Escrito com o sangue do meu coração

Outlander #8

by Diana Gabaldon

Junho de 1778. Perseguido pelas tropas de George Washington, o exército britânico está se retirando da Filadélfia. Pela primeira vez, os rebeldes têm a esperança de vencer. Mas, para Claire Fraser e sua família, há questões mais urgentes que uma revolução.

Jamie voltou dos mortos exigindo saber por que ela se casou com seu melhor amigo, lorde John Grey. Ao mesmo tempo, ele precisa enfrentar William Ransom, que está furioso porque acabou de descobrir que é seu filho ilegítimo e foi enganado por anos.

Enquanto Claire tenta impedir que seus maridos se matem, Brianna lida com os próprios problemas no século XX. Seu marido, Roger, foi para o passado em busca do filho raptado, mas na verdade o sequestrador está no presente, ameaçando a vida de sua família…

Escrito com o sangue do meu coração é mais um capítulo da histórica saga de Diana Gabaldon, que une com maestria a realidade crua da guerra, o viés fantástico da viagem no tempo e os dramas familiares em um romance viciante e delicioso.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel, Outlander, Historical

896 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Hispanic and English descent (with a dash of Native American and Sephardic Jew). She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glasgow, for services to Scottish Literature.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm. All over the map. Plot twists long and meandering, even unnecessary. Character development - and there are so many characters - slow. Unbalanced scenes with some being entirely too drawn out and tedious, and others too quick, too short, too unprecedented and not firmly enough tethered to the main plot (if there even was a main plot).

The last couple of books in the Outlander series have seemed more unfocused to me, and this one is no exception. Fun to read, but certainly not as gripping or as rewarding a read as the earlier books. Lots happens, but I keep waiting for the real arc of the book to reveal itself. There are plenty of little moments in the last four books that I would hate to have missed, but I am kind of left thinking I'd really have preferred the series to have ended on a strong note instead of this rambling progression that doesn't seem to have an end in sight.

I can't quite leave it there because I like Diana Gabaldon, and think she brilliantly wove together the ultimate historic-fantasy-romantic-adventure story when she created this series. I will even venture to say that perhaps, for me, setting these last few books primarily in America was detrimental to my enjoyment as it's not a period that truly engages me. I am sure there will be at least one more book, and am equally sure I will buy it, and I'm also very much looking forward to seeing Outlander brought to life by Starz later this summer. But when it comes to re-reading about Jamie and Claire, I am pretty content to stick to the original trilogy that I love well.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished them all until she puts out the next book, which I need right now.

There were a couple deaths that meant something to me. One it was a normal mourning but the other was so horrible it broke my heart. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone.



It took so long for Claire and Jamie to get back to each other I was going to scream. And then Claire has to explain everything that happened with Lord Grey and it was so sad. I felt sorry for them both.

Jamie ends up in another battle but luckily he doesn't have to fight William for reasons.

There are more babies born =) The kids are growing up and it's been a joy to read about it through out this journey. Although, some of them growing up and having sex were to be skipped over. Just no!

There are some things happening with Bree, Roger and the kids in the real world time. Little Mandy is so much bigger and talking =) But something happens with the kids that ends up taking Roger away and leaving Bree to fend for herself and the kids.

I loved that pretty much the whole group were together. Ian has someone and Rollo likes them =)

And I have to give some space for ole Clarence the mule. He was a mule to be reckoned with! He would bite you if he didn't like you. He bit one man clear to the bone, but that man was not a good man and he had stolen Clarence from the gang. I loved how Germain, Fergus and Claire took up for Clarence and got him back. Clarence was happy too =)



As you know with these books, there are a lot of things going on because the books are so big. There is too much information to give in a review and most of it was just normal stuff.

Then they finally get back to where they belong and something happens that makes me cry with happiness because I do believe it's what I think it is ♥ =)



I can't wait for that next book =)

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Ferdy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers

The worst Outlander book so far, which is saying a lot since the last few have been less than impressive. If all the Claire/Jamie/William/Ian/Rachel/John parts had been cut out and just Roger/Bree/Jem's chapters remained then I would have rated this four stars. I never would have thought I'd like Roger/Bree over Jamie/Claire, but they were my favourite characters in this one, probably because they had such an engaging plot especially when compared to the rest of the characters. For most of the book I was hoping Claire, Jamie and co would just drop dead because they were that snooze-worthy. Alas, they didn't.

Random thoughts:

-The two things I liked: The Roger/Bree/Jem story was engrossing and Henri-Christian's death was done quite well (although I would have preferred one of the core characters dying instead of a minor one).

-Random thing I hated: The coincidences, all the bloody coincidences. Characters just so happened to bump into each other whenever they were in danger or in need. I could excuse it the first couple of times it happened but when it kept occurring over and over it got ridiculous and made me want to punch things.

-The plot? What plot? There was only one proper arc and that was Jem going missing/kidnapped and his parents trying to find him. The rest of the 'story' consisted of silly romances (Ian/Rachel, Dottie/Denzel, William/Jane) and Claire/the gang being thrown into the American Revolutionary war in various contrived and far-fetched ways. You'd think war would be exciting and make for thrilling reading but it was the exact opposite — the war parts were made up of a lot of walking, lots of waiting around, and random soldiers/generals popping in and out to make things confusing, it was the same repetitive cycle over and over… And the things that should have been interesting (near death, fighting) were written in a dragged out, muddled, dry way. I just didn't care. What would have been more engrossing to me was if Jamie/Claire just sat around drinking cups of tea and sharing thoughts/stories with each other… It would have made for far more fun reading than the dull, slow paced, pointless back and forth with the war.

-I HATED Jamie. He was a huge hypocrite, after all the shit he put Claire through with his secret wife, step kids, bastard son, and his constant lying/hiding things he had no right to get angry with her or think about beating her because of what happened with John.
Ugh, he's always managed to wriggle his way out of the many crappy things he's done, everyone just forgives him, and he ends up practically being worshipped by most of the people he comes in to contact with. Whereas Claire has to beg Jamie for forgiveness and spend time winning back his trust and whatnot. The double standards was so irritating. For once I'd like Jamie to be held accountable for something without him 'charming' his way out of it with pretty speeches.

-William was a brat and a self-pitying, whiny manslut. He had a life filled with nothing but happiness and comfort, and he had loving parents/grandparents. Lord John loved him like his own and gave him so much yet William still managed to act hard done by and tortured — he'd never experienced any true hardships, anytime he did go through something 'difficult' it was only because he bought it on himself. So his whole 'ooh-I'm-so-tortured-and-have-been-through-so-much-pain' just made me roll my eyes. If I could go into any book and viciously kill a character, it would definitely be him.
What was the point of his character? All he's ever done in the series is sulk and whine.
I couldn't stand him or Ian when they'd both happily slept with prostitutes, they knew those girls were only prostitutes because they had no other choice… So for them to happily sex them up made me sick. It pissed me off even more when all the other main characters acted like Ian and William were oh so honourable and good. No, they were both sick irredeemable fucks.

