User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I AM DONE! WOW. Just wow. That ending. woah. Within 40 pages I ugly cried, my heart exploded in feels, confusion happened, hope, and now I'm mind blown by the ending. WOW. Diana, you've done it again! Took me awhile to get into DiA but once i got past the 300 page mark it got so good and kept on getting better. 5/5 stars!
Rating: really liked it
Gabaldon's sex-ridden, hugely researched, academically adventurous, time travel/sci-fi meets historical romance novels qualify as trash novels for lit nerds -- they're absolutely a guilty pleasure. From clan warfare to herbal medicine to genealogy to British history to WWII, the books are packed with information (what little Gaelic I know started with these books). Bonus: the heroine gets to have many, many rolls in the hay with a handsome hard-bodied Highlander. Can't really go wrong.
The books were recommended to me while I was living in England, and a lucky thing, too, because had I taken one look at the Fabio-in-a-kilt-of-passion American paperback cover I would have refused to read it (note: the British version was called Cross Stitch and the cover had a less-than-sexy field of heather on it). For a while I was caught up on the series, but I lost interest once the Frasers headed to America.
They are long books but the pages turn quickly. Gabaldon has a way with characters and her prose flows along at an engaging clip. Oh, but if you get all squeamish about buggery, don't bother -- the negative reviews of these books always focus prudishly (and tediously) on one specific encounter in an otherwise pretty rampantly heterosexual landscape.
Rating: really liked it
This book broke my heart. I knew what was going to happen because I watched Season Two before reading the book but it doesn't matter.
I have been crying forever now, like my heart is going to break into a million pieces!
*******Let me stop right here. There are going to be some spoilers. There are going to be some thoughts about things in the next book. And who knows what else, so if you haven't read these books you should probably stop here. If you don't care then carry on.*******It was worried when the book/show starts 20 years later. Jamie and Claire's daughter is grown and Claire named her Brianna. *Sob* because Jamie asked her to name the baby Brian if it was a boy before she left him to come back. I don't know if I can get through this, damn it.
20 years later, Claire brings her daughter, Brianna back to Scotland after Frank's death. Brianna has no idea, of course, who her father really is but she finds out. They are staying in Scotland and visiting all of the old sites and Claire took her to see a man named Roger. Claire knew Roger when he was a little boy. Claire actually knew his father, adoptive father, but he had passed away. He did keep extensive records. < --- it all leads back to things.
Claire goes back to some of the old haunts while Roger takes Brianna around. It breaks my freaking heart. Everything breaks my freaking heart.
I woke three times in the dark predawn. First in sorrow, then in joy, and at last, in solitude. The tears of a bone-deep loss woke me slowly, bathing my face like the comforting touch of a damp cloth in soothing hands. I turned my face to the wet pillow and sailed a salty river into the caverns of grief remembered, into the subterranean depths of sleep.
I came awake then in fierce joy, body arched bowlike in the throes of physical joining, the touch of him fresh on my skin, dying along the paths of my nerves as the ripples of consummation spread from my center. I repelled consciousness, turning again, seeking the sharp, warm smell of a man's satisfied desire, in reassuring arms of my lover, sleep.
The third time I woke alone, beyond the touch of love or grief. The sight of the stones was fresh in my mind. A small circle, standing stones on the crest of a steep green hill. The name of the hill is Craigh na Dun; the fairies' hill. Some say the hill is enchanted, others say it is cursed. Both are right. But no one knows the function or the purpose of the stones.
Except me.
I'm so worried about the next book being more heartbreak. It's been 20 years after all. Jamie has been with other women and I think has a child, but they weren't like I was thinking. Yes, I asked ahead. He has never forgotten Claire but I hope they can get their love back. Anyway, on with this review.
At one point Claire finally admits everything to Brianna and Roger. Roger had already found some papers confirming things that Claire was saying but he was keeping them a secret because he didn't know what to make of it. Brianna freaks clean out as you can imagine.
But the best part is where we get to go back in time before Claire came back and hear their story.
They have set off for France to see if they can get in with Jamie's cousin < -- was it cousin, Jacob. Anyway, Jamie could not set foot back into Scotland so this is where they landed. Murtagh was with them but they left the others behind. They were going to try to change history so that the Klan wouldn't be killed during a certain battle.
It was very bizarre in France with all of the creeps they had to deal with and then Captain Randall shows up. Claire and Jamie thought he was dead. He's never dead, he just keeps on and on. Like I said before, there is a red hot poker waiting for that evil man.
