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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Way too long, way too detailed, and I loved every single minute of it!
This book is:
70% unnecessary storylines and boring details
20% adventure/kidnappings
9% shocking excitement
1% JESUS H ROOSEVELT CHRIST
70% unnecessary storylines and boring details
20% adventure/kidnappings
9% shocking excitement
1% JESUS H ROOSEVELT CHRIST
Least favorite of the Outlander series so far. Seeing the Revolutionary War get started was really interesting, and I always love the core characters, but the stories about side characters felt really forced and like Gabaldon was trying to be sensational with them. Having incest, polyamory, and multiple relationships where the consent was iffy in one book just felt like a lot... It took me almost all year to get through this book because I just didn't want to read it.
Edited to reflect recent re-read (16/12/2020)
I had completely forgotten certain plot elements and went back to reading this book again. It was still an enjoyable read except for the ubiquituous sexual abuse elements that serve as plot points in these series. Don't get me wrong, it is still a good book and I was entertained by the plot twists and the interpersonal connections, but it hasn't aged well. Nor has the series itself, due to the overreliance on this trope.
I know that these books were written at a different time, but yeah, they can be a bit iffy and what happened to Claire was part of that.
I had completely forgotten certain plot elements and went back to reading this book again. It was still an enjoyable read except for the ubiquituous sexual abuse elements that serve as plot points in these series. Don't get me wrong, it is still a good book and I was entertained by the plot twists and the interpersonal connections, but it hasn't aged well. Nor has the series itself, due to the overreliance on this trope.
I know that these books were written at a different time, but yeah, they can be a bit iffy and what happened to Claire was part of that.
(Instagram @elle_reads)
BOOK REVIEW
[A Breath of Snow and Ashes] The Fraser family picks their way through the American Revolutionary War.
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WHAT I LIKED
From rape to childrearing to killing to dreaming, Diana Gabaldon’s characters deal with many difficult subjects. Gabaldon takes their reactions a step further: she shows how different characters deal with the same hardship in unique ways. There is no "correct way" to grieve a death. There is no "correct way” to heal after being raped. There is no “correct way” to raise a child. Humans can only do their best. Their best as their unique situation and personality allow.
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As always, I adore Gabaldon’s word choice. I always come away with a list of words I guessed based on context during reading, but want to double-check after.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
There were a few events which were foreshadowed, but still seemed to come a little out of the blue near the end. The epilogue holds a finality like a concrete ending, but it can’t be - there are more books! I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing for the characters, but I’m happy I won’t have to leave this world yet! All in all, a healthy storyline without much annotation and research. It was a great vacation read.
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⚡️⚡️⚡️✨3.5/5 A Breath of Snow and Ashes (by Diana Gabaldon)
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BOOK REVIEW
[A Breath of Snow and Ashes] The Fraser family picks their way through the American Revolutionary War.
//
WHAT I LIKED
From rape to childrearing to killing to dreaming, Diana Gabaldon’s characters deal with many difficult subjects. Gabaldon takes their reactions a step further: she shows how different characters deal with the same hardship in unique ways. There is no "correct way" to grieve a death. There is no "correct way” to heal after being raped. There is no “correct way” to raise a child. Humans can only do their best. Their best as their unique situation and personality allow.
//
As always, I adore Gabaldon’s word choice. I always come away with a list of words I guessed based on context during reading, but want to double-check after.
//
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
There were a few events which were foreshadowed, but still seemed to come a little out of the blue near the end. The epilogue holds a finality like a concrete ending, but it can’t be - there are more books! I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing for the characters, but I’m happy I won’t have to leave this world yet! All in all, a healthy storyline without much annotation and research. It was a great vacation read.
//
⚡️⚡️⚡️✨3.5/5 A Breath of Snow and Ashes (by Diana Gabaldon)
//
“He reaches forward, then took me in his arms, held me close for a moment, the breath of snow and ashes cold around us. Then he kissed me, released me, and I took a deep breath of cold air, harsh with the scent of burning”
Well after “The Fiery Cross” I was thinking that Claire and Jamie Fraser had maybe just had their day; it was still excellent but just not as gripping as the others! Then I reluctantly picked up this 1400 page BEAST!
THIS!! THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED (and had been missing since the first few) FROM AN OUTLANDER NOVEL! I absolutely annihilated the first half of this book! The twist and turns, the drama- just a fantastic read! Claire is back showing us why we love her so much- showing her as the strong female lead she is instead of just Jamie Fraser’s wife. I kinda love when there are dark parts to a book too (maybe not the forcing your wife to have sex with you when you’re supposed to be a good guy ROGER!) and how raw the characters are shown in these moments.
I’ve cried many many a time throughout this one. So glad to have Ian back and strong characters such as Tom and Malve Christie, Frau Mcgilvery and of course wee Jemmy being a star as always. The character development of Fergus has destroyed me though- it’s not the way I envisioned him heading as he is one of my fave characters!
Kidnap, murder, random crazy pregnancies (I mean Lizzie WTF), scandal, war, religion, slavery and so many random illnesses and diseases (syphillis being a big one)... whatever you imagine in a book this has it! Honestly blown away! Can’t wait to get my teeth into the next one (which I’m glad is 300 pages shorter haha)
Well after “The Fiery Cross” I was thinking that Claire and Jamie Fraser had maybe just had their day; it was still excellent but just not as gripping as the others! Then I reluctantly picked up this 1400 page BEAST!
THIS!! THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED (and had been missing since the first few) FROM AN OUTLANDER NOVEL! I absolutely annihilated the first half of this book! The twist and turns, the drama- just a fantastic read! Claire is back showing us why we love her so much- showing her as the strong female lead she is instead of just Jamie Fraser’s wife. I kinda love when there are dark parts to a book too (maybe not the forcing your wife to have sex with you when you’re supposed to be a good guy ROGER!) and how raw the characters are shown in these moments.
I’ve cried many many a time throughout this one. So glad to have Ian back and strong characters such as Tom and Malve Christie, Frau Mcgilvery and of course wee Jemmy being a star as always. The character development of Fergus has destroyed me though- it’s not the way I envisioned him heading as he is one of my fave characters!
Kidnap, murder, random crazy pregnancies (I mean Lizzie WTF), scandal, war, religion, slavery and so many random illnesses and diseases (syphillis being a big one)... whatever you imagine in a book this has it! Honestly blown away! Can’t wait to get my teeth into the next one (which I’m glad is 300 pages shorter haha)
WHEW! Another ginormous book, but I liked this one SO much better than The Fiery Cross (and even Drums of Autumn), which was a huge relief.
So much happened, but it didn't feel forced, although she really wrapped up a ton of plot lines within the last 150 pages or so.
I started to like Brianna and Roger more in this book--for some reason I feel like I got to know them a lot better in this one.
I will note that this one is a little harder to read in the post #MeToo era.
So much happened, but it didn't feel forced, although she really wrapped up a ton of plot lines within the last 150 pages or so.
I started to like Brianna and Roger more in this book--for some reason I feel like I got to know them a lot better in this one.
I will note that this one is a little harder to read in the post #MeToo era.
I still love Jamie & Claire, but I feel like the series is never going to end and I'm ready to get to the end of the story. Lots of dialogue and action that don't seem to give us any more insights into the characters or move the story forward, or even tell us interesting events from history.
Long and plotless narrative, interspersed with unconnected melodramatic incidents. I loved the first few books in this series but I think it is time to let it go.