-William judging Jane for killing Harkness was laughable. It was okay for him to kill and defend for his life and country but it wasn't okay for Jane to kill a pervert who was going to have sex with her eleven year old sister. In my eyes Jane had more reason to kill than William, she did it out of love and protection for her sister whereas William just did it for glory, self-preservation and ego. He had no fucking right to look down on Jane.
His general superiority when it came to her more than grated on me. She was a prostitute but only because she was forced into it as she had no protection or money, it was the only way she and her sister could survive… Yet William thought very little of her, the only reason he helped her was because he fancied her. Him and Ian were both scum who greedily paid for sex with teen girls who had no other choice, there was nothing decent or redeemable about them.
And how many times did loser William fall for someone? His feelings were so fickle, he'd have feelings for any attractive girl he came in contact with. I feel sorry for his future wife knowing she's just another in a long line of girls he's fallen for.
It seemed like the only point of Jane's character was to make William seem oh so tragic and tortured — yea, it didn't work on me, he'll always be a pointless sick fuck of a brat.

-I knew Jane would end up dead, any female character that's not whiter than white always does. I would have liked for once to have a female character with a messed up past to actually get some happiness instead of being killed off. Of course, do goody Mary Sues like Rachel and Claire always survive. But female characters like Jane who have suffered and been forced to do questionable things always end up dead or evil. Ugh, I would have much rather read about Jane than Rachel/Claire.

-One thing rubbish about the series were the main characters always finding themselves in danger and bother but none of it was tense or exciting as it was obvious the MCs would be safe no matter what situation they were put in… Claire, Jamie, John Ian, William, Rachel, Bree, John, Roger, Jem will never be killed off so putting them in life threatening situations seemed pointless… It just made me sigh in boredom since I already knew they were going to be a-okay.

-Bree and Roger not locking their doors was beyond daft. Why would they be so trustworthy after everything they'd been through? It was a thick thing to do, especially when they had letters/diaries which contained sensitive information. That was the only really frustrating thing about them.

-I wasn't a fan of Bree and Roger initially but they really grew on me in this one. Compared to Jamie and Claire they seemed normal and flawed in a real way. Whereas Jamie and Claire separately and together seemed false, thus I no longer believed in their characters.

-It was weird how Bree hardly ever thought of Frank when he was the one who raised her, spent the most time with her, and loved her as his own — he was a great dad to her but she'd all but forgotten him. Of course, she didn't stop banging on about saint bloody Jamie and his never ending awesomeness. Ugh.
I found it weird how Bree took after Jamie in mannerisms, thinking, and temperament yet she had nothing of Frank even though he was her beloved dad for the first two decades of her life and was more of a parent to her than Claire was… Apparently nurture doesn't matter, in Frank's case anyhow. Whereas Jamie's non-biological children somehow adopted all his traits. Basically, Jamie's nurture and nature win out over anyone else's nature and nurture. Ridiculous.
I found it unbelievable that both Jamie's children took after him in mannerisms/personality even though he hadn't raised either and both had other loving parents/guardians. His kids mothers seemed to contribute nothing either, William/Bree's looks and personality were all Jamie's, they had very, very little of their mothers.
It was daft how EVERYONE took after him in some way regardless of whether he was blood related to them or if he'd raised them… Whilst the other biological/foster/adopted parents managed to pass on NOTHING to their children. Superhero Jamie was the only one allowed to pass on traits/genetics to anyone.

-One thing I found irritating was in the last book when Claire thought Jamie was dead she was seriously thinking about killing herself because she couldn't live without him… Yet in this one when Claire was at death's door, Jamie said he wouldn't kill himself if she died because he had other things to live for. So yea, another case of a heroine not being able to live without her man and having nothing without him, whilst the hero can live without his woman and has plenty going for him outside of her. Ugh, the double standards and sexism were killing me.

-Was Ian wearing his first wife's armlet to his wedding to Rachel meant to be some weird gesture to show he was over her? It was obvious that he still loved Emily and would always love her, the only reason they split was because they couldn't have children, if they'd been able to he wouldn't have looked twice at Rachel. Rachel was just second choice. So yea, I didn't believe in their supposed meant-to-be love when it was clear that Ian still loved Emily and would always love her and was only with Rachel because he couldn't have his first wife.

-It was annoying how Ian kept calling himself a mohawk, he was Scottish born and raised, he wasn't a mohawk. Sure, he was married to one and was in her tribe for a while but that ended years ago. He shouldn't be calling himself a mohawk or an Indian and claiming their heritage as his own.

-Ian and Rachel's marriage/relationship was an unrealistic Mills & Boons-esque fantasy. Their basic principles and beliefs differed vastly, Rachel didn't believe in violence and killing even in self defence yet Ian killed loads and was very violent. It was implausible and nonsensical that Rachel could magically overlook Ian's murdering/violent ways just because she loved him. A couple like that wouldn't last when they had such different morals, I didn't appreciate the ridiculousness of them being able to have a successful marriage.

-Ian and Rachel's sexy times and just any time they spent together was cringey… Like Rachel wanting to watch Ian piss, it was revolting. I actually found Buck kissing his mum/almost shagging her less distasteful than Ian/Rachel's sex life. Also, Rachel finding Ian pissing and farting oh so fascinating and adorable was ludicrous. She really was the worst kind of unrealistic Mary Sue.

-How did Roger/Bree and the kids manage to travel a few decades ahead at the end? I thought they could only travel approximately two centuries back and forth, not decades. That was the established rule, I hope that rule hasn't suddenly changed to fit the story line. I guess, Roger/Bree could have gone back to their own time, flown to America, and then used the stones there to jump back to Claire/Jamie's current timeline/location… But it's always been said that much time jumping would cause serious health problems. Also, where the hell was Buck? He never went back to his wife and kid, so what happened to him?

-Claire and her many medical miracles made me scoff. She always managed to save everyone when she didn't have the proper equipment/medicine/lighting/knowledge or good enough eyesight. I could understand her managing to solve simple cases or getting lucky but no way would she be able to solve/save all those complex cases and near death patients.

-I'm so sick of every character being in awe of Jamie. Their reverence of him made him come across as an unlikeable speshul little snowflake Gary Stu.

-How did Frank's letter to Bree end up in Lollybroch? He couldn't possibly have known she'd end up living there. I hope it's explained at some point.

-It was the same repetitive rubbish when it came to the main story… the insipid war, the non-stop walking, the manufactured separation between characters, the cheesy romances, and the contrived and far fetched situations. Where were the twists and turns? Where was the intrigue and suspense? Where was the organic/genuine drama?

-Jamie and Claire's sex life hadn't changed since their twenties even though they were in their sixties and/or were seriously injured. Yea, right.

-What was with all the forgiveness and pathetic excuses for various rapists. There was this underlying tone that rape survivors should pity their rapists and forgive them everything. Ugh, it was fucked up.

-Just how many times is Claire going to lose her medical equipment and worldly possessions? It happens in every bloody book.

-What the hell was a 'Scottish noise'? There's no such thing, noise is noise.

On the whole I didn't enjoy Written in My Own Heart's Blood. Most of the POV characters had dragged out, pointless story lines which only made them more insufferable then they already were. The only reason I got through all of it was because of Roger, Bree and their absorbing story. Unfortunately, since they were reunited with Jamie/Claire at the end, they'll probably be swept away in their dull story lines in the next book. I'm hoping that won't be the case though.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Part of Audible's $5.95 sale until 3/6/16!! Don't miss getting the audiobook for a steal! http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Wri...*


Of course I loved it! Did you have any doubt? I mean, it's Diana "mad skillz" Gabaldon and it's an OUTLANDER book! Could it be anything less than magical?

