Book Review / Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

 The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.




Published:     26th July 2005
Publisher:  Dell Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 1, Outlander
Source:  Owned

MY REVIEW

This is a story that has become very popular in recent years, especially with the TV show being aired and being very popular.  I had watched the TV show (up to the end of season 2 so far) and thought that I really should pick up the book.  I will be honest to say that at 850 pages this story is very daunting, so I decided to pick this up on audiobook.  I loved it.  The author had a very traditional English voice that sounded just like the actress who plays Claire Randell in the TV show.

Of course, what I loved the most about this novel is the romance - the romance between Claire and Jamie.  At first, it was Claire doing what she had to do to survive in this new time that she doesn't realise how she got there but its obvious that there's chemistry between the two.

I've learned so much in history from this novel (and the TV show).  I am not sure of the accuracy but it is very interesting to learn more about the way of life in Scotland in the 1700s, especially the conflict with the English.  At times, this is not an easy read with the way that they treated the women in their family or community but that was just the way it was back in that time.   This story was also a lot racier than I had originally expected.

I really can't wait to dig into the book 2 to follow the story more and see what more it adds to the world that is not in the TV show.  It may take a while because the audio books are 30 plus hours long!