DIANA GABALDON REVIEWS
OUTLANDER
by Diana Gabaldon
historical fiction // time travel // romance // Scotland
My fellow Bronze Horseman lovers have been raving about this series lately. I was wary because nothing can ever compare to Tatiana Metanova and Alexander Barrington, but after numerous recommendations, I decided to give Outlander a try.
Like TBH, Outlander is a nearly-700-page historical fiction romance BUT, this one includes a supernatural/sci-fi element of time travel.
Claire is happily married and on a second honeymoon with Frank in post WWII Scotland. She's exploring one day near a circle of mysterious standing stones when she falls through the rocks... and lands in the 1700s.
I liked Frank and Claire right away, but it was a chore to read through the colossal info-dump about Frank's ancestors right at the start. It was not the bang I usually look for when beginning a new book... and it doesn't look good when you're already skimming in Chapter One.
But I was promised an epic, sweeping story of Tatia and Shura proportions, so I kept going.
Once Claire fell back through time, the story began to pick up, but I was still plodding along through a lot of mundane details I didn’t care about. As compared to TBH, which I flew through 800+ pages without once considering its titanic size, I was very aware of the 600+ pages in this book.
BUT. Jamie. Jamie saved this book for me. The more I read, the less I cared about Claire, but I needed to keep going. For sweet, rugged, powerful warrior Jamie.
I think my biggest issue with this book is that I was told about the feelings, actions, and emotions, but I didn’t feel them. While I absolutely love Jamie’s character, I wasn't extremely connected to him and I didn’t connect to Claire at all. I didn’t care for her much as the story progressed, and I can’t pinpoint any reason other than that disconnect. She was so harsh and distant. I don’t feel her love for Jamie. She said she loved him, she risked her life to save him a few times, but it seemed more like a chore to her. I didn't really buy that she was acting out of all-consuming love, but instead out of her need as a healer and good person to save him. I didn’t feel much of anything between them-- not like I feel Tatia and Alexander's love and pain...
I know I would have enjoyed Outlander more if I hadn't been comparing it so closely to my favorite thing.
Overall an entertaining read with a unique twist on historical romance. These books have been turned into a television series and I'm really bummed that I can't watch it (it's only available on the premium Starz channel). I did get to see the first episode and it looks like they've done an amazing job with this material (and A+ Jamie casting MMMmmm).
I'll definitely be continuing on with these books. The series is massive and will be quite an undertaking, but I'm invested in the story so I have to keep going. FOR JAMIE.
*UPDATE*
The Starz television show is perfection!!! The story jumps right off the page and the casting is absolutely wonderful. Caitriona Balfe makes Claire come to life for me and she brings so much more emotion to the character than I felt while reading. And I can't even get started on Sam Heughan because I'll never stop. Can we just...
DRAGONFLY in AMBER
by Diana Gabaldon
historical fiction // time travel // romance // Scotland
First I was like
Then I was like
...wait...
This book does not start out where you think it will-- or where you want it to. For the first 40 pages I was so lost, disheartened and confused, I almost didn't want to keep reading. But Jamie.
Jamie is always the reason to keep reading.
Dragonfly is the second Outlander book, but I can't even give any kind of proper summary without spoiling things so... I'll just keep this to my general thoughts.
I found Dragonfly much more engaging than its predecessor. It yanked me in with its unexpected and completely unwanted beginning and never let up until the very last page. Even though I wasn't happy about things, I was more compelled to keep flipping for answers than I was in Outlander. Not going to lie, though, I did skim portions of this just as I did the first book. I love history and historical fiction, but some of the facts and names and places and dates and battles that went on for pages and pages here... just... please give me Jamie and we're good to go.
I still don't care much for Claire. She's a great, strong character... she's just too clinical and abrupt for my taste. And Jamie is still MMMMmmmm perfection. I can't take it. The inclusion of Fergus was so touching. He was a relatively minor presence, but an important one in the Claire/Jamie relationship (which I found more believable and beautiful in this book than the last).
I love how Gabaldon throws all POV rules in the garbage and switches from first person to third person whenever she feels like it. She is able to pull it off so well without confusion, and only does so at specific, calculated points of the story.
It did take me quite a while to get through this book, but I think it stemmed from the fact that I was dreading the end. I knew it was coming full-circle to that atrocious beginning.
It was just... I'm just... I...
VOYAGER
by Diana Gabaldon
historical fiction // time travel // romance // Scotland
Voyager was entertaining but everything still feels wrong to me after all of the upheaval in the last book.
Gabaldon's imagination is astounding. The way she creates such a rich, complex world set against historical fact is so impressive. But I'm longing to feel more attachment to the characters and experience their emotions alongside them. I always feel such a disconnect, and it's like the emotion is the least important aspect to the author-- thrown aside in favor of historical facts and dates. The most annoying example in this book was how much I was longing for Claire and Jamie to have a deep, much needed heart-to-heart. Instead, we're told that they "walked around the ship and talked about everything". Okay, but the talk is what I want to read! It was completely glossed over to make room for action scenes, which are entertaining, they are, but I need some help in growing to love and care about these people.
I am so thankful for the stunning tv series because it bridges the gap for me so well. I finally feel a connection to the characters and I finally like Claire because of what Caitriona Balfe brings to her. If anything, reading the books now only makes me excited to see how they're improved upon in future Outlander episodes.
DRUMS of AUTUMN
by Diana Gabaldon
historical fiction // time travel // romance // Scotland
I almost stopped reading the series after Voyager. I thought I shouldn't have to fight so hard to work through the books and muster up some care for them. But I'd already purchased Drums, so I decided to go ahead and give it a try.
And it's definitely my favorite so far.
I'm so glad I continued. Despite the fact that we're no longer in Scotland, this book was so enjoyable. I'm coming around to accept the horiffic events in Dragonfly, and it's just so nice to see the place Jamie and Claire are finally in. We're also given quite a bit of young Ian, who is one of my favorite characters. And Brianna, who is one of my least favorite characters... but it's okay because this book was so entertaining. It made me excited for the rest of the series and reminded me of what I found special about Outlander to begin with.
NEXT