The king of France is another nutter. You can read all of that for yourself.
Jamie takes in a little boy who is a thief and gets him off the streets. I fall in love with him. His name is Fergus and that Randall gets his paws on Fergus and I can't even say. Red hot poker people, red hot poker!
I was heartbroken again when Claire and Jamie lose their first child that was a little girl as well. There were a lot of different situations that could have caused that. Claire thinks it was because Jamie was dueling with Randall (there is a lot of stuff behind that) but she was poisoned at one point and attacked so who really knows.
Jamie gets put in jail and has no idea what happened to Claire. He thought she was dead. But Claire had to have sex with the weird king to get Jamie out of jail. It wasn't like me or Claire thought though, it was weird but not all, well anyway. It was just weird. And no way to leave her pregnant.
Jamie finds Claire a little later on when she is in the country staying with one of their friends. Claire is mad and doesn't want Jamie near her until they talk and finally get it straightened out. Thank goodness because it was all so very sad.
Then they are sent back to Scotland. It was another condition from the king and he said he would take care of him not being allowed there.
Of they go back home and they think they are safe but no. They thought they stopped what was coming, but no. They go to battle and it's not good and it's sad.
There are other things and more battle and Jamie sends Claire back. He just knows he's going to die and he doesn't want Claire or their unborn baby (yep they got preggers again) to be killed too and it just about killed me to read this. I thought I was okay when I watched it and I was over it and could handle it. Noooooooooooooo, I'm still heartbroken. I only hope they can get the love they had for each other back as strong as it was. The first book is the best book and will always be, but I will love them all as long as Jamie and Claire have their love. I love their love story! And that's all I need.
They cut each other's hands (Claire's idea) and . . . .
Unwrapping the blood-spotted handkerchief, I pressed my wounded hand tightly against his, fingers gripped together. The blood was warm and slick, not yet sticky between our hands.
"Blood of my Blood . . ." I whispered.
". . . and Bone of my Bone," he answered softly. Neither of us could finish the vow, "so long as we both shall live," but the unspoken words hung aching between us. Finally he smiled crookedly.
"Longer than that," he said firmly, and pulled me to him once more.
JUST KILL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Claire, Brianna and Roger witness something that shows that Claire might can go back through the stones.
Then something else.
"One man, a Fraser of the Master of Lovat's regiment, escaped. . ." Roger repeated softly. He looked up from the stark page to see her eyes, wide and unseeing as a deer's fixed in the headlights of an oncoming car.
"He meant to die on Culloden Field," Roger whispered.
"But he didn't."
I also recommend listening to the audio versions of these books! The narrator, Davina Porter, has it nailed - freaking nailed! ❤
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Rating: really liked it
My feelings toward Diana Gabaldon are very love/hate. She is, on the one hand, one of the greatest writers I have ever come across. I want to shake her hand for being so carefully detailed and doing what must have been an unbelievable amount of research to put together her 7 (currently) gigantic novels of this series. I love her characters, how the events are all interwoven with true historical happenings... she is just generally a literary genius when it comes to historical fiction.
But... seriously, I couldn't help but think repeatedly "why did we need to know that? what has the last 200 pages really added to the overall story?" The books are so well written but they are about 500-600 pages too long. Gabaldon frequently wanders off into subplots that we (or I, at least) don't care about. Her waffle would get an A* in a literary test but it's still waffle. And the general size of her books is off-putting, she should have left out those bits that we didn't need to hear and gave the readers a much less forboding 400-500 page novel.
The start of this book was even slower than Outlander, who actually cares about Roger Wakefield here? The whole point of this extremely long-winded beginning was to tell us that something bad had happened to make Claire return to the future, where she had given birth to Jamie's daughter and, for whatever reason, believed her wonderful red-headed Scot had been killed in the battle of Culloden. We are then taken back in time to when Claire and Jamie are in France trying to stop the rebellion before it ever happened.
This seemed a bit scientifically risky to me. If you assumed that they could change time and prevent the battle, surely this would result in a complete upheaval of historical events resulting in many changes. If such a huge thing happened, it is likely that everything would change and unlikely that Claire Randall would ever have ended up in Scotland at exactly that time to go wandering through the stones. And then, of course, had she not gone through the stones, she would have never been there to warn Jamie and stop the rebellion so... it's a bit of a historical and scientific conundrum. Therefore, I like my time travel to not interfer with past events - it wouldn't make sense. Unless it's a Back To The Future scenario where he actually fills in some of the necessary blanks.
