Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
September 5, 2007
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
“One of my most recent favorite books is Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. Diana Gabaldon makes an unbelievable situation believable when a post-World War II married British nurse, Claire Randall, unknowingly slips through “the stones,” a time portal in Scotland. Dumbfounded and alone in a strange time, Claire struggles to stay safe, warm and fed in the Highlands during a violent time of clan rivalry. Thrust into a moral dilemma through the act of a forced marriage, she tries to find her way home to her own time while working out the daily necessities of life and relationships in 18th century Scotland. At the same time fascinated, repulsed, and homesick, Claire finds herself an “Outsider” because of both her English heritage, and her strange 20th century customs. Things are further complicated when she finds herself with child.
For anyone wanting to get lost in a book, this is the one. I would heartily recommend Outlander to anyone with an interest in fantasy, medicine, history, adventure, women’s issues or romance. Mostly what moved me, though, is the fascinating story of how one woman dealt with a situation beyond her control in a circumstance she didn’t understand, making choices she wasn’t always sure about.. On every level, this book hits the mark. Diana Gabaldon is truly a master storyteller.”
Reviewed by : Barbara
December 15, 2007 at 5:37 pm
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
May 6, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I had seen Outlander on a friends bookshelf, but I had never got around to asking what it was about. After reading your review, I’m going to ask to borrow it. It sounds like the perfect read for me.
Another great book that deals with a lot of the same issues–i.e. feeling like an outsider, dealing with a new culture, the disruption of the ways of daily life, history, adventure, romance and racial tension–is “Sweetness in the Belly” by Camilla Gibb. It’s a remarkable book–the story of a white girl growing up as a Muslim in Ethiopia. A real journey, with multiple settings and well-developed characters–hard to put this one down. I discovered it on this new website my sister told me about, http://www.juicespot.ca. Thank you for the Outlander recommend.