Outlander

After watching the Great American Reads on PBS this summer, I decided to choose a few books from the list to read.  One of my choices was Outlander.  

I honestly didn’t know a lot about the plot other than a woman time travels back into time.  Being a fan of history and time travel, I thought this book would be right up my alley…and it was.  I really enjoyed the characters, learning about 1700s Scottish/English history, and the storyline in general.  In the book, Claire and her husband Frank travel to the Scottish Highlands for a second honeymoon since WWII has now ended and they have been separated for eight years.  While there researching her husband’s genealogy, Claire finds herself accidentally propelled 200 years in the past, into 1700s Scotland full of clans and English redcoats.  Seen as a spy, she’s now caught in a whirlwind of events that imbed her in the past with little hope to return to 1945 again. 

As much as I loved the story, however, there were a few drawbacks to this book that will turn off non-bibilophiles.  

First, it’s L-O-N-G, over 600 pages of tiny print.  I’ve read a few books that length before, but I’m pretty sure they were YA books and the writing style is completely different.  Which brings me to my second frustration, the writing itself.  I loved it and hated it at the same time (if that makes sense).  Typically I’m a fast reader, but with this book I could not read as fast as I wanted because of all the details.  Most were interesting additions and plot driven, but others plodded along ponderously (I don’t really care to read about English botany or the intricacies of Catholic monasteries).  But I also loved the details.  It created a memorable story that made you feel like you are in 1742 Scotland and made you invest fully and wholeheartedly in the characters.  The last drawback was the sex and violence.  This book has very mature content, like multiple attempted rapes, many consensual romantic encounters, and violence (partly due to the Scottish skirmishes with the English and partly because the main character is a fugitive). It did feel very over the top at times, which probably plays into the TV show content.

This is the first in a series, so if you want to read it, prepare in advance.  You’ll need all your extra time for reading.