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alisal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
idratherbereading542's review against another edition
5.0
First off, I LOVED this book! It was by far my favorite book of the series so far. It's funny, because I gave the first book 3 stars, the second book 4 stars (probably would have been 3.5 if I could), and this one was definitely a 5 star in my book. I generally base that on if it's very hard for me to put the book down, if possible at all. :) I don't know if it's because I'm very attached to the characters at this point, or if it's that her writing and story lines are getting better and better, but this was truly a great book.
Anyways, the beginning of the book seems like a whole other book considering all of the adventures and things that happened once she got back. I'm glad that they recounted what happened to Jamie after she left instead of leaving it a mystery. But I was a bit disappointed in Jaimie not being totally honest with her from the time he first saw her again. He seemed to keep a lot of secrets. I guess I can kind of understand, but it was a little disappointing for his character.
I am sad to see Fergus all grown up! I'm so used to him being the feisty little French boy. But I'm happy he's still in the series still; and I also really like the new character of Young Ian.
There were some things that were a little sad for me, like the fact that he got remarried at all. I can understand being lonely though and he thought she was never going to come back, but it was a bit sad for me to find that out. I also was sad that he had another child other than with Claire. I know it was an accident, but that was sad for me. Also, what is up with gay guys being so attracted to him? I just couldn't help but giggle at the part in prison where John Grey put his hand on Jamie's hand, and Jamie's reaction of it. I just felt like "poor Jamie" - he can't go anywhere without someone he doesn't want wanting him. :) I did, however, like the John Grey character, he seems like a really good guy and good friend to Jamie. Finally, I was really sad that it really was 20 years later. They're older now, but I still like to picture them younger and they've just missed out so much in each others lives that they can't get back. I was half hoping that she would step through and be back in the same time as Culloden and be young again so she could possibly prevent all the bad things from happening in those 20 years. But oh well, it was still good nonetheless.
Overall, I loved the whole story and the plot in general. The first couple books kind of seemed to be lingering with having a definite plot or not. But this plot was very clear - to find Young Ian. The twist at the end of meeting Geilie was a surprise, but I didn't realize how disturbed she really was. I just have a feeling though that she's not really dead.
Anyways, I'll definitely be starting right into the next one. These just keep getting better! I think I'll be really sad when they're over. :(
Anyways, the beginning of the book seems like a whole other book considering all of the adventures and things that happened once she got back. I'm glad that they recounted what happened to Jamie after she left instead of leaving it a mystery. But I was a bit disappointed in Jaimie not being totally honest with her from the time he first saw her again. He seemed to keep a lot of secrets. I guess I can kind of understand, but it was a little disappointing for his character.
I am sad to see Fergus all grown up! I'm so used to him being the feisty little French boy. But I'm happy he's still in the series still; and I also really like the new character of Young Ian.
There were some things that were a little sad for me, like the fact that he got remarried at all. I can understand being lonely though and he thought she was never going to come back, but it was a bit sad for me to find that out. I also was sad that he had another child other than with Claire. I know it was an accident, but that was sad for me. Also, what is up with gay guys being so attracted to him? I just couldn't help but giggle at the part in prison where John Grey put his hand on Jamie's hand, and Jamie's reaction of it. I just felt like "poor Jamie" - he can't go anywhere without someone he doesn't want wanting him. :) I did, however, like the John Grey character, he seems like a really good guy and good friend to Jamie. Finally, I was really sad that it really was 20 years later. They're older now, but I still like to picture them younger and they've just missed out so much in each others lives that they can't get back. I was half hoping that she would step through and be back in the same time as Culloden and be young again so she could possibly prevent all the bad things from happening in those 20 years. But oh well, it was still good nonetheless.
Overall, I loved the whole story and the plot in general. The first couple books kind of seemed to be lingering with having a definite plot or not. But this plot was very clear - to find Young Ian. The twist at the end of meeting Geilie was a surprise, but I didn't realize how disturbed she really was. I just have a feeling though that she's not really dead.
Anyways, I'll definitely be starting right into the next one. These just keep getting better! I think I'll be really sad when they're over. :(
susanne_latour's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
Every time I pick up the next book in this series, I wonder how Gabaldon will sustain the plot across 8 novels, each racking up around or above 1000 pages each. I have yet to be truly disappointed. Adept at changing the scenery, killing off big characters for tension and bringing in the new to keep things fresh, I felt that 'Voyager' was for the most part as good as the previous novels. It certainly wasn't my favourite, and I didn't feel like it sustained interest for the full 1000+ pages, but the beginning and endings were brilliant.
