Reviews

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon

aryaanano's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

monicafigueiredo's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

krish_'s review against another edition

4.0

I will make a brand new shelf for this book and shall call it slippery-as-waterweed*...do you get it? I hope you do, otherwise I just wasted a really good, dirty joke.

If you like adventure, history and sex, you came to the right place because Outlander by Diana Gabaldon offers each in abundance. Och, ye'll get a lot o' fun oot o' this cheeky novel. Ugh, sorry, residue from reading through the night. And I'm no sure I'm entirely meself quite yet, I feel verra dreamlike and such, I canna stop smiling and my eyes go cross like and I feel half dizzy, ye ken? Anyway, I seem to notice a stigma surrounding this book because its classified as a historical romance. Well, so what? How about we all just indulge ourselves, eh? There's a lot of sex in this book. Once Claire and Jamie come together, they do not let go. But the book is also so well written that I didn't mind that they got it on at every empty corner or room or bush or cave. Gabaldon has written very charismatic, sympathetic and likable characters.

Now if we're going to get critical, I thought the book lacked some definitive plot. I figured Claire's escape and attempt to return to

Spoiler

Craigh na Dun, so she could return to her time

would be the main struggle throughout the novel, but it wasn't really. Then I thought it would be trying to

Spoiler

clear Jamie's name

but no, it wasn't that either. You kind of just meet Claire, travel through time and hang around for things to happen. Another testament to the writing because that would've normally induced me to give up but alas, I enjoyed every chapter. There were also many conveniences that had me rolling my eyes, such as

Spoiler

Jamie appearing just in the nick of time to rescue Claire from rape or burning at the stake, Claire being barren and Brother Anselm's all too generous absolution of Claire's sins, oh like you know, adultery and murder

.

There are a lot of historical facts about Scottish life, too. For example, I am now very well acquainted with a Highlander's getup - I can safely identify what a dirk and a sporran is, which is basically a knife and a really cute, Highland version of a fanny-pack. I learned a few Gaelic words which I will refrain from typing because most likely they are pronounced nothing like how they're spelled, so really maybe I didn't learn anything at all. Also, I learned they had traveling policemen called the Watch, though every time they were mentioned I had to resist the urge to scream "Back to the Wall!", get it or is this another wasted reference? But the history here is rather a domestic exploration than a vast political study of Europe; though the novel occurs on the brink of the Jacobite Rising, which I'm expecting will alter the rest of the series. I hope, anyway. I really want a war...

...which I think Gabaldon can pull off. This book does not shy away from the more barbaric cultural modes of the Scotland Highlands in the 18th century. There is open rape, murder, kidnap on horseback, torture, flogging, public executions, amputation of body parts for theft, burning of women accused of witchcraft, arrests without warrants (that one makes me particularly mad), domestic/sexual abuse, primeval medical treatments alongside your customary sword fighting, etc. And the characters are not without their flaws. There are corrupt abuses of power in the name of patriotism, extreme violence in the name of self-preservation. The ones that looked good turned out bad, the ones that seemed the least inviting turned out to be your friend.

So, Outlander. Really good, entertaining book. Its a nicely intimate, subtle epic. Much of the story revolves around the deeply delicious and amusing relationship between Claire and Jamie, who by the way is a darling. So there, I loved it. It consumed me for most of a week. And I bite my thumb at anyone who looks down on this book. It was fun and you know what else, I hope there's just as much sex in the rest of them SAY WHAT!!!

*

Spoiler

Chapter 18

carlylwbug's review against another edition

3.0

For as long as the book was, it was a fast read. I'm normally not interested in romance novels but I really enjoyed the TV series, so I felt like I had to try out the book.
Overall it was a nice, fast read to read at the same time as some of the more dense required reading I'm having to read this term for my literature class.
After looking at my overall stats on goodreads, this is the longest book I've ever read! I'm shocked, it went by so fast!

hdougherty18's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

ohhellokelli's review

adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

goldberg_sara6's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

m00nwater3's review

5.0

The book that got me back into reading -- and loving it. DG, thank you for this world, the characters and the multitude of research to have a historical fiction be as accurate as possible -- even for a time-traveling book ;)

fantasytravelerxv's review against another edition

4.0

I read it as Crosstitch, the original title of the first book in the Outlander series. I loved this book, but also felt conflicted about parts within it. I liked that it made me think. A story can be fictitious, with real world influences and still be relevant despite obvious fantasies. The story is well written and remarkably easy to follow considering it is historical fiction. After Claire and her husband goes on a second honeymoon to Scotland in 1945, she is accidentally transported back in time to 1743 where she is nearly assaulted by a man who remarkably resembles her husband from the future, Frank. She is saved by a roughish band of highlanders who then take her prisoner. Embroiled in the political machinations of the time, she becomes married to a young Scottish outlaw, living life under suspicion from both the Scots and the english. Should she find her way back to the future or choose this new life that proves remarkably fulfilling yet dangerous. I don't usually read a lot of romances, because I am rather cynical in that regard. Overly passionate often comes across as cringey and untrue to me. I liked it, but only up to a point. I did enjoy the book overall, but it also felt a bit long. This could be more to do with my lack in patience then the books ability to grab attention though. I did have a serious issue with the part were Jamie gets violent towards Claire as if a husband is meant to discipline his wife like a child. I understand its historical relevance, but something about this part simply bothered me as wrong. I talked to my boyfriend about it, but as someone who doesn't appreciate fantasy like I do, he just laughed that I could find this part unbelievable but had no problem with the time travel. Thing is to me there is a fine line between obvious fantasy and the real world issue of gender roles and norms. I like certain aspects of a traditional relationship, but also am wary of its pitfalls to abuse and stereotype. I also appreciate how religion is brought up. Peace, comfort and guidance isn't always within us, but can be found in troubled times as we try to make sense of the world with the guidance of a higher power. Though this is entirely subjective. Religion is not something I believe should be forced on anyone. But from personal experience I have found this part in the book relevant to me and true. I hope when anyone else's own conscience proves insufficient as a guide in troubled times, that they too might find the same relief in a higher power outside themselves as I have and this book proposes. There are contradictions in my beliefs and in this book, I know. But humans are contradictory. We are complex and this book shows that although it doesn't all make sense, it is a journey towards that.

katylang's review against another edition

5.0

I approached this book with trepidation - I thought, another series! But the plot was interesting and I got hooked. It didn't hurt that there is a very interesting and (the way the author describes him) attractive love interest! Definitely a fun, lighthearted read that is fast-paced and has an interesting, twisty-turny story line with some good romance thrown in for good measure. Plus, the added bonus of more books in the series!