To be honest, I didn't enjoy this book as much as Outlander because I didn't feel as much happened. But I adore the relationship between Claire and Jamie, even more so after reading this second installment, and I will definitely be reading Voyager as soon as I can get myself ready for another hefty volume. And thank god for the ending of this book when my slowly increasing depression throughout was finally alleviated - can't wait to see where this will take our characters!
Rating: really liked it
1.) Outlander ★★★★★
2.) Dragonfly In Amber ★★★★.5
3.) Voyager ★★★.5
4.) Drums of Autumn ★★★.5
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I've never cried so hard in my life over fictional characters before
Rating: really liked it
*This review will be a little spoily, read it at your own risk*
“Ok, so I set the date on 2012….and set it for Kansas City Kansas…..Kemper’s deck. I think all I have to do is reverse the directions on Google maps on the laptop. Uh…..turn the key. Yay, it works.”
“Or I thought so, Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore (had to do it!).”
“Hello Stephanie. Toto……I love the Wizard of Oz.”
“Aaaaack! Claire Beachum Randel Fraser! You just scared the piss out of me. Don’t sneak up on a person sitting on a time mower, and whisper in their ear. It’s downright creepy.” Sighs. “Hey Claire, you look a little older than the last time I saw you,moments ago , but don’t worry you still look young and fresh and beautiful.”
“Oh thank you Stephanie, I have to admit that people mention that a lot! I mean a lot! It must have been all that whiskey and malnutrition in the 1700’s that preserved me.”
“Well, Claire, could you fill me in on the when and the where this is?”
“Still in Scotland, but we’re in 1968. Frank, Brianna and I moved to the States where I became a doctor. We stayed there until Frank passed away. I brought Brianna back to get her acquainted with her roots.”
“Brianna is your daughter? Is that her over there? Wow! Tall, beautiful…..look at that mane of red hair. She looks just like her father Jam….mph…nni. “
“Keep your voice down, she doesn’t know that Frank wasn’t her biological father. I brought her here to break the news and tell her who her father really was……Jamie Frasier.”
“Get your hand off my mouth…that’s rude! Did Frank look just like Jamie?”
“No. Total opposites. Frank was short and had dark hair.”
“She doesn’t look much like you, and nothing like Frank, she is an Amazonian redhead. She didn’t once ask you about that?”
“Not once. Did I mention the whiskey and the malnutrition?”
“Claire, don’t tell me. You drank alcohol during your pregnancy? You were a trained nurse then; don’t tell me you didn’t know better!”
“Just a little…..bottle…….every day, Stephanie, we didn’t know any better back then.”
“Ok, never mind. If she never grasped the fact that Frank wasn’t her father on her own because of possible fetal alcohol syndrome, how is she supposed to understand time travel now?”
“You have a point there. Maybe I’ll find a young handsome historian to help explain things to her.”
“I don’t see the logic, but you go with it Claire. I’m afraid to ask, but what were you and Jamie up to during the rest of the time you were back in time, besides getting drunk and having lots of sex?”
“We tried to change history by joining the Jacobite cause and save a bunch of lives. We went to France to get this accomplished. I had to have sex with the King of France to get Jamie out of The Bastille; it wasn’t very good on account of his tiny penis. “
“Oh dear god…..I did ask. “
“Yes you did. And guess who we ran into? Jack Randel! Jamie wanted to kill him straight away, but I stopped him because I was afraid Frank would never be born if he killed him. Jack is Frank’s ancestor you see.”
“I see……but I thought you killed Jack Randle with cows, which didn’t seem to upset you at all at the time. Now you get all angry about it? ”
“I changed my mind. Turns out it wasn’t Jack trampled by the cows. It’s really hard to identify someone after a trampling.”
“But Claire, you tried to change the course of history without ANY concern for the consequences. Any number of people could have been born that wouldn’t have and others who were never born that should have…….and you are concerned NOW about Frank, one person, never existing? Oh my head hurts again.”
“Claire it’s been great, but I have to get this timemower back to its rightful owner, he has a short fuse. There we go……forgot to hit enter. Please, don’t mess with history anymore Claire. Promise?”
“um…..sure, Stephanie, I promise.”
“I don’t believe you……”
Rating: really liked it
While I didn't love this one as much as
Outlander, I did enjoy it and am finding myself somewhere between a 3-3.5 stars. After the initial shock of the jump forward in time, I eased into the story and enjoyed traveling from France, to Lallybroch, back to where we began, and of course adored the continuation of Jamie and Claire's love story.