If you are on the 8th book in the series, it is already assumed that you are a rabid Outlander fan. There is no other explanation as to why one would read over 8,000 pages. So if you are a fan of the first 7 books, you will love this one. It is classic Outlander. Romance! Adventure! Action! History! *dreamy sigh*

When I finished my re-read of An Echo in the Bone, I was all like:



And I didn't. For 24 hours.

And it was WORTH IT.

There are a ton of twists and turns in this one. I think it has the most POV shifts and is the most segmented of the previous books. It follows Jamie, Claire, Lord John, Ian, Briana, Rodger, and William individually, giving each of their POVs. However, Gabaldon's impeccable writing skills and awesome editing made it feel effortless and not at all confusing. It was a breathtaking book, to be honest.

I also got quite a lesson in American history. The book was extremely rich in facts and felt extremely well researched.

And, from a dentist's perspective, I thought the dental parts were pretty spot on. I adored all of the medical scenes. I swear, I read these books as much from a doctor's perspective as from an average reader's, and I'm never disappointed.

My only complaint is that we have to wait another 3-4 years for the next in the series. Diana, I'll be first in line for a copy.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please do not expect any work from me until I have finished this book. I will be taking a break from all forms of human interaction from the time I get it until it is finished. We have got to get little Timmy out of the well...uh, I mean little Jemmy out of the tunnel.

Update: *sigh* I finished it! This was a good one.

[Mashara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've finished the book. I must say, after almost 15 years of reading this books, Diana was just about to lose me. I don't know exactly what it was that I started finding so annoying in book 4 to 7. Probably the amount of characters and their incredibly boring adventures (Come on, Willie's in the Great Dismal's threatens Frodo and Sam's journey through Mordor, as the Boriest Shit Ever, rivalled only maybe by Roger search for life's meaning, which I can only understand as Diana Gabaldon's critique at the modern man in it's incapacity to Make Their Fucking Minds Up). Maybe I just didn't find Geillis as interesting in Jamaica, maybe there was something still not enterilly clicking between Jamie and Claire, and the tension between them caused by Brianna and Roger was exhausting, As it should be, Diana Gabaldon has never been know to pull punches.
What ever it was, it was with a sort of dread I opened this book to wonder what will be the focus, since I surely couldn't take a single page more of Willie being a twat.

Alas, it paid off.

There's authors out there that are plot driven, this usually means they use the characters to tell the argumental arch they want to communicate, despite their own characterizations many times. I don't much believe anybody has ever explained the concept of a plot to Diana Gabaldon, and I do not mean this as a bad thing. She follows the characters where ever they take her (and us) and makes no apology for it. I used to think she had a mean streak and liked to finish books on a cliffhanger, now I mostly think she just cuts them off at the 800 page mark and starts another book.

But this time, I feel waiting another four years, is going to be much harder than it has been the last decade.

OLDER NOTES:

I really really like Claire and is the only reason I will be trying this one after the last one made me want to throw the book out the window in frustration and scream "No nononononnono Nooooo" when I realised that was the last page and there was nothing more.

02/01/2013 I think is high time for an update. Apparently the book should be coming out Fall (Spring for me, so that must be September, right? RIGHT?!
the description is out and it's sounding good already. If somebody would have asked me back when I was 18 years old that I'd be so excited 14 years later (it's not THAT long ago, move on, nothing to see here) to see the daughter of the two characters that kept me awake one night I would have laughed for an hour. But here I am, and I want to see Brianna again so bad.

So, here are some excerpts, because man do I love to spoil me something fierce:
http://www.sinijari.fi/linkit/outland...

At least, we are in the same publication year, it cannot be more than 11 months.

Edit 10/06/2013. Sooooo we have a release date March 25, 2014.

[Misfit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we go with the review, as I prepare to commit Outlander heresy - as much as I loved this series (well, Echo not so much), and as happy as I was to read more about Jamie and Claire, et al - the negatives far outweigh the pluses.

Written in my Own Heart's Blood picks up right where Echo in the Bone left off. Those who have read that book know what events those are don't need a rehash, and those who haven't read it don't need to know what those events are. There are two main storylines in this book, 1) Jamie/Claire/Lord John/William and all their friends and family traipsing around New England with the Continental Army and 2) Roger and Bree and their efforts to find young Jemmie.

The parts I loved? Roger and Bree. Almost unputdownable and I loved the twists and turns on the bad boys chasing the family and the twists on the time travel (loved where Roger ended up - can't wait to hear how that all ended).

The parts I didn't love? Jamie and Claire going at it like a pair of rabbits at their age was just too much (didn't advance the storylines at all). In camp, out of camp, on the ground - heck, Jamie threw his back out big time and he still could rise to the task. Such stamina. Then there's the traipsing around the countryside with the army camps. Move here. Move there. Move to another camp and...

**yawn**

Not much happened until someone got shot or something and we needed more details of Claire's skill at doctoring. Which is all well and good and has been interesting over the length of the series, but I don't know what happened this time, perhaps the editor got lost looking for the restroom? Two of these in particular were way TMI in detail and really embarrassing conditions that I didn't care to read about, especially at an early hour of the morning. Nor did these two medical incidents advance the story in any way. It's almost like Ms. Gabaldon wants to test how much her fans will tolerate before they step back out of the poo. Perhaps I've changed and grown since the time I read (and loved!) the first six books. Dunno.

/rant

Complaints aside, I did like the finish (thank goodness not a huge cliffhanger!) and I am looking forward to getting the rest of the story in another four or five years.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extra star out of loyalty....but this was a sprawling historical novel that sprawled too far -- a kitchen-sink book, and not in a good way. A huge number of plotlines that didn't seem to serve any narrative purpose, too much time spent with annoying characters, WAY too much surgical detail, and timelines that even for THIS series are totally confusing. Clearly Diana Gabaldon loves her work and the research it entails (which is part of the reason I find her books so enjoyable), but her editor should have taken a firmer hand here. In a recent blog post she mentioned being at work on Book 9, so maybe that accounts for some of the irresolution. But if this was meant to be a placeholder, it should easily have been 200 pages shorter. The interesting Big Questions the characters raise about time travel get lost in the shuffle. Sorry to say, it was a disappointment.

[HJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I'll be honest. It really is more of a 5 star read, but I am getting a bit disappointed with the abrupt and incomplete endings (most notably, the last book and this one). Especially when I KNOW it will be freaking 5 more years before the next one comes out. What if I die before then? Or Dianna Gabaldon dies before then? I need to have a real ending!

Only semi-gripe I have is that the time travel element in this one is very prevalent, and a little on the far-fetched side.

Otherwise, I loved being immersed back in the Outlander world.

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ★'s

Written in My Own Heart's Blood is essentially broken up into two parts. One dealing with Roger and Bree and the other with Jamie, Claire and the rest of the family.

Wow! Another fun filled adventure with all the characters we've come to know and love. I swear when I'm reading it, it's almost as if I'm one of their relatives, helping do the laundry or taking care of one of them but definitely NOT helping Claire with any of her surgeries!

