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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
This series makes me want to study the Scottish story telling tradition. Even though series stories tend to bore me after the first few books, I was able to stick with the Frasers.
Low end of 3 ⭐
Most disappointing of the series for me so far. Will probably wait a bit before starting book 5.
Most disappointing of the series for me so far. Will probably wait a bit before starting book 5.
I wanna say 5 just because I love this series and its author SO MUCH but I can really only say 4 stars. It would just feel dishonest to give it a full 5 even though it did get off to a wonderful start and it ended surprisingly well, but this one was much more of a trudge than the previous installments. The middle chapters were painfully sloooow and I did feel that several of the plotlines felt familiar to those we have seen in the previous books...so that annoyed me a bit.
To be specific, here are a few plotlines that made a reprise in Drums of Autumn:
-Young girl is brutally raped, Claire and Jamie are tasked with helping her through it, i.e. consider abortion, finding a suitable husband, etc. Very reminiscent of Mary's plight in Dragonfly in Amber.
-Girl gets pregnant, should she be sent back through the stones?? Who will be assigned the child's "true" father?? Made me think simultaneously of Mary AND Claire's being married to a Randall who must assume the role of "father" for a child that does not biologically belong to them.
-Roger's whole contemplation of true fatherhood after learning of Bonnet's raping Brianna reminded me of the Frank-or-Jamie paternal role dilemma pervading much of Voyager once Brianna is aware of her true parentage.
I am slightly frustrated that Gabaldon chose to revisit domestic-oriented plotlines in this largely historical fiction book rather than get to what I am really interested in and that is the fantasy/science fiction aspects of this series. Maybe in the grand scheme of things I will grow to understand her reasoning. I still feel that she is a master of blending genres and of course I will be continuing on with the series, but I can say with certainty that this was my least favorite so far.
To be specific, here are a few plotlines that made a reprise in Drums of Autumn:
-Young girl is brutally raped, Claire and Jamie are tasked with helping her through it, i.e. consider abortion, finding a suitable husband, etc. Very reminiscent of Mary's plight in Dragonfly in Amber.
-Girl gets pregnant, should she be sent back through the stones?? Who will be assigned the child's "true" father?? Made me think simultaneously of Mary AND Claire's being married to a Randall who must assume the role of "father" for a child that does not biologically belong to them.
-Roger's whole contemplation of true fatherhood after learning of Bonnet's raping Brianna reminded me of the Frank-or-Jamie paternal role dilemma pervading much of Voyager once Brianna is aware of her true parentage.
I am slightly frustrated that Gabaldon chose to revisit domestic-oriented plotlines in this largely historical fiction book rather than get to what I am really interested in and that is the fantasy/science fiction aspects of this series. Maybe in the grand scheme of things I will grow to understand her reasoning. I still feel that she is a master of blending genres and of course I will be continuing on with the series, but I can say with certainty that this was my least favorite so far.
oh yay! I love happy endings! but also, I had to skim a lot of this book.
That was amazing. Parts of the drama were too thick for my sensitive soul but I loved the book as a whole and would be willing to read again.
When I find myself screaming at the characters in a book, I know the author has done a fabulous job of storytelling. I love this series and have already started on a Fiery Cross.
(will write more later)
Liked it, thought it didn't have much plot/direction for almost half the book. Liked less than 3 but on par with 2.
And Davina Porter is brilliant, as usual.
Though I liked Brianna and Roger at the start, and obviously saw that, I must say that I didn't like their character development (or lack thereof) pretty much the whole second half.
Second time reading through:
- listening again because I was swept up in the 3rd book. I read that the season 3 of Outlander TV show is actually going to be parts of book 3 and book 4, so I'm re-reading these to recall the story.
- Enjoying the re-read, there are certain parts that are very vivid in my mind and others that are just a big blank in my memory! Also, being only this far in and trying to remember plot from last time, I'm looking for things that I remember being confused about before, or trying to remember how characters got from points A to C when B is forgotten. Liking it!
Liked it, thought it didn't have much plot/direction for almost half the book. Liked less than 3 but on par with 2.
And Davina Porter is brilliant, as usual.
Though I liked Brianna and Roger at the start, and obviously saw that
Spoiler
they'd go through back in timeSecond time reading through:
- listening again because I was swept up in the 3rd book. I read that the season 3 of Outlander TV show is actually going to be parts of book 3 and book 4, so I'm re-reading these to recall the story.
- Enjoying the re-read, there are certain parts that are very vivid in my mind and others that are just a big blank in my memory! Also, being only this far in and trying to remember plot from last time, I'm looking for things that I remember being confused about before, or trying to remember how characters got from points A to C when B is forgotten. Liking it!