Rating: really liked it
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Rating: really liked it
*Heavy sigh.*
[Theme spoilers, but no plot spoilers. Read at your own risk.]
I don't even know where to start because properly reviewing this would involve so much quoting and backing up and I don't have the energy for that after 700+ pages. The short of it is that the romantic hero character perpetuates rape culture by using the words 'rape' and 'sex' synonymously, blaming sexual assault on what the woman is wearing, and claiming that once men get aroused they literally cannot stop themselves from ravaging anyone nearby. His wife, the modern woman, actually shows fear that he will beat and rape her. Though she momentarily gets mad at him, she soon finds herself unable to keep her hands off of him (wash, rinse, repeat), thus showing all the rapeyness in romantic light. That's my problem with it.
Also, if you don't know what an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship looks like, read the last 3 paragraphs of page 677 and the first half of page 678. Jealousy, demands, physical shaking, blaming her for his actions, shaming her past, solving their problems through sex. Oh look at that, I did have the energy to give at least one example. I found this to be unhealthy. Perhaps you don't. But I've lived through a very similar type of relationship and if this is what's selling as "romantic" then this book is part of the problem. I hope and pray that most readers can discern that this is undesirable.
I've discussed cultural relativism on my channel. I can respect when a book needs to show troublesome content to stay accurate to the time period. What I don't respect is this content being romanticized. There are villains in this series who behave the same way. Heroes can absolutely be morally gray, or have a darker side without portraying something harmful. When the villains and heroes act the same, what is the actual distinction between them? Are we just rooting for the hottest one?
I had so many problems with the sexism and rape culture in this book that you may be wondering why I gave it 2 stars? Despite the problematic subjects, I do consider the writing to be of quality. I have no idea if the history was well researched, but it had a depth that felt well researched. To be fair, historical fiction isn't my genre of choice, but perhaps you'd enjoy this more if it is yours.
I did also REALLY enjoy the parts of the book set in the 1960s when Jamie is out of the picture. Yes, I know I'm weird. Isn't Jamie supposed to be the main thrill of the story? Well, not for me. I was much more interested in the way the story played with time travel and its repercussions in Claire's original time. This time period bookended the story and honestly I was reading all of the past setting just to find out how the timelines would converge.
If you're curious, from what I've watched of Outlander season 2, the show DID eliminate the problematic lines from Jamie. The show seems to be a better treatment and so I do think I'll continue the show since it's my preferred, less harmful version of this story that lets the genuinely interesting premise shine.
Rating: really liked it
Having enjoyed the first volume of this series, I was expecting something good of this one, so I'm a bit sad it didn't match my expectations.
First, because in the first and final parts, the point of view jumps around from first person (Claire) to third person, due to the fact that we follow another character and Claire isn't always there. The problem is that this character does almost nothing but notice how Claire is so beautiful and wonderful... Second, the book drags a bit in some parts. Third, the flashback idea is nice, but it loses when during the reading you think "well, she's telling this story to her daughter, so obviously she survives all this..."
So, we find ourselves in 1968, Claire and her daughter are in Scotland and the first thinks this is the chance to tell the truth about what happened to her, 20 years before. We go on a long flashback, this one told only from Claire's point of view, picking up where the first volume left us. We follow Claire and Jamie in Paris who, knowing what History will tell, try to avoid a massacre in case Charles Edward Stuart (also known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and pretender to the English throne) is able to reach Scotland and take his quest forward. As the first book, the story's rhythm is somewhat slow, enabling us to get to know the French court and the politics behind History. But, if this was pulled nicely on the previous volume, the same doesn't happen here, making the book dull and dragging where there was no need. It was easy to put it down and find excuses to not pick it up again.
The end was interesting though and was left open since there's another book... which I will not pick up so soon, as I need a rest from this.
Rating: really liked it
This one took me by surprise, it was definitely much better than Outlander in some aspects. But most of it was the same old. Confusing right? Elaborated further.
The pacing of the book is as slow as Outlander (not surprising) and it's again, definitely not something you can binge read. There are parts when it gets super boring. The book is over 900+ pages and in my opinion it could very easily be around 600 to 750 pages. Idk why the author likes the idea of dulling our senses with such big books.
The story starts off with a twenty year jump and I thought those chapters were really intriguing and written well. I might be even bold to say those were fairly fast paced compared to the rest of the book when Claire and Jamie were in Paris with the elites. The political intrigue at times can be very boring to me personally, so I did skim a bit through it (in my defence, it's a big book).
