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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't say I enjoyed this story. I don't feel it added anything to the character of Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series and the story itself seemed kind of depressing and pointless to me. Also, fully half the book is the opening chapters from Outlander. It had a few moments but overall not a winner for me.
3,5⭐ - it was good
Surprisingly good novella. I usually don't really care for short novellas in big series, but this was fun to read
Surprisingly good novella. I usually don't really care for short novellas in big series, but this was fun to read
This short story was a lovely treat. I am always up for more Jamie, and getting a glimpse into his life before Claire was really fun to read. Ian being his sidekick throughout the story rounded it out perfectly.
Five reasons to read Virgins:
1) This was one of the books I was most looking forward to reading this year. I'm always up for some Jamie Fraser (so long as I leave certain values at the door) and loved his POV chapters in Voyager. Getting this taste of what he was like as a nineteen-year-old was fun, and his friendship with Ian being at the forefront of the story was unexpectedly great. I loved seeing them interact and enjoyed how focused they were on sex because they do it in such a bumbling way.
2) Père Renault, blind as a bat and over-eager to perform last rites even on those neither dead nor dying, is an inclusion I appreciate.
3) As always with this series, the historical aspects are researched and interesting.
4) I like Rebekah's character (more than I often like Claire's, which may be a problem). She's competent and driven, with flexible morals and a goal that Jamie cannot fully appreciate.
5) The way Jamie's physical experience due to his injuries is described is wonderful. It's an attention to detail and an unwillingness to minimise something horrific for the sake of convenience that I can appreciate.
Four drawbacks to Virgins:
1) It took me a couple of hours to read this story, but it felt longer. The beginning is slow and boring, plodding along without much purpose. It shouldn't take so long to get to the main plot, and the plot itself left to be desired. It's too random to allow for any character development.
2) I don't find Diana Gabaldon's attempts at writing physical humour funny. It's slapstick in nature and often at the expense of the female characters.
3) I expected more out of Jamie and his POV. He feels dull and watered down, and because the story doesn't expand his arc or storyline, there's nothing to build on.
4) This is not a book to read if you haven't started the main series, and it isn't the best idea for it to be the first book chronologically in the series because it's unlikely to draw in new readers.
1) This was one of the books I was most looking forward to reading this year. I'm always up for some Jamie Fraser (so long as I leave certain values at the door) and loved his POV chapters in Voyager. Getting this taste of what he was like as a nineteen-year-old was fun, and his friendship with Ian being at the forefront of the story was unexpectedly great. I loved seeing them interact and enjoyed how focused they were on sex because they do it in such a bumbling way.
2) Père Renault, blind as a bat and over-eager to perform last rites even on those neither dead nor dying, is an inclusion I appreciate.
3) As always with this series, the historical aspects are researched and interesting.
4) I like Rebekah's character (more than I often like Claire's, which may be a problem). She's competent and driven, with flexible morals and a goal that Jamie cannot fully appreciate.
5) The way Jamie's physical experience due to his injuries is described is wonderful. It's an attention to detail and an unwillingness to minimise something horrific for the sake of convenience that I can appreciate.
Four drawbacks to Virgins:
1) It took me a couple of hours to read this story, but it felt longer. The beginning is slow and boring, plodding along without much purpose. It shouldn't take so long to get to the main plot, and the plot itself left to be desired. It's too random to allow for any character development.
2) I don't find Diana Gabaldon's attempts at writing physical humour funny. It's slapstick in nature and often at the expense of the female characters.
3) I expected more out of Jamie and his POV. He feels dull and watered down, and because the story doesn't expand his arc or storyline, there's nothing to build on.
4) This is not a book to read if you haven't started the main series, and it isn't the best idea for it to be the first book chronologically in the series because it's unlikely to draw in new readers.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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:
No
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Virgins is a short story in the Outlander series that provides a little bit of background on Jamie and Ian's early friendship. They are both in military service in France and this is before either of them are married. They are tasked with getting a Torah scroll and a beautiful doctor's daughter to Paris. Of course, they come up against unexpected odds along the way.
This is a very short story and it's never long enough for me, but it does provide some background on the friendship between Ian and Jamie. I don't think there is anything in this one that is necessary to know for the entire series.
This is a very short story and it's never long enough for me, but it does provide some background on the friendship between Ian and Jamie. I don't think there is anything in this one that is necessary to know for the entire series.