Outlander

Title: Outlander

Series: Outlander - book 1

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 863

Publication Date: 1991

Publisher: Arrow Books

Summary: In 1945, Claire Randall is back from war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. She walks through a stone circle in the Highlands, and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. Suddenly she is a Sassenach, an outlander, in a country ravaged by war and by clan feuds.

Marooned amid the passion and violence, the superstition, the shifting allegiances and the fervent loyalties, Claire is in danger from Jacobites and Redcoats - and from the shock of her own desire for James Fraser, a gallant and courageous young Scots warrior.

Jamie shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire, and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is one of the most beautifully rich stories I have ever read. This book easily deserves 5 stars.

The story follows Claire Beauchamp, a combat nurse during WWII as she shares a second honeymoon with her husband Frank in Scotland to reconnect after years of separation. While visiting the standing stones of Craigh na Dun (think stone henge) she is transported 200 years back in time to 1743. Now Claire as a sassenach must use her wits and what she knows of history to navigate through the volatile world of the English vs the Scots. But through the her relationship with Jamie, Claire begins to see that being sent through time might be a gift and not a curse.

This book was originally published under the name of Cross Stitch so don't be surprised if the story line sounds really familiar but not the title.

The thing I loved the most about this book is the complete realism it holds; not just in the characters  but the time period as well. Surprisingly most of the negative comments I have read about this book seem to be on its realism. This book is not a 'they all live happily ever after story', it a book that is filled with the violence, sex, rape and mistreatment that is found throughout the history of the world. So if you don't want a taste of how some people really lived in the 1700's, I would suggest picking up a different book. However, if you are like me and history is one of your passions, it is the truth of the story that makes it so incredibly beautiful.

The relationship that forms between Claire and Jamie is told in an amazing way by Gabaldon. They face the challenges of meeting and getting to know someone all the while fighting for the relationship you want to have. Claire and Jamie do not just struggle through the challenges of living in 1743 Scotland but also face the challenge of coming from two very different worlds.

As for the writing itself, like all books it has it highs and lows. Some parts I felt could have used more detail and others could have gotten to the point far quicker. The writing style, however, is easy to loose yourself in and the charm of the Scottish accent is easily found throughout the book.

Outlander is no small read but a huge 850 pages and totally worth it. This book is the first in a series of 8 books but could also be read as a stand alone if the idea of reading a series of such large books is rather daunting. I myself cannot wait to pick up the next book.

Outlander has also been made into a TV series which is an incredible adaption. The TV show brings the story to life without compromising the book in any way. It also gives you the added bonus of seeing how the story further unfolds by exploring the story lines of Frank and Jamie that we do not get through Claire's perspective in the book.