Jamie and Claire are such a perfect couple. And the way they just love each other, and are ready to give up their whole world just to love and cherish one another is so swoon worthy. It was really impressive to see how much their characters have evolved. Ever present in love, they know how to communicate and resolve their problems. They have setbacks (major ones) but instead of creating petty drama, they talk; which was something I loved. The two had me crying towards the end of Part six and seven😭❤️
Jamie Fraser, although a bit flawed is beyond romantic and such a charismatic person. The man loves to love. His passion for Claire and her happiness is just so amazing to read about. You cannot not love him. And also, ladies, he's attentive! He pays attention to all the little details about Claire. The dude for real kept track of Claire's period and it's not a big deal but it's the little and simple things that really matter. 👀
"We are bound, you and I, and nothing on this
earth shall part me from you."❤️🔥❤️🔥
Claire, is a bit ahead of her times and we see that sort of independence radiate from her. Also, the fact that Jamie doesn't hold her back is so remarkable especially considering the time this book is set in. (That's something worth mentioning). Claire is steadfast and strong. The only thing that bugs me about her is the constant swearing. Honestly, it's a bit too much. But that's just my opinion.
I don't have much of an opinion on Brianna, but so far I don't like her much. I get it that she has her reasons to act the way she did towards Claire at the end but to me she seems a stuck up and a brat (sorry not sorry). Am not sure what to expect of her in the next book but am not really keen to find out.
As I pointed out in my review for Outlander that violence against women is a historical fact. It stays true in this one as well. As I've already addressed this point before, I won't be elaborating upon it further in this review.
The ending was really something else. I did not see it coming and I was crying throughout the ending of part six. I genuinely did not think it will end on a cliffhanger and that too such a big one😭😭😭
It is a decent read and nothing exceptional but I can't wait to find out what happens in the next one.
Rating: really liked it
This is the sequel to
Outlander, and begins in 1968, twenty-one years after we left Claire and Jaime recovering in the French Abbey, pondering their decision to try and stop Bonnie Prince Charlie from starting a war which they know will decimate the Highland Clans.
At first, this is such a jolt you think you've picked up the wrong book. Feverishly checking online, you are reassured that this is in fact the sequel. Going back to the book, it all becomes clear, though you are panicking at the idea of twenty-odd long years of separation for Jaimie and Claire. Followed by a horrible wrench of the heart when we learn from Claire that Jaimie died at the battle at Culloden, Prince Charles' final stand.
Claire is back in Scotland for the first time since returning to her own time, pregnant and disorientated. Her husband, Frank Randall, has died, and she is keeping a promise to herself to tell her daughter Brianna about her real father. She goes back to the Reverend Wakefield's house to find his adopted son, Roger, in residence after the Reverend's death. Roger, too, must hear her story, for reasons she does not reveal until the end. And so, as she tells her story, we learn what happened after the events in
Outlander and how she came to return to Frank, and what happened to Jaimie.
I have a confession to make. First, I'll say that the start of this book made me so sad, I wondered whether I could read it at all. Secondly, I'll say that I did not mean to shatter this well-written illusion of the hangman's rope by cheating. I
did flip to the back of the book, but not to read the last page or anything. I am always hoping that there is some kind of guide on pronounciation, and I'm one of those people who read everything from the author's bio and acknowledgements page to the copyright details. There was no guide on pronounciation, but there was one of those ads for the next book,
Voyager, which begins by stating that Claire has gone back to 18th century Scotland because she believes Jaimie is still alive.
This was a bit of a mixed blessing. First, it did make it a whole lot easier to read this book, knowing that he would survive. But I also actually like to feel what an author intended me to feel, and I did not shed a tear at Claire and Jaimie's parting before the battle of Culloden when, faced with dying the traitor's death for killing his cousin Dougal and betraying his country, Jaimie has decided to die in battle. That, I regretted, though it did make it easier to sleep! Some reviewers didn't like the way the narration kept switching between Roger's 3rd-person and Claire's 1st-person narrative at the beginning and end. Personally, I didn't have a problem with it, I found it easy to tell them apart. I admit I skimmed a bit at the end, when Claire and Roger are looking for Geillis Duncan/Gillian Edgars. I was feeling a bit impatient by then.