The last book left us hanging...literally and it was awful! The good part was reading the blurb for this book and that gave me hope. DG also put out almost weekly excerpts that gave you almost enough info but just about drove me mad. In hindsight, I think it ruined some things for me and I don't think I'll be doing that with the next book if she does it.

I loved how a lot of things wrapped up or came together in this book. It was amazing seeing what Jamie went through when he came back. I just love him and Claire and I can't say that enough. But he blew me away with what he did (OMG...and the meaning behind the title of the book!!) and how he took care of Claire...and I loved every minute!



And as much as I love Jamie and Claire and could read about just them, the story is deepened by the other main characters stories and it wouldn't be the same without them.

Roger, Bree, Jem and Mandy...what a tale! Some things literally kept me on the edge of my seat! It was interesting what Roger got to experience but the decisions that Bree had to make...OMG!

Ian and Rachel ~sigh~ I loved everything about them. It was great how Ian stepped up to the plate. He has become such a wonderful man and I was so happy with what happened to them!

Denny and Dottie...I know they aren't really major characters but I really enjoyed their story. They are so sweet together and Dottie always makes me laugh. Most importantly, I love how much they love each other.

William...My heart is breaking for him but...there have been some teeny, tiny steps taken. The part with Jane was heart breaking! I want something good to happen to him and John and Hal but I think there's still quite a journey to go for them.

Speaking of John...WTH!! The poor guy has been through enough!! He definitely needs some happiness...and he deserves it.

Jenny...I think something will happen with her in the next book. It's her time too.

Can we just talk about some of the medical procedures? GROSS!! It may just be me but could they get any more descriptive...and just disgusting!! That poor slave girl and the guy...ugh.

And I really hate to say it but I don't think I can forgive DG for the one huge event. Right now there is no rhyme or reason for that to happen and I'm just heartbroken. Why him?

Unfortunately, someone else will be missed but his time had come. Still...another hole that will be left. :(

I do have to say that I love how Jamie and Claire are still "going to town" especially being somewhat older! But it makes me giggle thinking of Ian and Rachel and Denny and Dottie.

I also enjoyed getting bit and pieces of prior scenes...some I had forgotten about but loved hearing about again.



And what about that ending? I LOVED it! Seriously, if the series ended now I would be happy. I really don't think I could handle any of the main characters dying.




Favorite quotes

♥ "Damn you, neither one of us was making love to the other—we were both fucking you!”

♥ “I have loved ye since I saw you, Sassenach,” he said very quietly, holding my eyes with his own, bloodshot and lined with tiredness but very blue. “I will love ye forever. It doesna matter if ye sleep with the whole English army—well, no,” he corrected himself, “it would matter, but it wouldna stop me loving you.”

♥ “And was she gentle with ye?”

“God, no,” Jamie said, and grinned broadly.

♥ “You look like bloody Mars, god of war,” I said dryly, handing him his waistcoat. “Try not to scare your men.”

♥ "It willna be today, either."

♥ “Either ye’re fevered again, Sassenach,” he said in my ear, “or ye have verra perverse fancies. Ye dinna really want me to—”

♥ “Ye told them what?” He snorted with amusement. “Ye make me say, ‘Oh, God,’ all the time, Sassenach, and it’s mostly not to do wi’ bed at all.”

♥ “Well, I willna deny ye taught me my business, Sassenach,” he murmured. “And ye made a good job of it.”

“You caught on reasonably quickly,” I said. “Natural talent, I suppose.”

♥ "For any venture ye deem worthy."

♥ A large gray cat looked up at me with big, calm eyes of celadon green and dropped a fat, hairy, very dead wood rat at my feet.

“Oh, God!” I said, and burst into tears.

♥ “I dinna mean to interrupt ye, Sassenach,” he whispered in my ear. “But would ye like a bit of help wi’ that?”

♥ "Sassenach—I am the true home of your heart, and I know that.”

♥ “I have loved others, and I do love many, Sassenach—but you alone hold all my heart, whole in your hands,” he said softly. “And you know that.”

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”I have loved others, and I do love many, Sassenach, but you alone hold my heart, whole in your hands. And you know that”.

No puedo creer que haya acabado el OCTAVO libro de Outlander. Ha pasado muchísimo desde que conocí a Claire y a Jamie en el primer libro, desde que me enamoré de esta historia, desde que fui a Escocia para ver con mis propios ojos los lugares en donde se desarrollaba la historia… Y, si bien algunos libros de la saga han tenido sus altibajos, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood fue fantástico.

Después del final rarísimo del anterior libro y de que, gracias a todos los dioses, Jamie no hubiera muerto, entramos a este nuevo tomo con Claire y él retomando su dinámica, con John Grey volviendo al papel de mejor amigo fiel, con William aceptando que su verdadero padre es Jamie y con Bree, Roger y sus hijos a salvo en el futuro… hasta que no lo están. Toda la historia que empieza a desarrollarse en ese tomo es un constante movimiento entre el pasado y el futuro y los peligros que todos tienen que sobrevivir pasando por secuestros, guerras y noticias tremendamente inesperadas.

A pesar de que en este tomo no hay tantísima acción como en el anterior y que las cosas a veces se tornan bastante mundanas, Diana Gabaldon supo engancharme como nunca y no sentí que me aburriera en algún momento. Creo que en este punto estoy tan metida en la historia de Jamie, Claire, Ian, Rachael, Jenny, Brianna, Roger y los demás que no hay vuelta atrás.

Sigo insistiendo en que me duele profundamente que estos últimos tomos sucedan en Estados Unidos y no en Escocia, pues extraño muchísimo esos escenarios, pero no hay nada que hacer al respecto. Eso sí, el final de Written In My Own Heart’s Blood los va a dejar con unas pequeñas lagrimillas en los ojos si lo leen cuando están sensibles, así que advertidos quedan.

Ahora solo me falta leer el noveno libro, Go Tell The Bees That I’m Gone, que acaba de salir. No estoy lista para acercarme cada vez más al final de la historia de Claire y Jamie, aunque, bueno, Diana Gabaldon ha dicho que serán diez tomos, así que todavía me queda un poco de felicidad en el horizonte.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the best books of the series - the author has got her mojo back and has produced a book worthy of the ones she used to write at the beginning of the series! This time she has not left us with huge cliffhangers but instead has given us a delightful ending. It made me cry happy tears and I had to read it twice it was so nice. I have to admit there is an inordinate amount of sexual activity and a surplus of information about bodily functions but I guess it fits with the way of life at that time and does not detract from an excellent story. I thought there was going to be another book after this one but there does not really need to be. If Gabaldon finished it here she would be going out on a high. Loved it!

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BEST ENDING EVER! I loved this book so much, one of my favorite instalments of this series :)

UPDATE September 2021:
Perfect even the second time around! Cannot wait for next one!

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“IN THE LIGHT OF eternity, time casts no shadow. Your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. But what is it that the old women see? We see necessity, and we do the things that must be done. Young women don’t see—they are, and the spring of life runs through them. Ours is the guarding of the spring, ours the shielding of the light we have lit, the flame that we are. What have I seen? You are the vision of my youth, the constant dream of all my ages. Here I stand on the brink of war again, a citizen of no place, no time, no country but my own … and that a land lapped by no sea but blood, bordered only by the outlines of a face long-loved.”