OK. I am getting tired. Is it just me? This book dragged on and on and on and on, and did I mention IT DRAGGED ON? Should I keep going on to the last two books? How long does she have to make her stories?
SO MANY GOOSEBUMPS ON THE LAST PAGE THO
Also Gabaldon masters shifting points of view, good grief can the woman WRITE.
Also Gabaldon masters shifting points of view, good grief can the woman WRITE.
More on Chill and read
Looks like I’m reading one of the “Outlander” series books every month or so lately! Not bad, given their length! “Drums of Autumn” is the fourth installment in the series and it all feels blare to me. Where one book finishes and where the next one starts! But I will try to make sure that events of this book alone are part of this review. So here it goes!
The Frasers are now in the New World and they try to make a life there. They find their own kinsmen and make new friends. But Jamie Fraser is a man of honor, so he won’t take his aunt’s offering on her estate. He will not take over the old woman’s property, ruling over a number of Scots and a number slaves. He would never put Claire through something as awful as this. Jamie has Fergus with him, as well as his nephew Ian so he will try to find as many more men as he can, men he fought with in Culloden or elsewhere, meh who are still alive and are in America. And he will ask them to join him and live all together in the land he has acquired. He may not have his children with him, but he is glad for the people he has around him.
Brianna is supposed to be safe in the US. Her feelings for Roger and Roger’s feelings for her, persuaded Claire that she’d be fine without her. She would have Roger and Jo Abernathy to look after her. And this is true, until one day, Bree finds something hidden in the historical information from the States’ past, that will send her in a journey back in time, in search of her parents. She needs to make sure that at least her beloved mother stays safe. She also has a curiosity of James Fraser, but she doesn’t know the man yet.
This fourth book is giving parts of Brianna’s and Roger’s present and huge parts of time spent back in the 18th century. We get a bit of man on the moon experience and a bit of savages in the dessert as well in the same book. Gabaldon is trying to show the big difference between the two eras. The past and the future that her time travelers experience. It doesn’t always work great, but still, it’s a beautiful story.
Jamie is such a jealous person in this book. He is jealous over Clair, over Brianna, over anything taht feels close to his heart. He hates Frank, we know that already from previous installments, but in this book he really demonstrates that hatred. Claire is pretty much herself, not taking much into account when there is someone in need and also, being so constantly and overpowering in love with that stubborn Scottish man, that she doesn’t want to spent one more hour away from him, if she can avoid it.
Overall, it is a lovely love story of familiar characters, showing in the best possible way tips of the past and how these affect the characters’ life. An, by all means, I will continue with the series!
Looks like I’m reading one of the “Outlander” series books every month or so lately! Not bad, given their length! “Drums of Autumn” is the fourth installment in the series and it all feels blare to me. Where one book finishes and where the next one starts! But I will try to make sure that events of this book alone are part of this review. So here it goes!
The Frasers are now in the New World and they try to make a life there. They find their own kinsmen and make new friends. But Jamie Fraser is a man of honor, so he won’t take his aunt’s offering on her estate. He will not take over the old woman’s property, ruling over a number of Scots and a number slaves. He would never put Claire through something as awful as this. Jamie has Fergus with him, as well as his nephew Ian so he will try to find as many more men as he can, men he fought with in Culloden or elsewhere, meh who are still alive and are in America. And he will ask them to join him and live all together in the land he has acquired. He may not have his children with him, but he is glad for the people he has around him.
Brianna is supposed to be safe in the US. Her feelings for Roger and Roger’s feelings for her, persuaded Claire that she’d be fine without her. She would have Roger and Jo Abernathy to look after her. And this is true, until one day, Bree finds something hidden in the historical information from the States’ past, that will send her in a journey back in time, in search of her parents. She needs to make sure that at least her beloved mother stays safe. She also has a curiosity of James Fraser, but she doesn’t know the man yet.
This fourth book is giving parts of Brianna’s and Roger’s present and huge parts of time spent back in the 18th century. We get a bit of man on the moon experience and a bit of savages in the dessert as well in the same book. Gabaldon is trying to show the big difference between the two eras. The past and the future that her time travelers experience. It doesn’t always work great, but still, it’s a beautiful story.
Jamie is such a jealous person in this book. He is jealous over Clair, over Brianna, over anything taht feels close to his heart. He hates Frank, we know that already from previous installments, but in this book he really demonstrates that hatred. Claire is pretty much herself, not taking much into account when there is someone in need and also, being so constantly and overpowering in love with that stubborn Scottish man, that she doesn’t want to spent one more hour away from him, if she can avoid it.
Overall, it is a lovely love story of familiar characters, showing in the best possible way tips of the past and how these affect the characters’ life. An, by all means, I will continue with the series!