Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - Outlander

Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

18 reviews

water_violin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Definitely an interesting story, but clearly had been published in the 90s, given the portrayal of the only gay characters as predatory and sadistic. The portrayal of Romani travelers was also somewhat problematic to a modern eye, but at least they were not shown to be monolithically negative. I was personally not a fan of how the main relationship developed, as both of the characters were in turns somewhat emotionally manipulative or abusive, but it does make sense with the setting and characterization. Overall, some very unpleasant themes, but an interesting storyline. I’m curious to see how the rest of the books progress and whether there are any more diverse portrayals of queer or non-white characters.

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strawberrypinch's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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brownieboo's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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leweylibrary's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

5.0

I never wrote a review the first time I read this book about 2ish years ago, so here we go!

So my first ever impression of Outlander was the show, but I hadn't seen it recently enough after reading the book the first time to track all the ways the story is interpreted on each medium, but they are quite different. There's a lot they cut or twisted a bit to make action happen and certain events happen faster on the show, and we see a lot more of Claire's thoughts in the book since she is the first-person narrator. I think the time in the books that it takes for Jamie and Claire to marry and then for their relationship to develop makes it feel all the more real and believable, especially when he's confronted with her real origins.

Other random thoughts, the show does a good job of using flashbacks to the 1940s to remind us that what she's experiencing now isn't her usual "normal" and to remind us of the historical and personal significance of what she's experiencing. If I didn't love this series as a whole so much, I would probably have been annoyed that this book ends with

a pregnancy trope

. I forgot how much of the

sexual assault and rape scene with Jamie and Randall

is in this book, for some reason I thought a lot of the detail came in the second through him recounting it? Oh and I forgot how absolutely lovely Jenny is in the book (they make her a bit mean to Claire in the show). Actually, they make Claire more blunt and aggressive on the show too, but again I think that was to up the drama and make the drama more visible. Claire and Jamie's wedding night and following day is just as swoon-worthy as I remember it, and damn it Jamie is a smooth talker and loves the shit out of her. I actually had a dream in which my fiance kinda merged with him? It was amazing lmao. He's so innocent when it comes to relationships at this point which is an interesting juxtaposition with how mature he is in so many other ways. The witch hunt part is pretty different than the show, they definitely play up her healing as witchy and at odds with the Father a ton which almost none of which happens in the book. But that realization that Geilis is

also a time traveler

hits just as hard as the first time. Oh, and Jamie's recovery after Wentworth is...a lot more intense than I remember it. Man that was rough.

Overall I just have to say in the official capacity of this review that I love these books and the precedent that is begun in this one for the slow, decadent pace. Sure, there's a lot of detail that could be cut, but the story feels so much more real and immersive for it. I truly feel like I know these characters and am living life alongside them, especially Claire and Jamie. I desperately wish I was as cool as Claire (and it's crazy that she only gets cooler from here even after birthing a child lol), and Jamie is forever my favorite fictional man as far as a being a partner in a relationship goes. Besides that one scene. Iykyk

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