With a prologue like that I knew I was onto a winner. But then again, every book has been a five star read for me. This one was no different.


I feel I have bamboozeled everyone with my updates while reading this series so this one will be short and sweet.

”I have loved ye since I saw you, Sassenach.”

Of course this story is about Claire and Jamie but we get to see much more of the other characters and come to love them even more. There are tears, hearbreak, joy, sadness. One or two parts of the book did have me welling up.

Talk to me a nighean,” he whispered into my tangled hair. “I’m afraid and I dinna want to feel so verra much alone just now. Speak to me?”

There has to be another book. There are plenty of unanswered questions.

[Lorena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The word that sums up this book for me is "impatience." I was impatient for the nearly 5 years it took between the last book and this one, with so many cliffhangers to fret over from that previous volume. But then, when I got into WIMOHB, I found myself impatient with the story as a whole. Instead of devouring it as quickly as possible, I found myself willingly putting it down and going to do mundane household chores, the kind you avoid and procrastinate over for months, just because I was too irritated to keep reading straight through. Part of it was a sort of "NOW what?" fatigue, as an ever-spiralling set of coincidences and circumstances kept the cliffhangers from the last book from being resolved for what seemed like forever. I've enjoyed the break-neck pacing of events in the previous books in this series, but it seemed a little forced and contrived this time around. Even the romance/sexy parts seemed plugged in by rote, as if there were some formula wherein every certain number of pages, Jamie must make an approving comment about Claire's arse. The sheer weight of coincidence in this story began to beggar belief (I mean, to the extent we are all believing in time travel in the first place, but still...). Time and again, just the right character would wander into just the right place at just the right time to rescue (or expose) one of the other core characters, despite the enormous odds against such a thing, and it just seemed silly after a while.

On the whole, I found the part of the story focusing on Jamie and Claire and the characters in their time and place (Lord John, William, Ian, Fergus & Marsali, etc.) to be more compelling than the Brianna/Roger/Buck part. While full of exhausting levels of action (and coincidence), the American Revolution story at least made a sort of linear sense most of the time. On the other hand, the Bree/Roger/Buck storyline was full of a lot of just plain weird stuff, mostly a lot of never-before-heard-of-in-this-series time travel weirdness and paradox and conspiracies. First, we have Roger and Buck going through the stones in search of Jem, and ending up in a much earlier time than they should have - the 1730s, instead of the 1770s. All, apparently, because Roger's SON Jem hadn't actually gone through the stones at all, but Roger's father (of the same name) had in WWII in his plane, and somehow that drew Roger so he could track down his dad and help get him back to his own time (all without letting the father know who he was.) This is strange, because we've never heard of the stones doing anything like this before, but OK, one anomaly, somewhat explained. Then, we have Bree finding a letter from her adoptive father Frank, in a secret drawer of a desk that belonged to Roger's adoptive father. A letter addressed to Bree, by the way. Again, quite a coincidence. But to add to the strained credulity, the letter says that there is some kind of ancient Scottish prophecy that says "the last of Lovat's line will rule Scotland," and enclosing a copy of a family tree unearthed from somewhere that indicates some conspiracy theorists think that this means Brianna. (Even Brianna thinks this is kind of nuts, since Jenny had a bunch of kids, who presumably have descendants, and that's not even getting into the fact that William is also Jamie's child, and that the existence of Brianna's kids means she's not the last on that count, either...I guess the point is that the conspiracy theorists have latched onto her, and she needs to be aware of that and so that's the important bit?) So there's another bizarre twist to add to the story - a prophecy, and some previously-unknown conspiracy nuts (whom Frank was apparently hunting and trying to kill off secretly during his lifetime, in addition to being a heart surgeon in Boston, I guess? When did he have time? He seems to have done a lot of digging around into Claire and Jamie's story without letting anyone know about it when he was alive.) Anyway, this adds to Bree's urgency to get back to the past, retrieve Roger, and rejoin her parents, although this would take several trips through stones on different continents. There's a weird moment of panic when she and the kids go in search of Roger, and the kids dash through the stones ahead of her because they "hear" him, and then back out to get her, and she freaks out because now they don't have the protective gems she gave them for one trip through, and has to scramble for more with bad guys breathing down her neck...only, the kids just made TWO trips without her...to the past AND back...and the gems only go one way, which means they probably don't need the gems at all to travel safely (because they are the kids of two time travelers?), so that all seemed like pointless drama.

The weirdest thing, though, is what happens to Buck. While traveling with Roger in 1738, he meets his mother, Geillis (more coincidence) and his putative father, Dougal. Only Buck is really sexually attracted to his own mother (they are of similar age at this point), and the last we see of him, Roger has a vision of Buck sleeping with Geillis, disappearing in her arms (to her horror), and reappearing in her womb. What the...is he his own father, then? Or is his spirit waiting inside her to be born eventually with Dougal as his father? I repeat...what the...? None of this makes any sense.

I also found myself dwelling on the paradox of the letters Jamie and Claire left for Brianna. She ends up reading them all before she goes back in time again, not least so she knows where to find her parents in the time she is traveling to. Only, given that she travelled back in time to rejoin them...shouldn't the letters mention that? I mean, it will have already happened, right? But there is apparently no hint of that in the letters. And how far into Jamie and Claire's future do the letters go? Does Brianna now know things that will happen to them that haven't happened yet when she goes back into the past, or does her appearance rearrange the whole timeline? It's very confusing. I think the previous books have avoided some of these quandaries by not having quite so much to-ing and fro-ing through the stones...the number of previous trips has been pretty limited, all things considered, but this time around, it's like Grand Central Station in the standing stone circles of the world.

All that said, the book ended in a pretty good place. There is clearly still a great deal of story to be told - not just whatever is coming in the American Revolution, but the multitudes of conspiracies and plots surrounding Brianna as the supposed last of the Lovats, but also the Grey family and whatever Richardson and his crew are planning for them, and also whatever Percy is trying to spin with Fergus and his supposed lineage . But at least this volume didn't end on a series of cliffhangers, like the last one. We know approximately where everyone is and what they intend to be doing, for the moment, at least. I hope I will have regained some of my patience by the time the next volume rolls around.

[Bee☕ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 8 July 2014:

**NO SPOILERS but may contain spoilers of earlier books in the series**

It's taken me some time to absorb this story. You know how a story just sticks to you for days, like peanut butter on the roof of your mouth or more dryer socks to your mind and you peel back the layers of characters and detail and you get sparks and snaps and you rabbit trail in your brain and off you go in thought and end up writing a review with the longest run-on sentence on the planet this side of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest?

That's me after reading Diana Gabaldon's latest installment in the Outlander series.

The writing is fantastic. This is why I love her books. It's not singularly romance, science fiction, adventure, history, time travel, or cultures and war. And yet, it's ALL of those things.

I had the pleasure of seeing her at a signing last week (autographed book!!) and during her lecture, she mentioned people ask her if there is anyone else she could recommend that writes as she does. She doesn't and I agree wholeheartedly.

Her writing is brilliant: carefully crafted detail in each setting and the minutiae of senses, sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell, the intricacies of relationships and characters so well developed, to love or despise, to weep with or need to conquer. These characters feel like live, warm bodies standing before me as tangible as one of my family.

