My recent review of the TV series contains a basic plot summary, so I won't rehash that here. I will say the show hews remarkably close to the book, even lifting entire conversations verbatim, and it is clearly catering to the needs of the long-time fans. I do wonder how the next eight episodes of the first season will tackle the rest of the novel, however, considering that an extraordinarily complex number of events take place. The writers face a seemingly insurmountable task of whittling all that down to eight hours and I look forward to seeing the results in April. But enough about TV writers - let's get to Diana Gabaldon, the original author of this magnificent tome.
Gabaldon's writing style is extraordinary. It is vivid, evocative, funny, dramatic, and moving. Every single one of her characters is a treasure - the first-person narrator, Claire Beauchamp, is an extraordinary woman, a true heroine for the ages. She is feisty, witty, intelligent, and fiercely capable. And her counterpart, Jamie Fraser, is cast in the mold of all those Victorian heroes women have been swooning over for years. Except that he is so much more useful, practical, romantic, and gentlemanly than any Mr. Darcy. Then you have characters like Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, the most dastardly, stomach-turning villain you have ever encountered, who makes you want to tear your hair out. The secondary characters are too numerous to name, but they all leave an indelible impression as you grow to know and understand them. Whether it's a mysterious witch or some cunning clansmen, each one has a unique part to play in this intricate tale and they are all fully-realized and marvelous to behold.
Outlander's setting in the wild Scottish highlands is beautiful and meticulously researched. Gabaldon's prose places you squarely in the midst of the 1700s and we get to view it through Claire's modern 1945 eyes. Scottish words and phrases are sprinkled in efficiently, enough to remind you that a character is Scottish, but not so much to make them incomprehensible. The violence of the battle scenes and the cruelty of some of the backwards customs are jarring, and Gabaldon doesn't shy away from disgusting or terrifying her readers when such scenes crop up. Likewise, this is a famously sexy series, and she doesn't hold back in those scenes either. There's the much talked-about Chapter 14 (i.e. episode 7 of the TV series, for those not of the literary persuasion), and once Jamie and Claire get married, the novel is brimming with sex. It's not always romantic: sometimes it's angry, cruel, or resentful, but again, it offers up a complete picture of these characters and doesn't hide the turbulent moments of their complicated relationship.
The latter chapters of Outlander are a particularly gruesome and difficult read. You become so invested in these characters that you cannot believe the trials they are forced to bear. Things happen that upset me to even think about now, and yet they are perfectly plausible in the barbaric setting of this novel. The only unrealistic thing about Outlander is how so many of your favorite characters manage to stay alive - if we were really being historically accurate, Jamie would die of sepsis about twenty times over and Claire would have been raped and shot within five minutes of stepping through the stones of Craigh na Dun. Thankfully, Gabaldon does have a heart, and even though she puts her characters through hell, she gives them enough strength and resilience to keep fighting and loving till the end.
In a few shorts weeks, I have become a loyal Outlander fan, and I will be spending a lot of time reading the rest of the novels in the series. If you have been pining for a book that will reach right into your guts and stir up a whole lot of feelings, I can't recommend Outlander highly enough. If you staunchly refuse to read, you can still watch the TV show and see what all the fuss is about. But you'll be missing out on some really spectacular fiction.
Gabaldon's writing style is extraordinary. It is vivid, evocative, funny, dramatic, and moving. Every single one of her characters is a treasure - the first-person narrator, Claire Beauchamp, is an extraordinary woman, a true heroine for the ages. She is feisty, witty, intelligent, and fiercely capable. And her counterpart, Jamie Fraser, is cast in the mold of all those Victorian heroes women have been swooning over for years. Except that he is so much more useful, practical, romantic, and gentlemanly than any Mr. Darcy. Then you have characters like Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, the most dastardly, stomach-turning villain you have ever encountered, who makes you want to tear your hair out. The secondary characters are too numerous to name, but they all leave an indelible impression as you grow to know and understand them. Whether it's a mysterious witch or some cunning clansmen, each one has a unique part to play in this intricate tale and they are all fully-realized and marvelous to behold.
Outlander's setting in the wild Scottish highlands is beautiful and meticulously researched. Gabaldon's prose places you squarely in the midst of the 1700s and we get to view it through Claire's modern 1945 eyes. Scottish words and phrases are sprinkled in efficiently, enough to remind you that a character is Scottish, but not so much to make them incomprehensible. The violence of the battle scenes and the cruelty of some of the backwards customs are jarring, and Gabaldon doesn't shy away from disgusting or terrifying her readers when such scenes crop up. Likewise, this is a famously sexy series, and she doesn't hold back in those scenes either. There's the much talked-about Chapter 14 (i.e. episode 7 of the TV series, for those not of the literary persuasion), and once Jamie and Claire get married, the novel is brimming with sex. It's not always romantic: sometimes it's angry, cruel, or resentful, but again, it offers up a complete picture of these characters and doesn't hide the turbulent moments of their complicated relationship.
The latter chapters of Outlander are a particularly gruesome and difficult read. You become so invested in these characters that you cannot believe the trials they are forced to bear. Things happen that upset me to even think about now, and yet they are perfectly plausible in the barbaric setting of this novel. The only unrealistic thing about Outlander is how so many of your favorite characters manage to stay alive - if we were really being historically accurate, Jamie would die of sepsis about twenty times over and Claire would have been raped and shot within five minutes of stepping through the stones of Craigh na Dun. Thankfully, Gabaldon does have a heart, and even though she puts her characters through hell, she gives them enough strength and resilience to keep fighting and loving till the end.
In a few shorts weeks, I have become a loyal Outlander fan, and I will be spending a lot of time reading the rest of the novels in the series. If you have been pining for a book that will reach right into your guts and stir up a whole lot of feelings, I can't recommend Outlander highly enough. If you staunchly refuse to read, you can still watch the TV show and see what all the fuss is about. But you'll be missing out on some really spectacular fiction.
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