As for Gabaldon's writing style, which I haven't said much about before, I do find her a tad long-winded. She tells a great story, very well-researched and, despite the time travel, believable. But her descriptions can be a little flowery, and often unnecessary. She bogs down the pace with pointless asides on the state of wilting flowers by a door as they wait for it to be answered. I know it adds to the character development - in this case, to make clear that Gillian has not been home for some time and her husband is unable to look after himself. Except that this is made clear several times over. A lot of the description is unnecessary, and often distracting. Removing some of it would definitely have cut down fewer trees to make this fat, hefty book. Don't get me wrong, I love fat and hefty. But it's ultimately a sad story, and the little flowery sentences sprinkled throughout were as annoying as little bugs flitting about your face that won't piss off no matter how hard you wave your arm around, looking like a complete twit.
Now I've got that off my chest, I'll reiterate: I did enjoy this book, and I will continue with the series, just not now. I need some recuperation time first.
Rating: really liked it
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2), Diana GabaldonDragonfly in Amber is the second book in the Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon. Centered on time travelling 20th century nurse Claire Randall and her 18th century Scottish Highlander warrior husband Jamie Fraser, the books contain elements of historical fiction, romance, adventure and science fiction/fantasy. This installment chronicles Claire and Jamie's efforts to prevent the Jacobite rising that Claire knows will end disastrously for the Scots.
Scotland, 1968: Claire Randall has returned to her own time, where she has been living for 20 years with her husband Frank. Following his death, she brings her daughter, Brianna, to the home of the Randalls' old friend, Reverend Reginald Wakefield.
Paris, 1744: At the end of Outlander, Claire has convinced Jamie to stop the Jacobite rising and the consequent slaughter. After learning that Charles Stuart is trying to get money from the French king Louis XV to fund the Jacobite cause, they travel to Paris, where Jamie uses his cousin Jared's wine business to gain the aristocratic connections necessary to plot against Stuart. A French boy named Claudel, brought up in a brothel, helps Jamie flee from some thugs, and Jamie hires him to steal the prince's correspondence, and renames him Fergus.
Scotland, 1745 and the Rising: Claire frees Jamie by an arrangement with King Louis XV of France, and they are banished from France. Back in Scotland with Fergus, they settle into farm life at his home at Lallybroch with Jamie's sister Jenny and her family. Jamie receives a letter from Stuart, announcing his attempt to retake the throne of Scotland, which the prince has signed Jamie's name to, branding him a traitor to the Crown.
1968: Claire relates that she had returned to Frank, who disbelieved her story but insisted on helping her raise Brianna, and asked that she would only tell Brianna the truth after his death. Upon hearing it, Brianna refuses to believe Claire's story. Claire enlists Roger's help by revealing him as the descendant of Dougal MacKenzie and Geillis Duncan.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و سوم ماه دسامبر سال 2017میلادی
عنوان: سنجاقک در کهربا: کتاب دوم از سری بیگانه (غریبه)؛ نویسنده: دایانا گابالدون؛
سنجاقک در کهربا، دومین رمان از سری «بیگانه یا غریبه» از نویسنده ی آمریکایی «دیانا گابالدون (گبلدون)» است؛ این کتاب شامل عناصر تاریخی، عاشقانه، رمز و راز، ماجراجویی، و داستانی علمی-تخیلی است؛ رخدادهای این کتاب تلاشهای «جیمی فریزر» برای جلوگیری از انقلاب ژاکوبینهاست، که «کلر رندال» میداند برای اسکاتلندیها فاجعه بار خواهد بود؛ «دایانا گابالدون» در این کتاب دو شخصیت فراموش نشدنی «کلر رندال»، و «جیمی فریزر» را معرفی، و خوانشگران را با داستانی پر از ماجراجویی، و عشقیِ دو سده ی پیشین آشنا میکند
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 08/08/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Rating: really liked it
OK, so admittedly, it took me a really long time to finish this book, and yes, I have some problems with it.
While it started off great (mostly, I think, due to the fact that I was still coming down off the high caused by the first book), the story quickly devolved into a mess of boring details and gut-wrenching melodrama. I first became stuck somewhere around 70%, I believe. The story was just dragging. I managed, with far more time than is usually necessary for me, to make it to the 83% mark before giving up. For months. I simply didn't have it in me to read any more. I knew what was coming, so not only did I not want to get to that part that I knew would make my stomach hurt, I also couldn't get past those ridiculously sleepy, dragged out battle details. Over and over again with the battles and the tending to the sick and the moving with the army.
Yesterday, however, I got an itch to read the first one again. I did so in a few hours (admittedly, I skimmed some, as this is not a book that can be read in its entirety in a few hours). After having done so, I was overwhelmed by the desire to finish this one. So I did. The ending of the book was much better than the rest of it. After all that snooze worthy political intrigue, it was nice to finally get to some climactic scenes. I wasn't disappointed, and even found myself unable to tear my focus away until I knew what happened (even though I knew it was going to be a bit heartbreaking).