This is why the pages kept turning without any daunting hesitation, all 825 of them.

I felt out of the entire series, this is the best to date. Picking up where An Echo In The Bone left off, the story took off. More peril, adventure, warm tender moments, loyalties tried, and eye-popping moments.

I don't want to spoil anything so here are a few points that stuck in my brain.

Jamie and Claire are imperfectly perfect. Sigh. Their conversations, even discussing the mundane, are words spoken with an undercurrent of myriad emotion and a familiarity without a comfortable monotony. They love each other to self-sacrifice but also blanketed with respect to allow each other to be who they are as a person with convictions, even those seared to the bone and the core of their being.

True historical characters making their appearance was incredibly fun. If I was Claire, I'd be floored to be standing in the same room as a couple of key figures in the American Revolutionary War. As a genealogist, I've researched my own 6th time great grandfather back to a clerk to Gen. George Washington, so it was amazing to think of my own ancestor in this time period experiencing what I was reading.

William. He's growing up. The relationship between him and his father, and also with Lord John, hanging in the balance and leaving me asking when the next book was going to be released. William had such a time in this book. Frying pan, fire, deep in the coals. Oh, William...so much like his fathers, what path do you have before you?

I know, I know. I'm being a greedy. Diana probably hasn't taken a good solid breath since this release. :)

Bree and Roger. I can't give away spoilers but I will say that Roger also comes across a character we haven't met. Roger has an encounter that made me almost yell, "HOLY SCHEISSE!" (I curse in German. Don't ask)

As for Bree, we saw a lot of her father's character and her mother's determination. "Bree" rather aptly means "storm". Mess with her family, and she'll start kicking ass and taking names.

Young Ian was particularly interesting to me because the reader got to see a side of him that is so decidedly Mohawk. He is grown from the very young man we saw in Voyager. In past installments, we saw and heard stories from his life as a Mohawk, but to see the Mohawk and Scot culmination of principals, upbringing, and character so pointedly displayed in a certain moment literally made me gasp. I had to read it three times to absorb how incredible that moment unfolded. Ian's all grown up now. Mohawk and Scot. Powerful writing.

There are so many great moments with Lord John and many of the returning cast of characters, I couldn't possibly touch on all of them.

Overall, this is definitely one of the best in the series, probably my favorite next to the first, Outlander. I highly, highly recommend this series.

(PS. My hubs likened these to one of his favorite series, Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe's books. I'd love to hear if that is a common consensus.)


***
Update 2 Jun 2014:
8 days (or 7 sleeps, 6hrs, 25 min, and 25 seconds... or 23 meals... or 627,925 seconds... or 10,465 minutes... or 174 hours. ) and counting down. Do you know where your pre-order is?

***
NOoooooooo! March 2014! A curse to three more extended months.

A pox to three more months! I banish three months from all publisher's catalogs! I abhor, disrespect, denounce, and give a giant flush to the literary toilet of all extended months.

May those extended months get sunburned and attract ants in their picnic. I proclaim an epic Hamlet-ing and George RR Martin-ing the characters of three more months. May those extended months have stupid boring weekends, become plagued with 47 cats, and come down with epic random patterned baldness! And if those months attempt escape, may they be flogged to an inch of their life, hung from their scrawny necks, trampled by cattle, and buried in a shallow grave.

May their Plenty Of Fish profile only be hit on by the ugly and unemployed. And the tags removed from their short-sheeted mattresses. May their kilts be drafty, corsets too tight, and their beer sour and stale! As their hard tack becomes maggot infested, I wish these months nothing but stomach churning sea sickness. I curse upon their days the smell of old eggs and buttermilk, that it permeate saddle blankets of all extended months while the fleas from 1,000 camels lodge in their crotchal regions.

(and something else about elderberries, hamsters and farting in their general direction).

I understand patience and polishing the craft that flows from the deliciously wicked pen of Diana Gabaldon, I still do not have to like it.

New Release Date - aka New Date That Shall Not Be Named: 25 March 2014.

Thats NDTSNBN to you.

Regardless, Diana Gabaldon's books are always worth the wait, even until NDTSNBN. Well researched, beautifully written, and typically a hefty addition to this amazing series. This still does not mean I have to like NDTSNBN. So I will pick my undignified self off the floor, wipe my tears, and gird my loins for NDTSNBN.

Since I have to wait. And I will. Patiently.

[Leea]

Love the cover, March 25th 2014

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Glorious Stars, then 5 more and then another 5!! Without question, the best book in this amazing series and I don’t even know how that’s possible, since the entire series as a whole is SUPERB! Would I want to wait 4 years+ for the next installment?? ABSOLUTELY NOT...but this was worth every second that ticked on the clock until it was released!! Diana Gabaldon poured her heart along with some of her own blood into this book!!

**Spoiler free review**

There is heartache in this book, but it will also bring about tremendous joy and happiness for readers who love this series. The ending alone sucked the air right out of my lungs and made me sob like a baby, but they were tears of utter delight and satisfaction!

There are so many moments in this book...heartwarming, achingly beautiful moments, that will choke you up. Moments that are peaceful and comforting...family milling about, doing everyday family things, nothing exciting, but so important for the reader to connect to the characters. Moments of great sadness...that will bring you to your knees, where you will mourn alongside the characters you've come to love. Defining moments... that are never outwardly stated, but through Diana Gabaldon's beautiful words, secrets are revealed and the story and the lives of these characters continues to unfold. The execution is flawless and she doesn't miss a beat!

Written in My Own Heart's Blood is intensely detailed, and at times very graphic. The author doesn't hold back when it comes to the ravages of war, just as she doesn't deny us in describing the passion that many so many of the couples feel in this book. While some scenes made me cringe and hurt for those who suffered, others were so incredibly sweet and lovely, they warm you from the inside out.

She also has a wonderful sense of humor, and it surfaces at times when the reader needs the comic relief, and while it might not always seem like time to laugh or smile, DG knows when to give readers a break from their emotions.

This book, as well as the others in the series, is all consuming. You don't just read this book, you experience it, you feel it, you live it, and absorb it into your soul! Outlander will forever be my favorite series and this well could become my favorite book. My only hope is that our wait for the next installment is not quite as long as it was for Written in My Own Hearts Blood. I understand the need to take the time to write a book as detailed as this one, but please Diana Gabaldon, I beg of you don't torture us like this again! My clock is ticking as well as yours, I think you know what I mean!

The audiobook version...5 Huge Stars!
I had the utmost pleasure of listening to Davina Porter and her brilliant narration. When I first started to listen to this series on audio I thought her voice was too mature for these characters, most especially Claire. Boy was I wrong. She might well have the largest body of characters in any series to find voices for, a difficult task and she does it with the utmost perfection. She manages to give recognizable voices to all the familiar characters and introduce new ones, and each and every one is different and distinguishable. She injects an amazing amount of emotion into the dialogue, but also into the descriptive detail. It's as if she was born to read this series and Diana Gabaldon wrote it for her to read!

**A side note** As an American, and a long time resident of NJ, the Revolutionary War aspect of this book was intriguing and fascinating. While it might not hold as much interest for some readers, it was one of the highlights in the book for me. I've walked on the ground where so many of the men and women depicted in this book have walked before me and where their blood was shed. I felt sadness in my heart for all who were lost and suffered unimaginable injuries, but also have a great appreciation and respect for those who fought for our freedom.

