Author / Writer /
Book Lover - which are you?
KAM ~ Book lover since birth (or pretty close to it), writer since high school, and author since Spring 2014 when my non-fiction piece was included in the book THREE MINUS ONE. Someday women's fiction author.
KAM ~ Book lover since birth (or pretty close to it), writer since high school, and author since Spring 2014 when my non-fiction piece was included in the book THREE MINUS ONE. Someday women's fiction author.
Title and year published OUTLANDER, 1991
Author Diana Gabaldon
Type of book
KAM ~ That's tricky. How
about historical fiction/romance/adventure/fantasy? It did win the RITA for Best Romance of 1991, but at 650+ pages, it's FAR from your
typical category romance. (Some bodices may have been ripped though.)
What is it about this
book that pulled you in?
KAM ~ The book has been out
forever, but for some reason, I only picked it up this September. I was instantly hooked by this swashbuckling
adventure of a kilted hero and a spirited heroine who defy time to be together.
When English nurse Claire touches a strange cleft stone on a Scottish hilltop
she's swept through time into the dangerous world of 1743. Just as she's about
to be captured by an evil English captain, she's (literally) swept away by
Scotts warrior Jamie Fraser. The epic is the perfect blend of history and intrigue—and then there's that
fiery love story. Despite the long page count, there's no purple prose; instead
the story is infused with vivid characters, wry wit, and a plot that races at a
breakneck speed. Who could ask for more?
Is there a
relationship in the story that resonated with you?
KAM ~ I was totally team Claire and Jamie.
Though Claire is actually married back in her real time, I never connected with
her husband. Jamie is far more her match, and both characters possess a
ruggedness, intelligence, and sense of humor that make them a perfect match,
even when sparks fly. I just had to keep reading to find out when those sparks
would ignite.
Do you think that
relationship was portrayed realistically?
KAM ~ Women across the
globe have fallen in love with Jamie, so it's no surprise Claire succumbs to
his wild Scottish ways. She's a pretty tough cookie herself—a WWII combat nurse
and far more liberated than the typical 1940's woman. She doesn't have a
problem standing up for herself or speaking her mind, even when amongst a pack
of wild warriors. Jamie is practically the prototype for the alpha male, but he
has some rather brutish behaviors that today's women would find...unacceptable.
Claire's reactions as a 20th century woman occasionally gave me
pause, but then I remembered not only where she was, but when, and how
she put him properly in his place.
Anything else you
want to tell us about the book without giving away too much of the plot?
I'd read amazing things about this
book and the entire series for years, but I was scared off by the “romance” and
“fantasy” categorization. I was not a big reader of either genre. The amount of
fantasy is ridiculously nominal and the story is set enough in reality that I
wouldn't even consider it fantasy or sci-fy. And the romance is, well,
swoon-worthy. There are some “uncomfortable” topics included that I thought
were taboo in a romance, so once again this novel defies genre norms. Don't let
the length scare you away either. The story so completely seduced me that I finished
the book in a few nights, preferring to linger in 18th century
Scotland than to drift into my own dreamworld.
I haven't watched the new TV series yet, but I'll be getting my
highlander on as I watch the adaptation.
Oh, and if you do read it, it's okay to cheat a little and google the
correct pronunciation of “Sassenach.” You'll be glad you did.
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JHA ~ Thanks so much, Kerry Ann, for recommending this mega-hit book. I've heard so much about it, and the very popular TV series! I am probably one of the few who hasn't been watching it, but I will definitely be reading this book!
Attention readers ~ Have YOU read this book? If so, tell us what YOU thought of it!
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I'm curious if you've rented the Outlander series on Netflix, Kerry, and if so, did you like it as good as the novel?
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched it yet, but my mom watched while I read the book. I know the show has had women swooning for the kilted Jamie. I did check out a few clips, just so I could figure out how to pronounce a few of the words!
DeleteI too am turned off by the genres Sci-Fi and Romance. I chuckled when you said you enjoyed this book in spite of those classifications. I may need to reconsider reading the book. However, I think I will stay away from the series on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteI started this book, but could not finish due to one scene that got me really mad... and while I've considered picking it back up again because it's so wildly loved and popular, I do remember that I had a hard time relating to Claire... and then Jamie, whom I loved, ended up disappointing me in that scene that got me mad. Ha. And yet, this book and series keeps popping up everywhere! It's taunting me to finish it.
ReplyDelete