I can't really describe what it is about these books that makes them so wonderful. If you're in any way a competent reader, you should be able to recognize and appreciate the time, effort, and care Diana Gabaldon put into crafting these stories. The character development is phenomenal. Claire and Jamie have a romance that feels absolutely real. That was what caught me again about the first book; after reading so many mediocre sexual fantasies disguised as romance fiction over the last year, it's truly amazing to read stories like these and be able to fully comprehend the meaning of the phrase "epic romance".
I'm really talking this up while only giving it three stars. Weird, I know. But the thing is, the book would have been perfect...had it just been edited down some. Gabaldon is a true wordsmith, but I fear her talent for words resulted in this book being rather too full of them. You wouldn't think such a thing was possible, but I assure you, it is. It's not that the book is too long, I love long stories. It's that the book is too long simply due to the endless political machinations and battle descriptions. I felt some of this could have been sped along without compromising the historical integrity of the work.
That being said, I'm glad I read it. I'm onto the third now, and really looking forward to more adventure.
Rating: really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Dragonfly in Amber is no ordinary romance novel. In fact, in spite of its romance and paranormal elements, it is far more of a historical novel than anything else in my opinion. This book basks the reader in lush descriptions of 18th century European history, from the political intrigue in the courts of King Louis XV of France, to the everyday life of a merchant, to the inner workings of hospitals of that time. Then it sweeps the reader along, back to the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and eventually into the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 in which Bonnie Prince Charlie tried unsuccessfully to retake the throne of both Scotland and England. The author made liberal use of real historical personages from King Louis and Prince Charles to their courtiers, advisers and Scottish clan chieftains. Diana Gabaldon constantly amazes me with how she can realistically weave fictional characters into real historical settings and bring it all to life in such a way that it is a joy to read and never a bore. Even everyday things become special in her world. I was especially fascinated with the insights into medical treatment in that era, including the use of plants and herbs for healing. Claire works for a time, at an indigent hospital in Paris where all manner of “healers” volunteer their time and “medical services” to the patients. In many ways, it is amazing to see just how far we've come since then, but I was also intrigued by the use of what appeared to be acupuncture in one scene and the use of a small dog to sniff out infections in another. Of course, both of these are still quite useful in medicine today. There is also a tangled web of ancestral ties that will certainly keep readers on their toes. All in all, Diana Gabaldon simply has a wonderful way with painting word pictures that just swept me up in the story and made me feel like I had indeed been transported back in time.
Just because I think that
Dragonfly in Amber is stronger as a historical novel, does not mean that the other elements were in any way lacking. It still has the beautiful romance of Jamie and Claire at its core. These two characters have simply enthralled me in a way that many characters in traditional romance fail to do. Jamie and Claire are absolutely perfect for each other, and in this story have settled into a very comfortable marriage in which it seems like they have been together much longer than they have. To me, this has always been part of the beauty of their relationship, in that they are the best of friends while still being passionate lovers. Even when they talk about the mundane things of life or engage in fun lighthearted bantering it expresses a deep intimacy. Jamie and Claire trust each other implicitly and even when that trust seems to have been compromised, they still find their way back to each other. This is a couple who epitomize the word, soulmate, and who would literally live and die for one another, and theirs is a love that spans both space and time and will never end. In my opinion, this is what true romance is all about, but for anyone seeking hot steamy love scenes, they won't really be found in this book. Most of these parts are fairly non-explicit and don't contain a lot of detail, but that certainly didn't matter to me, as the relationship is always the most important thing for me in any romance. There are even a couple of side romances in the form a heartbreakingly tragic relationship between a couple of Frank Randall's ancestors and a sweet budding connection between Brianna Randall Fraser and Roger Wakefield, who are very important characters in later books.
The other element that was incredibly well-done is the time travel. Diana Gabaldon has written a scholarly article outlining her own theories of time travel, and it certainly is borne out in this book. I found Jamie and Claire's attempts to alter history to be very intellectually engaging. It presents a didactical argument as to whether it would be possible to change history if time travel were a reality, something which I love to ponder. It also asks the question of whether a person could cease to exist if that history was revised. There was also a great little rabbit trail where Claire mulls over the effects of time travel on germs and disease which I found to be a fun thing to speculate about too. The one thing I would not have wanted to do, is hold the fate of so many people in my hands the way Jamie and Claire did, due to their knowledge of the future. Many times over the course of the story they had to make really difficult choices, and even did some things that might be considered somewhat immoral or unethical, and contemplated doing far worse for the sake of the greater good. Of course, they never came to these conclusions lightly, and I love how Ms. Gabaldon brought out all the gut-wrenching emotions that were associated with that decision-making process.