The first section detailed Claire's mission to return and Jamie's past. I loved it, I think I flew through this section within hours because it was so captivating. A happy ending wasn't a foregone conclusion, and I kept wondering whether Jamie and Claire would ever be reunited, it kept the tension, even when a HEA seemed likely. I love that Gabaldon will kill off characters or make them suffer for the book to remain fresh and dramatic. Jamie did not have the easiest life, and it was equally as interesting to see how Claire had fared with Frank. I love that Jamie was allowed to narrate his own past so that we felt all of the emotion and the impact. It was far better from a reader's point of view to witness them first hand than to be told about them through Claire's narrative. All in, it was a really interesting section.
Then I got the reunion and I thought that it would be Outlander revisited with the physical need and the soul-deep connection between Claire and Jamie... but I actually felt that their romance was a bit flat throughout the novel. They weren't given a proper reunion, or a chance to catch up. It went from 'Sup, do you remember me?' to running for their lives as about thirty other plot points came immediately into play. I felt like the reunion itself was almost skimmed over, a quick bout of horizontal jogging to keep the readers happy and then a divide again, though emotionally not physically.
There were other elements in this section that I felt were underplayed to give more emphasis to a rather full plot as well. For example, Jenny running to Laoghaire to start a fight about Jamie and Claire's return. I didn't understand the lack of emotion during this plot, aside the obvious anger felt by Laoghaire and Claire, and I felt that it wasn't adequately resolved either. In fact, this situation was reflective of a lot of the plot in this novel. Claire and Jamie didn't have time to talk about the last 20 years, Claire found out something about Jamie and distanced herself, they reunited. Then the same would happen again. It was like the trust had gone, the connection had fizzled out. They were together because Claire had returned, not because they would die without each other.
The final section was awash with drama, deceit, murder, death, love, sex, friendships, storms… everything that you could want in a book to be honest. The connection between Jamie and Claire was relit a bit in this section as they were finally allowed some private moments to just be together. I was skimming ahead to see the outcome and had to keep checking myself and going back to read the book more slowly because I wasn't taking anything in. It was like a desperation read to make sure that something awful didn't tear them apart last minute again.
The plot wasn’t complicated as such, because it was easy enough to follow, but there were so many elements that I felt like the characterisation and emotional elements suffered for the sake of adding a few extra events into the plot. While there had been a lot happening in both 'Outlander' and 'Dragonfly in Amber' I never felt bogged down by events as I did during 'Voyager'. I'd rather it had been shorter but more succinct. Less drama and more reunion.
Overall, it wasn't my favourite of the three novels that I've read so far, but with such a strong beginning and end, it was still a really good read.
The first section detailed Claire's mission to return and Jamie's past. I loved it, I think I flew through this section within hours because it was so captivating. A happy ending wasn't a foregone conclusion, and I kept wondering whether Jamie and Claire would ever be reunited, it kept the tension, even when a HEA seemed likely. I love that Gabaldon will kill off characters or make them suffer for the book to remain fresh and dramatic. Jamie did not have the easiest life, and it was equally as interesting to see how Claire had fared with Frank. I love that Jamie was allowed to narrate his own past so that we felt all of the emotion and the impact. It was far better from a reader's point of view to witness them first hand than to be told about them through Claire's narrative. All in, it was a really interesting section.
Then I got the reunion and I thought that it would be Outlander revisited with the physical need and the soul-deep connection between Claire and Jamie... but I actually felt that their romance was a bit flat throughout the novel. They weren't given a proper reunion, or a chance to catch up. It went from 'Sup, do you remember me?' to running for their lives as about thirty other plot points came immediately into play. I felt like the reunion itself was almost skimmed over, a quick bout of horizontal jogging to keep the readers happy and then a divide again, though emotionally not physically.
