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Kat Kennedy's Reviews > Outlander
Outlander (Outlander, #1)
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Outlander is not a book for everyone. I'll put that right out there. If you think you can stomach extreme sexual violence as well as themes of sadism then go ahead. If you can understand good characters doing things in their historical context that would be seen as abuse now, then give it a try.
You won't be disappointed.
Gabaldon has finely crafted a novel that is radically different to the stereotype. This is no average love story. Her research is extensive and flawless; bringing to life a world that is rich and dynamic in detail and character.
Her prose a beautiful and well constructed and the characters. Where do I even start with the characters? They have depth. They're lovable. They're real.
The problem with this book lies in two aspects:
It's pacing. It's fantastic, non-stop drama and action right up to the last 200 pages or so where it trickles down to a grinding halt. The other problem with it is that many people are going to be uncomfortable with some of the things that happen in the book. Remembering the time difference and the culture that the male protagonist comes from is often hard when we judge his actions by today's standards.
But to readers who can over look these things, I highly recommend it as a book that is both incredibly well written, enjoyable and addictive.
You won't be disappointed.
Gabaldon has finely crafted a novel that is radically different to the stereotype. This is no average love story. Her research is extensive and flawless; bringing to life a world that is rich and dynamic in detail and character.
Her prose a beautiful and well constructed and the characters. Where do I even start with the characters? They have depth. They're lovable. They're real.
The problem with this book lies in two aspects:
It's pacing. It's fantastic, non-stop drama and action right up to the last 200 pages or so where it trickles down to a grinding halt. The other problem with it is that many people are going to be uncomfortable with some of the things that happen in the book. Remembering the time difference and the culture that the male protagonist comes from is often hard when we judge his actions by today's standards.
But to readers who can over look these things, I highly recommend it as a book that is both incredibly well written, enjoyable and addictive.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
February 9, 2010
– Shelved
October 6, 2010
– Shelved as:
romance-romance-romance
October 7, 2010
– Shelved as:
kat-s-book-reviews
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MD
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rated it 5 stars
Jun 23, 2013 08:22PM
I felt the same way about the pacing- so good, up until the end of the story.
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I really wish I'd read the opening of your review before reading Outlander, Kat. I was really enjoying the story and then, WHAM, out came the sexual violence. I know in context it makes sense but I cant stomach it, for personal reasons. I had to stop read unfortunately but I've recommended it to friends who have stronger constitutions than myself.
You managed to put into words EXACTLY how I felt about some of the things that happen in this novel! Amazing! And I thought it was just me that felt that the tail-end of the book dragged on a bit. Glad to know someone else felt the same.
I'm glad I saw your review before I started. I loved it. Yes, there were some deeply questionable moments but what would have been the point of writing something based in the mid 18th C if it was going to be sanitised, just to make the reader more comfortable. I surprised by how involved I felt, and how emotional certain events made me. THe last section was slow but I felt that was respectful to the magnitude of the emotional and physical even that had pre-ceded it. Loooking forward to book 2!
This is such a fantastic review. I am having some difficultly stomaching some of the scenes in this book, so much so that I find myself angrily skimming through passages because I'm too upset to focus. You make excellent points about the time frame of this novel and while I understand, it's just hard to read and makes the book less enjoyable for me overall. I will keep reading and hopefully it will get better! Thanks for a great review, I always love reading your thoughts on books.
I agree, this book is not for everyone. The stoning and whiping in the book can be extremely gruesome to someone of the 21st century. But you have to think of what it was like back in the 1700s. That sort of thing was not uncommon along with the hunt for witches. I loved the character development Gabaldon used and how she grabbed the reader's attention in the struggle Claire had in keeping her time travel a secret all the while trying to use her 20th century knowledge to try and get back to her time period and not be convicted a witch. The only problem I faced was the slow development at the beginning of the book. I was close to quitting the book within the first 100 pages. But once you get further into the book and the characters start to develop it is truely an amazing read. Gabaldon has such vivid detail with just the environment and scenery of 18th century Scottland you feel you are almost there. She also does an amazing job at describing the characters such Jamie, Claire's lover and future husband. Overall, this book is truly amazing and I cannot wait to read the others
You hit the nail on the head with your review. If you can read a historical fiction in the time frame it is set then you will enjoy the book if you read from a 20th century perspective you will not. I am working my way through the series now and I am thoroughly enjoying what I am reading.
I just get confused why so many people complain about some of the contents of this book being so terrible and all. I've read A song of Ice and fire series and those books don't fall behind on the gruesome parts or on sexual violence yet everyone seems to dismiss them as being part of the story.
I feel you about the pacing. The last 200 pages was hard...emotionally...and pacing-wise.
Great review, spot on.
I didn’t think it was nonstop… it dragged in a ton of places, and I did not like this book. I don’t care that part of the story took place decades before 1945 I can’t believe that one woman would’ve been attempted to be raped what 78 times? During the short amount of time span that this book covered?! And I am certainly no prude but the love scenes over and over and over really distracted from when I thought could have been a fascinatingly different story… instead the unusual plot and twist was done away with quickly and it became a struggle of a headstrong, stupid, petulant woman.
