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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Sometimes I wonder why the series goes in the direction it does but I really like the new Bree/Roger dynamic.
only reason I took one star away was pacing. thank goodness for audiobooks. this will likely be the most boring season of the show when it comes.
The best thing about this series, apart from the character development, is how the setting changes so drastically from book to book. It keeps things interesting, and I love seeing these characters in so many different environments. The way they are always being torn apart, only to be brought back together keeps compelling the story forward. The reunions are sometimes long-coming, but totally worth it.
Luckily, this book lost some of the problems the third book had - not so many chance meetings with acquaintances and repetitive descriptions. Diana Gabaldon becomes a better writer with each book. The only problem I really had with this one was the constant change in narrator was kind of confusing sometimes, although I do like that she changes it up and lets us inside so many characters' heads.
And now for the spoilery stuff:
I think we just need a little more development of Bree and Roger's relationship - that one always feels sort of tenuous to me. Somehow not as deep as it should be. Roger as a character is kind of elusive, I can't get a grip on him. I can't tell if he's a nice guy or sort of a jerk.
I have to force myself to read something else before jumping into the next book in the series. I love these books, but they are verra long, ya ken?
Luckily, this book lost some of the problems the third book had - not so many chance meetings with acquaintances and repetitive descriptions. Diana Gabaldon becomes a better writer with each book. The only problem I really had with this one was the constant change in narrator was kind of confusing sometimes, although I do like that she changes it up and lets us inside so many characters' heads.
And now for the spoilery stuff:
Spoiler
I really liked John Gray in this one. He is such an elegant, classy dude. I was sad to see Young Ian go, although I thought that was a clever development in his storyline. I love seeing Jaime as a father, and I like that things aren't always peachy with him and Brianna. I liked him hanging out with Willie. I like seeing Jamie and Claire settling down and not constantly running around on adventures. Claire and Brianna's reunion was lovely.I think we just need a little more development of Bree and Roger's relationship - that one always feels sort of tenuous to me. Somehow not as deep as it should be. Roger as a character is kind of elusive, I can't get a grip on him. I can't tell if he's a nice guy or sort of a jerk.
I have to force myself to read something else before jumping into the next book in the series. I love these books, but they are verra long, ya ken?
A few caveats before I review this book: 1. I am a notorious series quitter - there are very few series I've actually read beyond the first few books. 2. I consider myself a slow reader, so I rarely pick up books longer than 550 pages, let alone over 1,000. 3. I actually started this book in 2018, got halfway through, and got sidetracked with other books and didn't come back to it until January 2021.
With that out of the way, I still enjoyed this quite a bit. I don't feel that any of the Outlander series is as good as the first book, and I really miss Scotland (this book takes place in the New World, primarily North Carolina), but there was still plenty of excitement, adventure, and romance. While Gabaldon makes extensive use of a broad vocabulary (with one exception, which I'll mention later), it was always easy for me to pick up and keep turning the pages. My biggest complaint with this book (and some of the previous ones) is that it reads like a roller coaster ride - big highs where you are at the edge of your seat and can't read fast enough, mixed with deep lows where not much at all is happening and you sometimes even wonder where the story is going. I do think the page count could have been trimmed down some by reducing or removing some of the lows, but they aren't purposeless - usually they are showing character traits or character development, at a slow pace. Despite that, I still very much enjoyed the ride in this book, although of the first four in the series, it is my least favorite (so far, I have enjoyed each book slightly less than its predecessor).
One element of Gabaldon's writing that drives me bonkers is her incessant use of the word "wry". I was tempted to count how many times it appeared in the story because it was bordering on ridiculous, and I've noticed this in other Outlander books as well. Now that you know you'll never be able to unsee it (I apologize in advance)!
With that out of the way, I still enjoyed this quite a bit. I don't feel that any of the Outlander series is as good as the first book, and I really miss Scotland (this book takes place in the New World, primarily North Carolina), but there was still plenty of excitement, adventure, and romance. While Gabaldon makes extensive use of a broad vocabulary (with one exception, which I'll mention later), it was always easy for me to pick up and keep turning the pages. My biggest complaint with this book (and some of the previous ones) is that it reads like a roller coaster ride - big highs where you are at the edge of your seat and can't read fast enough, mixed with deep lows where not much at all is happening and you sometimes even wonder where the story is going. I do think the page count could have been trimmed down some by reducing or removing some of the lows, but they aren't purposeless - usually they are showing character traits or character development, at a slow pace. Despite that, I still very much enjoyed the ride in this book, although of the first four in the series, it is my least favorite (so far, I have enjoyed each book slightly less than its predecessor).
One element of Gabaldon's writing that drives me bonkers is her incessant use of the word "wry". I was tempted to count how many times it appeared in the story because it was bordering on ridiculous, and I've noticed this in other Outlander books as well. Now that you know you'll never be able to unsee it (I apologize in advance)!
This (the 4th in the series) is my least favorite of the first 4. It’s not bad by any means! But it lacked something that I can’t quite put my finger on. There’s less Jamie and Claire. Roger becomes excessively frustrating. I love the setting. The plot is fine. A lot happens. SO MUCH HAPPENS. But it still seemed to drag a bit (I want to blame that on it just truly not being a quick easy read, due to lots of Gaelic thrown in there, which takes some deciphering, but the other 3 books were also like that and didn’t seem so draggy). There were parts that were unclear, and there were references back to other books and even earlier in this almost-900 page book that were confusing. Overall, totallllly worthwhile (now that I’m on the other side of it!) and I’ll look back with fond memories, but dang that one was a battle.
A little slow at the beginning and a lot melodramatic by the last third. But I enjoyed this one thoroughly, it's very well done, stays fresh and intense, a miracle after such a lengthy journey already.
It took me agesssss to finish this book but Miss Diana knows how to hook you in the last 200 pages. Jaw was on the floor at the ending. Loved all the different POV’s throughout the book, loved the intricacies of the plot, hated Brianna and Roger for being so fing hotheaded.
Some parts of this book are really great, but other parts are very boring. Not the best in the series but lots of plot and positioning go on so you can't really skip it.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
The fourth entry of the “Outlander” series sees Claire and Jamie venture through the Thirteen Colonies while also following her daughter Brianna on her story where will also have her own time travel turn. It still continues to be such a beastly series. A- (91%/Excellent)
SO GOOD! The drama and secrets I'd been waiting for all returned in this book. Excited to start the next one!