There were other elements in this section that I felt were underplayed to give more emphasis to a rather full plot as well. For example, Jenny running to Laoghaire to start a fight about Jamie and Claire's return. I didn't understand the lack of emotion during this plot, aside the obvious anger felt by Laoghaire and Claire, and I felt that it wasn't adequately resolved either. In fact, this situation was reflective of a lot of the plot in this novel. Claire and Jamie didn't have time to talk about the last 20 years, Claire found out something about Jamie and distanced herself, they reunited. Then the same would happen again. It was like the trust had gone, the connection had fizzled out. They were together because Claire had returned, not because they would die without each other.
The final section was awash with drama, deceit, murder, death, love, sex, friendships, storms… everything that you could want in a book to be honest. The connection between Jamie and Claire was relit a bit in this section as they were finally allowed some private moments to just be together. I was skimming ahead to see the outcome and had to keep checking myself and going back to read the book more slowly because I wasn't taking anything in. It was like a desperation read to make sure that something awful didn't tear them apart last minute again.
The plot wasn’t complicated as such, because it was easy enough to follow, but there were so many elements that I felt like the characterisation and emotional elements suffered for the sake of adding a few extra events into the plot. While there had been a lot happening in both 'Outlander' and 'Dragonfly in Amber' I never felt bogged down by events as I did during 'Voyager'. I'd rather it had been shorter but more succinct. Less drama and more reunion.
Overall, it wasn't my favourite of the three novels that I've read so far, but with such a strong beginning and end, it was still a really good read.
smilesgiggle's review against another edition
3.0
I had to break up reading this book with others. There was lag for the first 350 pages. Necessary plot information but hard to see where the story was headed. The bulk of the plot seemed to be trying to find it's way. Great ending and lead into the next book.
kristingeri's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
mozbolt's review against another edition
3.0
Ehhh very slow and tedious. I also didn’t like Jamie in this one, and I felt that Claire’s character was weakened, mainly supported by her daughter and lost husband.
unicorn_princess651's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
mauraneandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Plus c'est long plus c'est bon dit-on. Cela semble adéquate pour parler de ce tome 3 d'Outlander (et pour la saga entière). Encore une fois Diana Gabaldon nous entraîne dans son monde plein de détails, de personnages divers et de fantaisie. D'ailleurs un peu de trop de details et de fantaisie ce qui explique pourquoi j'ai mis la note de 4 étoiles. Il est vrai que le livre aurait pu être plus court parce qu'il souffre parfois de longueurs je trouve. Quant aux aspects fantastiques, j'avoue que certaines scènes m'ont paru vraiment incongrues.
Cependant la force de Outlander est bel et bien les histoires que l'on nous raconte avec tous ses personnages que nous sommes contents de retrouver, comme une famille que nous n'avons pas vu depuis longtemps.
J'ai hâte de me plonger dans le tome 4 et de partir à la découverte du Nouveau Monde !!
Cependant la force de Outlander est bel et bien les histoires que l'on nous raconte avec tous ses personnages que nous sommes contents de retrouver, comme une famille que nous n'avons pas vu depuis longtemps.
J'ai hâte de me plonger dans le tome 4 et de partir à la découverte du Nouveau Monde !!
emmabeckman's review against another edition
4.0
Ok! I liked the story in this one a lot better than Dragonfly in Amber and I definitely want to continue reading the series for the story and Claire and Jamie. I really liked how this one was organized, where the reader knows more than the characters, but not necessarily the whole story. It was an interesting way to deal with the idea that we know so much about ~history~ but we can never know the full truth from an actual person who was there really.
I will say, there were some problematic elements in this book from 1993 that probably shouldn’t be there and wouldn’t be there today. There’s a scene that leans more toward rape than I cared for, there’s a marriage between a 15-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man that’s also... not great, and some of the language re: POC was not the best. Maybe “of the time” but still not always a great experience. I definitely don’t think the author necessarily believes that all of these things are fine and dandy, so I’m willing to continue with the series, but I just wanted to acknowledge that this is not a perfect series in terms of that sort of thing.
I will say, there were some problematic elements in this book from 1993 that probably shouldn’t be there and wouldn’t be there today. There’s a scene that leans more toward rape than I cared for, there’s a marriage between a 15-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man that’s also... not great, and some of the language re: POC was not the best. Maybe “of the time” but still not always a great experience. I definitely don’t think the author necessarily believes that all of these things are fine and dandy, so I’m willing to continue with the series, but I just wanted to acknowledge that this is not a perfect series in terms of that sort of thing.