Reviews - Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone

1.76k reviews for:

Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone

There is no doubt about Diana Gabaldon's skills in wielding the English language to create vivid scenes of domestic bliss... If only it had been contained in the first 200 pages as a delicious exposition of the life on the Ridge and a much needed retrouvaille with the reader. Unfortunately, this book feels very much like a "successful author refuses editor's input", and bubbles to a cumbersome 900 pages, whose 3/4 are disjointed vignettes of the quotidian life of Claire Fraser and her family.
Too much of a good thing...

Most of the plot is propelled by William in short and disparate bursts, sometimes frustrating for those who forget he is only a 21-year-old with two brains and not enough blood to power both. (Even though I would recommend reading what DG had to say about his attraction to

Spoiler

Amaranthus

.)

What could have been amazing plot development/character is brushed over (i.e., Fanny's

Spoiler

disturbing behavior in 'Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi' chapter

, or Mrs Cunningham

Spoiler

finding the Merck manual.

) and instead we are given the same plot points, sometimes literally (all the -long- lifted passages from previous books), sometimes reheated (i.e., yet again someone reads a document from the future that states when they might die, yet again Fergus is being pursued for being the son of a mysterious Frenchman... The Browns are now the Cunninghams' or Ulysses... )

Overall, this book is like watching a very slow game of chess, but also all of its surroundings, and the shopping list of each of the players, and how they cooked their breakfasts, and what they had for dinner the day before, and how it was hunted, etc. Pieces are moved slowly to arrive at a predictable (and most anticipated) reunion only to cut short on the catharsis and bid you goodbye for another half a decade (if not more).

Personally, I feel cheated and disappointed.

ariaadagio's review against another edition

2.0

An interminable slog.

amarreth's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

caitpaige's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This book felt more like filler; general plot development but not a lot of substantial action. That being said, a thousand or so pages of this is perfectly fine with me. If this were nothing but a daily account of living on Fraser’s Ridge, I would happily read it.