character. He just shrugged his shoulders and looked at me like I was crazy. Oh well.



This is a story that is really all about the characters. And Jamie is one heck of a character. Oh sure, I like Claire well enough too but Jamie is in a whole different league. I think that the entire cast of characters in this novel are really very well portrayed and they simply come to life on the page. The characters are so realistic that many of them actually remind me of certain people that I have met just based on personality traits. All of the characters are flawed and make mistakes and I love them because of that.



This isn't a book that really has one major plot but instead focuses on a time period during their lives. There are a lot of things that happen in this book. I must admit that I was a bit confused when I started listening to this audiobook because of how it started. I stopped and checked and then double checked that it was in fact book #2 in the series. I read this book years ago and didn't remember that it started the way that it does. The way the book begins really does take any surprise out of how it ends but the entire journey is wonderful. There are a lot of descriptions in the book that I am sure could have been edited out but I am glad that they weren't. I wasn't looking for a short book when I started this series. I was hoping to be swept away by an epic story details included.



I think that Davina Porter has to be the perfect narrator for this series. The way this book is read really adds a lot to the overall experience of the story. She expertly handles a wide range of distinctive voices. She is the voice of Jamie which is somewhat odd to say. In most cases when a narrator is doing the voice of the other gender it feels wrong to me in some way. Davina Porter's range is so large that her male voices sounds as authentic as her female voices. Her execution of Jamie's Scottish accent and Claire's British accent are truly remarkable.



I highly recommend this series to anyone. This book picks up right where Outlander leaves off so you do really need to read this series in order. I would also say that I recommend the audiobook version of this series because it is a absolutely wonderful way to experience this story. I couldn't wait to continue my journey with Jamie and Claire and have already started the audiobook for Voyager, which is book #3 in the series. I am really looking forward to all the time I plan to spend with Jamie this year as I make my way through this series.

Initial Thoughts
I think that I liked this story even better the second time. The narration of the audiobook was absolutely outstanding. The story grabs you and doesn't let go. Plus, there is Jamie.



I am completely in love with this fictional man. I love Claire just as much. Yes, there is a lot of descriptions in this book but I really enjoyed all of it.

Full review to be posted just as soon as I can collect my thoughts and stop swooning. ...more