Jamie and Claire are two characters I won't soon forget, and I greatly look forward to reading their further adventures. Jamie is the ultimate hero who is both brave and vulnerable, and a fierce warrior but a gentle lover, a man who Claire calls “the sun.” He is selfless and chivalrous, willing to sacrifice himself for those he loves including the men under his command, and his word is his honor, something he would never dream of breaking no matter what. I love that Jamie has a sensitive heart underneath his tough exterior and isn't afraid to cry or show his true feelings. Sometimes he says some of the sweetest, most beautiful things that make me swoon. With his wry, teasing humor, he is also one of the funniest characters I have ever read. Even in the midst of the most dire circumstances, he can often make me laugh. It was absolutely hilarious (although extremely fortuitous) the amount of mileage he got out of his La Dame Blanche story about Claire, as was his confrontational “conversation” with the little dog at the hospital where Claire worked. At the same time, Jamie is still a very tortured hero who is frequently tormented by demons, both real and emotional, as a result of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Jack Randall in the first book, which led to some very intense moments in the narrative. Claire, for her part, is probably the strongest heroine I have ever read. She is an incredibly intelligent woman who always uses her wits to survive and who isn't afraid to stand up to anyone including clan leaders and even royalty. Because of her modern sensibilities, she sometimes bucks the convention of the time, but by maintaining a strong backbone, she also manages to garner the respect of nearly everyone who meets her. Still, since the book is told primarily in first person from Claire's point of view, her vulnerabilities are readily apparent to the reader. There are moments when she is truly afraid and when her emotions even get the best of her, and of course, she wears her undeniable love for Jamie on her sleeve. Claire and Jamie are just so well-matched that I could hardly bear the times that they were apart in the story, and when they came back together it was like electricity shooting off the page. Their final scenes together in
Dragonfly in Amber were some of the most beautiful and poignant, but also the most heartbreaking ever to be penned. They literally left me in tears, which is a somewhat rare effect for a book to have on me.
There are just so many things to love about
Dragonfly in Amber, I don't think I could possibly name them all, and there are even a few things that were a bit bothersome. On the up side, there was a widely varied and diverse cast of supporting characters from the real-life players who were mentioned earlier to plenty of fictional ones as well. Jamie's sister and brother-in-law, Jenny and Ian, who I love, appeared again along with their family. Even though he rarely has much to say, the dour Murtaugh is always a welcome addition. Jamie also takes in Fergus, a young pickpocket with the heart of a lion, although I have to admit that the historical realities for a child like him left me feeling extremely heartbroken. Jack Randall's younger brother, Alex, and Mary Hawkins, a teenage girl who Claire meets in Paris, also play important roles, as does Master Raymond, a mysterious little man who runs an apothecary shop. In addition to the strong character palette, there is plenty of intrigue that should keep readers guessing, as well as lots of adventure and excitement. On the down side, there is a quite a bit of sometimes rather gruesome violence, including sexual assault, and some vivid depictions of various war injuries which some readers may find cringe-worthy, though certainly nothing that was out of place for the time period. Most of these things did not bother me, but there was one graphic description of hanging, drawing, and quartering which left me with a queasy stomach, so sensitive readers may want to skip that part. The early parts of the book move at a rather languid pace, but there were always little side stories that made it interesting and held my attention. Overall, though there was nothing I could say I truly disliked about the book, and in fact, it was even better the second time around as this was a re-read for me.
Unlike
Outlander which can be a satisfying read by itself, there is a cliffhanger ending to
Dragonfly in Amber, so new readers of the series will probably want to have a copy of the next book,
Voyager, on hand before starting. When I first read books 1-3 over a decade ago, I don't think I could have waited for the sequel to come, so I'm glad I didn't discover the series until the first three books had already been published.
Dragonfly in Amber has forever earned a place on my keeper shelf next to its predecessor,
Outlander. I can't wait to read the remaining books in the series,
Voyager,
Drums of Autumn,
The Fiery Cross, and
A Breath of Snow and Ashes, as well as
An Echo in the Bone, the newest
Outlander book which is due to hit store shelves this September. With her amazing talent and enthralling writing style, Diana Gabaldon has also earned a place among my favorite authors.