Let the countdown to the TV show begin!!

***I found an ooops! Did anyone else see that too! Don't read this if you haven't read the book! Major spoiler.John's comment to Dottie about Ian surviving his wound, when he was clearly at the wedding ceremony. No biggie, just think DG should call her editors out on that one. I know she doesn't write the book in order that we read it. She writes scenes and then pieces the story together, but it was pretty obvious and my GR friend Jill verified it for me. I wanted to make sure I wasn't just confused...so much going on!***

[HeatherJay]

IT'S HERE, IT'S ON MY KINDLE.........Fuuuuuuuuuckkk Meeeeeeee!

[Canadian Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabaldon does it again with the 8th book in the Outlander series. She has managed to reduce a rational woman (at least I think I am) into a bumbling romantic**sigh**. This book has it all - history, intrigue, adventure, romance and a flavour of erotica. I saved this one for the holidays so I could cozy up and take my time to escape back to the late 1700's with Jamie and Claire Fraser and their latest escapades. What I love about these novels is simple: It feels like I've come home. 5 Stars for a novel I could read and reread again.

[B the BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this eighth instalment and penultimate book of the Outlander series, we are treated to the great rollicking, rip-snorting ride we've come to expect from Diana Gabaldon. It's a step aboard and hang on to your hat experience that lifts you from the humdrum of normal life and takes you deep within the Fraser experience. As well as all the normal cast of characters, we have George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Charles Lee as the battle of the US Revoltuionary War heats up. Gabaldon has cleverly written this as a stand alone novel, so no prior experience of the Outlander series is necessary. Unlike many, my own favorite characters are Brianna, Ian and Roger. The tragic death of Henri-Christian left a huge lump in my throat; what a delightful character he was, I loved him. My quibble is that having already suspended our belief by the magic of the stones, why didn't Gabaldon let Rollo live? Reading this novel, I alternately laughed, cried, held my breath and cheered the characters on. Altogether a gobsmack-ingly good read and one I would highly recommend. 5★

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guys I've finally done it!
I'm all caught up with the Outlander series, all 9,000+ pages read and I'm now ready for the imminent release of the penultimate novel in the series in just a few days time.

This has definitely been one of my favourites of the series and I think that's largely down to the fact that this entry only spans a year (June 1778 - June 1779) and felt even more character driven.
Whilst my American history is a bit sketchy, it was also interesting to learn more about the Battle of Monmouth - though I did recognised a few historical figures which were featured.

Like the previous books we follow various plot strands between the various characters, with William yet again featuring quite heavily.

Of course the series primary focus on Claire and Jamie had some really great standout moments - especially with the fallout of the main battle featured.
Surely I can't be the only one that thinks the intermediate sex scenes between the elderly pair to be a little icky now?

So now it's space and time," he said. "You ever watch Doctor Who on PBS?"
"All the time," she said dryly, "on the BBC. And don't think I wouldn't sell my soul for a TARDIS.

I love that an old 60's episode of Doctor Who inspired Gabaldon to write this series, so I especially appreciated that quote.

It's the Timey-Wimey aspect that I really enjoy with this series, so I was really invested in the Roger, Jem and Brianna storyline this time around.

The final page was so beautifully fitting and left it in such a way that I'm excited to see where the groups fate lies next.
I don't think it's a coincidence that 'Bees' is being released on #DoctorWhoDay

[Shannon Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not wait for this book to come out Diana Gabaldon is by far my favorite and her books are the best.

[Kealyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written In My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

5/5 stars

My goodness, Diana just doesn't know how to write a bad book. I LOVED the 8th book in the Outlander series. I know a lot of people are disagreeing with me. But I think it's a masterpiece. And if you aren't used to her writing style by the 8th book, maybe this series isn't for you. But I love her extremely detailed writing style, it just works within this world. And I am just an addict that is absorbing extra single detail wholeheartedly. Jamie and Claire have wormed their way in my heart and I will never, ever let them go. Their love is a love to be admired and I just think they are the ultimate couple in this bookish world.

THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN A LOT OF SPOILERS. SO DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS. 

But first things first. I read the first seven books multiple times. And I read Written In My Own Heart's Blood for the very first time. I was a bit shocked by the ending of An Echo in the Bone. I just couldn't fathom and understand why Claire slept with John Grey so soon after Jamie's apparent death. It almost felt un-Claire-like. So my Jamie and Claire heart loved Jamie's reaction when he found out what happened. Because his anger felt like my own. I love how Jamie asks for those details and beats John up. It was almost a cathartic moment for me as well. And after that I kinda could let it go. And the conversation between Jamie and Claire was really raw and powerful at the same time. I love how they dealt with it. And after all of that I had so much more perspective. Even regarding the events in the previous book. No matter what happens. Jamie and Claire are rock solid. And I love their entire journey.

I adore Ian's storyline throughout the entire book. The journey we took in the year that took place in the book was just magical. His love for Rachel was stunning to read. I loved how they married and his soul needed a happy and healthy baby. I am so glad he got a healthy son in the end. And I cannot wait to see him grow and evolve in the next book. And Rollo's death hit me way harder than I anticipated.

But speaking about death... Marsali and Fergus storyline was by far the most heartbreaking in this entire book. I was so happy when Jamie, Claire, Fergus and Marsali were reunited. And the plans they made, and the future they planned. And then that f****** fire happened and my heart.. That scene with Germain and Henri-Christian was just gut wrenching. The screams of everyone below and the thought process of Germain.. I understood him. But I also screamed at him to listen to the adults down below. And that crack.. the way Henri-Christian fell. I reverberated in my bones and I cried. I sobbed for him. He was such an incredible character and it really hit me hard. I will treasure him forever.

Another pivotal moment is the scene between Jamie and William. When they talk about how he came to be. And what happened between Jamie and his mother. It felt so raw. And I could picture William's reaction so viscerally. That was a stunning scene.

Bree, Roger, Jem and Mandy's storyline was amazing as well. I loved the insight in their lives in the present. But you could feel their ache and them missing their family in the past. I also loved the scenes between Jamie and Claire where they acknowledge how much they miss their daughter. And I am not sure if I am mixing up things. But them remembering Faith was so beautiful as well. I am currently reading Bee's. So I could mix things up and that remembering Faith happens in the next book.
But Jemmy going missing had my heart beating fast. And I love the love both Bree and Roger showed and how it catapulted their actions into one goal, and one goal only. Saving Jem. 
And when Bree goes back. That scene with Brian Fraser. Oh my heart. That was another gem of a moment in this book. I loved, absolutely loved seeing Brian alive. I think it was the first time. And I just adored his reaction to Bree. Absolutely brilliant.

So yeah, I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. The things that happen, the war, choosing your family. And that ending scene where Jamie and Claire run towards Bree and Roger was epic and the best ending this book possibly could have. 

A million, billion stars for Written In My Own Heart's Blood. ♥

And a million billion stars for the entire Outlander series. I am currently listening to Go Tell The Bees That I am Gone. I just need to continue my Outlander fix. This series is just THAT good! If you haven't read it yet! Please do. This story will not disappoint! 

