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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
slow-paced
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I am really not sure how to rate this one. I loved the first two books in this series, and while I was still enthralled with Claire and Jamie's story in this third installment, Gabaldon made some choices in this book that really turned me off. Trigger warnings for sexual assault, racism, and fatphobia for the rest of this review. No spoilers occur.
1. One character describes a rape to another character and while doing so, uses the word "queer" to describe it. Of all the possible words to use, Gabaldon used "queer." At the best, this is a highly ignorant jab to the LGBTQ+ community; at the worst, this is a deliberate use of the word to associate queerness with sexual assault and perversity. Either way, this is not acceptable.
2. While writing a letter to her daughter, Claire attempts to pass on the essential life advice and knowledge she thinks will be most helpful. Her final instruction to her daughter, and the novel makes a point of noting this, is "don't get fat." THAT'S the most important thing to you, Claire? No matter what evils and trials your daughter might face, heaven forbid she gets fat? Fuck you, Gabaldon. If this was the only fat-phobic jab in the book, that would still not be ok, but there are further completely unnecessary and unacceptable fat-phobic comments later on in the book.
3. A white character refers to her Black slaves with the n* word several times in the course of a conversation. While that may be historically accurate, I don't think this scene was written with the sensitivity it could have been.
4. Indigenous people of North America are referred to multiple times as "savages" by a couple different characters, Claire included. While it's not excusable, I can kind of understand the use of this word by the white characters in the 1700s - that's the word and report they were getting from white supremacist colonizers, and while I wish they would question it, they may not have had access to information to the contrary. However, for Claire to also think of Indigenous people as "savages" coming from the 1960's? She should absolutely know better. There's no excuse for that.
All this to say, I'm really disappointed in Gabaldon and not sure I'm going to continue with the books. My favorite parts have always been the Scottish scenery and history, so I may try the TV show and see if it was created with more thoughtfulness and less assholery.
1. One character describes a rape to another character and while doing so, uses the word "queer" to describe it. Of all the possible words to use, Gabaldon used "queer." At the best, this is a highly ignorant jab to the LGBTQ+ community; at the worst, this is a deliberate use of the word to associate queerness with sexual assault and perversity. Either way, this is not acceptable.
2. While writing a letter to her daughter, Claire attempts to pass on the essential life advice and knowledge she thinks will be most helpful. Her final instruction to her daughter, and the novel makes a point of noting this, is "don't get fat." THAT'S the most important thing to you, Claire? No matter what evils and trials your daughter might face, heaven forbid she gets fat? Fuck you, Gabaldon. If this was the only fat-phobic jab in the book, that would still not be ok, but there are further completely unnecessary and unacceptable fat-phobic comments later on in the book.
3. A white character refers to her Black slaves with the n* word several times in the course of a conversation. While that may be historically accurate, I don't think this scene was written with the sensitivity it could have been.
4. Indigenous people of North America are referred to multiple times as "savages" by a couple different characters, Claire included. While it's not excusable, I can kind of understand the use of this word by the white characters in the 1700s - that's the word and report they were getting from white supremacist colonizers, and while I wish they would question it, they may not have had access to information to the contrary. However, for Claire to also think of Indigenous people as "savages" coming from the 1960's? She should absolutely know better. There's no excuse for that.
All this to say, I'm really disappointed in Gabaldon and not sure I'm going to continue with the books. My favorite parts have always been the Scottish scenery and history, so I may try the TV show and see if it was created with more thoughtfulness and less assholery.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
adventurous
dark
emotional
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated