Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: Dell Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
First Publication: 1991
Major Characters: Jamie Fraser, Ian Murray, Claire Randall Fraser, Jonathan Randall, Dougal MacKenzie, Colum MacKenzie, Geillis Duncan, Jenny Murray, Frank Randall, Laoghaire MacKenzie, Murtagh Fraser
Theme: Love, Marriage and Loyalty, Women and Femininity, Tradition and Customs, Power and Duty, Supernatural and Violence
Setting: 1743 in Lallybroch, Scottish Highlands, Inverness, Scotland
Narrator: First Person from Claire Randall’s point of view
Book Summary: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another…
In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”–in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord…1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire’s destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life …and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.
Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
When Claire Randall and her husband go to a second honeymoon at the Highlands in order to reconnect as a couple after WWII she never expected to be thrown inadvertently back in time, in the year of 1743 when the English and the Scots were at not so peaceful grounds. She suddenly becomes a Sassenach, an Outlander, and has to face clans and lairds and other things she’s only ever read about in history. And now she’s back again to being Claire Beauchamp.
When she travels back in time, she immediately falls into the hands of a captain of the dragoons, Jonathan Randall, an ancestor of her husband. Many call him Black Jack for his soul is dark. He jumps on her but she is saved by clansmen. Due to her being a nurse during WWII she helps save a young Scot man that is severely hurt and is taken back to Castle Leoch. The place where those who belong at the clan of Colum Mackenzie reside.
“For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary”
She has to face the suspicion and the doubt surrounding her by simply looking the other way while trying to be inconspicuous about where she comes from and how she came to be here. Everyone thinks she’s an English spy and on top of that she has to face her own feelings and confusion of being thrown back in time. She’s baffled and scared but still she handles it well. Claire is a really strong character and she adapts quickly. She’s not easily scared, she’s survived severed hands and torn soldiers and she sure as hell can get through this.
When she is discovered by English soldiers and is taken back into interrogation she is forced to come face to face, once again, with Captain Randall and plays her card with him. Dougal Mackenzie announces her that she is to be married. The only way of her ever slipping through Randall’s fingers is if she takes Scottish citizenship by marrying a fellow Scot. She is to be married to Jamie Fraser, the lad she had saved back when she had first found herself in the hands of the clansmen and the only person she felt relaxed and easy around. Let’s go back a bit.
Met one month, married one day. Bound by vows and by blood. And by friendship as well. When the time came to leave, I hoped that I would not hurt too badly.
Claire is one of those headstrong characters that once she sets her mind and eyes on something she’ll do about anything in order to reach her goal. She is pigheaded, she always wants to do it her way. She’s independent and she doesn’t need anyone. At least, that was until she met Jamie Fraser. He is beautiful and he is young and he is gentle and he’s the only one of the clansmen who’s a bit more civilized and more lettered.
Jamie Fraser. Full name: James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser is an amazing character who is also the nephew of Colum and Dougal Mackenzie, and he’s a fugitive of the law. He’s caring and protective of those he loves; He’s strong and snarky the only one who can handle Claire. Jamie Fraser is the only one Claire trusts and the only she feels she can talk to.
Once they get married, things get heated. Claire, even though she is married she cannot deny her attraction towards Jamie and Jamie is most glad that he doesn’t have to hold back his feelings any more.
One never stops to think what underlies romance. Tragedy and terror, transmuted by time. Add a little art in the telling, and voila! a stirring romance, to make the blood run fast and the maidens sigh.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is not just romance, though romance is a big part of it and it’s one of the best things about it. This book is about seeing the gap of generations, seeing how in 200 hundred years so many things have changed, not only epochal, but also people.. People have changed, their ways of mind and heart are completely different and Claire is forced to adapt or die. In Outlander, Diana Gabaldon does a wonderful and thorough job of that. Her captivating and detailed writing is incredible. Her dialogues are amazing. She has created a plot so rich, with twists, fun and a romance that takes your breath away forever. It’s also nice to see how Claire and Jamie work through their problems, how a love blossoms between them, so pure and so strong that they won’t stop at anything in order to be together.
Even though there many details, many characters and a constant change of scenery the book never felt boring. Not for a second. Mrs. Gabaldon would always find something to keep your mind focused on her storytelling. She’s pretty resourceful and has lots of things to give.
“Sometimes our best action result in things that are most regrettable.”
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon really picked up from halfway on. The book was insane until the first half but then things got out of control. Also, it’s humorous at times and that makes up for all the drama and it’s very nice that both our characters are snarky and not afraid of telling one another how they really feel. Their relationship seems so genuine and so real. I can’t really talk about them without getting emotional.
Mrs. Gabaldon is a master at romance just as she is a master at storytelling and keeping you on the edge. She can create hot and heavy scenes between our characters, with vivid narration that makes your blood run high. That’s about it. The ending is really, really satisfying.
