Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Synopsis: Claire Beauchamp Randall's life hasn't been easy. Her parents died when she was young, she got married months before World War II broke out, and then for the years to follow, she nursed British soldiers while her husband did work elsewhere for the war effort. Now, after the war has finally ended, her and her husband have reunited and are taking a belated honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands. Out exploring one day, however, Claire is ripped from her time in the 1940s to the early 1740s. Stuck in a country heading towards war where English soldiers seem to be sticking around just to throw people in jail and flog them, Claire has very few options for safety. She must find a way to protect herself while trying to find a way back home. Especially when the Scots she spends her days with think she's a spy, and the British she keeps running into think there's something too suspicious about an unmarried English woman living alone in the middle of the Highlands. The clearest, but by far not the simplest solution is to marry. Luckily, Jamie Fraser, for his own safety, is also in need of spouse. The two are married, and Claire, as she falls in love with her new husband, begins to wonder if trying to find a way back to her own time is really her top priority.

Review: This book was the perfect way to start the year. I started reading it during Christmas break, and finished just last week, which is actually fairly fast considering that this book is 850 pages. This brick of a book is full of romance, adventure, action, and time-travel, though, so it went by fast. The beginning was a little long, but once Claire was fixed in her new life, the plot picked up and seemed well-paced. The setting was extraordinary, of course. Anything entirely set in the Scottish Highlands is going to be amazing. Castles, towns, forests, hills... The setting couldn't have been better.

The characters were a fun mix of oddities, passions, and humor. There were some characters who I absolutely hated, others I was indifferent towards, and some I absolutely loved. I espicially loved Claire, who is a great protagonist. Placing a 20th century woman into the 18th century is sure to be humorous at times, especially when she screams "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ" and everyone stares at her in confusion, but the best part was Claire's ability to adapt to her situation. There is no time spent "boo-hooing" over her situation. She seems to just carry on with life with only the occasional glimpse of remorse and sadness over not being with her husband in the 20th century. From her attitude, to her assessments of the situations she and Jamie find themselves in, I loved her character!

Jamie Fraser, the man Claire marries, is probably one of my favorite characters to exist ever. He's one of the characters that you imagine as part-puppy. You want to make sure he has all his basic needs, so that you can just sit and watch him be happy and adorable. His snark, his strength (of character, that is), his shyness, his love for Claire, all of it adds up to a character that I absolutely loved.

There were a few things I especially did not care for in this novel. For one, the writing was sometimes beautiful, but other times awkward and choppy. The reading experience was a little odd and inconsistent because of this. Secondly, there is a section of the book in which Claire puts some of the men she and Jamie are traveling with in danger and almost gets herself killed. In 1740s Scottish culture, a person, man or woman, is usually hit or whipped in some way or another if they put the rest of the party in danger. This results in a scene with Clair being hit by Jamie with the expectation from every other person in their party that it would happen. I felt like this scene was too forced and unnecessary. It was a) fairly abusive, b) oddly handled by Claire who after putting up an intense fight, thereafter comes to realize that the men were right and pretty much "gets over it" and c) felt out of character for both Claire and Jamie. Nothing like it happens again throughout the book, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

The above may be seen as a trigger-warning for some, and so I should also disclose that other parts of the book may be hard for some readers. There were scenes and chapters where characters suffered intense physical and sometimes sexual abuse from British soldiers. So, just be aware of that if you're thinking about reading this book.

I think my favorite part of this novel was the build-up to Claire's decision to stay in the 1740s and stop pursuing a way home. The tension to get back is suddenly released and it is like Claire takes on this whole new self. She is suddenly so much happier and relieved and just throws herself into her new life. The shift in her and Jamie's relationship after this point is well-worth the wait, as everything sort of settles and the two seem to finally accept the home they have found in each other.

This novel was fun, romantic, and action-packed. The tensions worked well and were interesting, the plot moved fast, and the characters were fun to get to know. This book has been made into a television show, which is still airing. I have the first part of season 1 on DVD and am very excited to watch it! There are also about seven more books in this series, all of which are just as long, if not longer. Despite the scene I didn't like in the novel, I think I'll be continuing with the series, as I don't think it will be something that is repeated. If it is, I probably won't continue the series.

I would highly recommend for anyone wanting to read a traditional "romance" novel, but who wants more plot and action than some other romances offer. I would also recommend for those who are interested in the Highlands and the Scottish/English conflict, as there is quite a bit of history in these books.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia