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amn028's review against another edition
3.0
The book starts out strong and quickly drew me in. It wanes a little throughout and there were parts that it felt like I was reading a book assigned in a high school English class rather than for my own enjoyment. However, overall the slower parts do not drag the book down to the point where it feels like a chore to finish. The characters were great; each one damaged in his/her own way. It is a good book for a first time author
hermit_essa's review against another edition
5.0
Set in the early 1900s, The Outlander is the story of a young woman, referred to most often as simply "the widow," and her mad flight from her justice-seeking brothers in law. She is pure will, full of mourning, haunted and hunted, perhaps a wee bit charmed. From the empty prairies to the inhospitable Rockies, the widow's journey is enthralling and full of surprises.
A true gem of Canadian fiction. So much talent is on display in this book that one needs to pause and linger on the page to appreciate Adamson's skill for evocative description. The Outlander is positively cinematic, each detail brought effortlessly to the theatre of the mind. Highly recommended!
A true gem of Canadian fiction. So much talent is on display in this book that one needs to pause and linger on the page to appreciate Adamson's skill for evocative description. The Outlander is positively cinematic, each detail brought effortlessly to the theatre of the mind. Highly recommended!
jo_crescent's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
If I hadn’t read The Vaster Wilds earlier, I would’ve enjoyed this more. As it was, I felt annoyed at the fortuitous rescuing by various menfolk & not convinced w the fairy tale ending although I cannot deny enjoyment of the writing & the characters, especially McEchern. The laudanum episode was also a treat!
19paws's review against another edition
2.0
In 1903, Mary Boulton, who has murdered her husband, is running for her life through the Canadian wilderness—and boring me to pieces in the process. She is an unknowable and uninteresting protagonist, and the author makes sure we feel as distant as possible from her by always referring to her as “the widow,” rather than by name, which really started to grate on me pretty quickly.
I made it through 120 pages, which I figured was a heroic enough attempt.
I made it through 120 pages, which I figured was a heroic enough attempt.
ldv's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing first novel. The book flap compares the author to Guy Vanderhaeghe, and that is accurate, but it is great in its own right.
Mary Boulton has killed her husband and is on the run from his brothers who seek justice. It's 1903 somewhere in the midwest. Mary wanders on her own, out-paces death more than once, and meets interesting characters along the way.
The writing is excellent -- descriptions that are concise yet informative, well-crafted dialogue, seamless transitions to flashbacks that wonderfully pull the reader along in acquaintance with Mary and slowly unwind her story while always moving the main narration forward. Quality fiction all around. Awesome!
Mary Boulton has killed her husband and is on the run from his brothers who seek justice. It's 1903 somewhere in the midwest. Mary wanders on her own, out-paces death more than once, and meets interesting characters along the way.
The writing is excellent -- descriptions that are concise yet informative, well-crafted dialogue, seamless transitions to flashbacks that wonderfully pull the reader along in acquaintance with Mary and slowly unwind her story while always moving the main narration forward. Quality fiction all around. Awesome!
hollygoltly's review
adventurous
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
4.0
pocho's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an adventure and it kept me on my toes. You never knew what was going to happen next. There were a variety of characters and I felt the author purposely kept you distant (continued to call the main character "the widow" instead of calling her by her name) from them to continue the vague distant feeling you have while reading the book. You never get too comfortable with one place or one character in the book. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. It was worth the read but I wouldn't want to read it again.
danapr's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and finally read it. The story takes place in the early 1900s probably in south central Canada and involves Mary, referred to as “the widow” most of the time. We know from the beginning that Mary has just killed and buried her husband and is running from her brother in laws who want to avenge his death. The story is somewhat confusing and tedious at times as it appears that Mary is mentally ill, probably suffering from postpartum depression as her infant died just prior to her shooting her husband and escaping. Her reasons for killing him are really never made clear.
Mary discovers several interesting characters on her journey and many hardships but she is a survivor. She is referred to as an “outlander” in the mining town that she settles in because she is the only woman there. Her friend and the owner of the supply store is the other outlander as he is a dwarf.
The book is unpredictable and the characters interesting and I found myself anxious for Mary and rooting for her every time her pursuers get close to catching her. The writing style was just a little tedious and overly descriptive for my taste but overall worth finishing.
Mary discovers several interesting characters on her journey and many hardships but she is a survivor. She is referred to as an “outlander” in the mining town that she settles in because she is the only woman there. Her friend and the owner of the supply store is the other outlander as he is a dwarf.
The book is unpredictable and the characters interesting and I found myself anxious for Mary and rooting for her every time her pursuers get close to catching her. The writing style was just a little tedious and overly descriptive for my taste but overall worth finishing.