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are just SO damn good! This installment in the series has been one of my favourites yet, I really couldn’t have loved it more! And now I’m finally up to date with the series and after that bang of an ending, I’m just dying for the ninth book! I loved that we got to see more of Bree and Roger’s story, they really are two of my favourite characters. I also really enjoyed all the bits and descriptions of Claire’s methods and surgeries, those parts absolutely fascinate me and I can’t get enough of them. This was a damn fine book and I’m so glad I finally decided to read it after putting it off for so long!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where I got the book: audiobook purchased on Audible. ***SPOILERS***

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the eighth of what Diana Gabaldon describes as the Big, Enormous Books of the Outlander series (this page will show you both the chronology of that series and the fact that she views all the spinoffs as part of the series, thus complicating matters to stratospheric levels). As she ended Big, Enormous Book 7 on a cliffhanger, I and apparently a large portion of the world’s population were eagerly awaiting the Further Revelations that we could quite confidently predict would involve Family Secrets, Amazing Escapes, Sex, Time Travel, Warfare and Grisly Descriptions of Messy Surgery. And I knew that reviewing this book would be difficult, but now I’m sitting down to the task the enormity of trying to encapsulate this Bloody Enormous Book, doorstop, chunkster or kitten squisher in a non-novel-length review is weighing on me.

The first overwhelming consideration is, how spoilerish should I be? And I’ve decided I can’t possibly be critical (in the sense of reviewing the good AND bad) without being spoilerish, so the spoilers will start pretty soon. You have been warned.

And then I began thinking, as I mentally stretched my reviewing muscles in preparation for the assault on Mount MOBY (Gabaldon’s acronym for the book, because My Own Heart’s Blood = MOH-B = MOBY, because, Gabaldon) whether I can even treat this book as a book at all. I’ve said it before—these (air quotes) novels are more accurately described as a collection of interwoven stories about connected individuals, with a few thematic elements worked in but with no discernible overarching theme except, perhaps, Love Conquers All But Only If You’re Claire, Jamie Or Their Descendants (Clan Mary Sue). You can’t possibly understand MOBY unless you’ve read (and possibly re-read, as I had to do) the other seven books, as it starts in the middle of a very complicated family situation and gets more involved from there on in. It’s far less of a novel than it is a feeding trough for Outlander fans, and indeed it occurs to me that Gabaldon could probably have more fun simply releasing future episodes of, say, 50 pages at a time as a monthly ebook, à la Dickens. It’s a stable revenue model, and I get the feeling that her writing method is mostly about sitting down and just writing everything that occurs to her within a broadly sketched framework, so it would totally work. Or—OOOO OOOO OOOO—she could do a James Patterson and direct a stable of writers to produce ten Outlander books a year. Where do I apply?

OK, so let’s get down to the categories I enumerated above, as this seems to be a fairly good way of organizing my thoughts.

Family Secrets. Well, the big one, of course, is William, who spends the entire book suffering from the revelation that he isn’t who he thought he was. And that everyone else seems to have figured that out a long time ago, which is always galling for a young man of William’s age because he’s very clearly at the age when he thinks he knows everything. Things don’t go particularly well for William in this book so he’s generally surly or aggressive throughout, which makes me want to smack him.

The side orders of family secrets concern Geilie Duncan and Buck, in a plotline that appears to vanish up its own fundamental orifice just when it’s starting to get interesting, and Fergus, who very sensibly decides not to give a damn about his family secrets and just get on with life, which is what William should do, really.

Amazing Escapes. Jamie’s dead! No he’s not. Claire’s dying! No she’s not. Young Ian’s fatally wounded! Or not. Well, we’ve seen it all before, and we know how melodramatic it’s all going to get. And it doesn’t fail to do so. There’s nothing like a mistaken death or near-miss to bring out the maudlin in the surviving character, and it’s a very useful device for getting the reader to shed a little tear and feel like they’ve lived, dammit. It’s notable that when a non-background character DOES die, as a couple of them do, their passing is dealt with rather swiftly and they are then rarely mentioned as their bereaved families get on with the next emergency. I cannot continue this thought without a spoiler I really don’t want to throw in, even within tags, but you’ll see what I mean if you get that far.

Sex. I’ll concede that Claire and Jamie have slowed down a little bit, but let’s just say that all that fresh air and exercise, not to mention the near-death experiences, must be very stimulating. And we have two weddings and consequently two wedding nights, not to mention that with the proliferation of points of view comes a proliferation of sexythoughts if not sexytimes, and that minor characters are quite often having sex offstage, as it were, so all in all the eighteenth century continues to be a very lively place. And things get VERY weird when Roger and Buck encounter Geilie (see Time Travel, below). I spotted other, what could be called thematic elements, involving the dual (but not simultaneous) purposes of the male organ, tunnels and dams, and an ode to the penis, but a Freudian analysis of Gabaldon’s oeuvre is both outside the scope of this review and beyond my personal capacities.

Time Travel. As other reviewers have said, the adventures of the MacKenzie family (Bree, Roger, Jem and Mandy) form one of the more entertaining story lines in this book, and go off on a nicely surprising tangent. Alas for the holes in this subplot though—perhaps I wasn’t listening hard enough but I never really saw the point of Rob Cameron’s goons, who appeared to be there merely to increase the dramatic tension. Can someone enlighten me? And then people are developing magical healing powers and telepathy—where is it all leading? And worst of all, given that any trip through the stones is usually accompanied by a hundred pages of leave-taking, apprehension, adventures and the difficulty of acquiring gemstones, HOW did they get from there to there just like that? Have they actually acquired a TARDIS? And are Jem and Mandy a new breed of superhumans? (See Clan Mary Sue, above.)

Warfare. We certainly get a comprehensive view of the Revolutionary War, from both sides of the divide, which is interesting and provides plenty of plot fodder. But like a lot of the plotlines in this book, it eventually kind of fizzles. Gabaldon chooses the inconclusive battle of Monmouth as her set piece, after which the characters scatter, presumably to avoid getting caught in another few hundred pages of battle preparation, and the War withdraws to the edges of the plot. I always feel Gabaldon enjoys the lead-up to an event far more than the event itself.

Grisly Descriptions of Messy Surgery. I recall a stuck eye, a shredded liver (with interesting insights from the patient’s side of things), the very nasty aftermath of tarring and feathering, an amputation—no, hold on, two amputations—and a double fistula, but there were probably others I’ve forgotten. And dozens of minor ailments, with fascinating asides into unusual uses for mustard and oil of peppermint. This facet of Gabaldon’s work is becoming a bit like the TV series House, which was constantly trying to top its last effort with something even more exotic, except that you could always count on blood and vomit being involved.

Well, that just about rounds up the book. Except—the ending. I have a sneaking suspicion that Gabaldon was trying to tie a bow on things just in case she doesn’t get around to writing another Big Enormous Outlander Book, for which I wouldn’t blame her. As I said somewhere above, it might be more worth her while to do e-releases of smaller serial works or offshoots, or, heck, do a JK Rowling and write something different. She’s achieved just about everything a novelist could possibly achieve, after all—once you’ve got a TV series, you’re there.

So where does that leave the reader? Can a series like this ever really end satisfactorily? There are just too many plotlines to tie the whole thing off neatly and with some sort of thematic consistency. And we don’t even seem close to answering the question that should have been answered in book 1—what was the ghost of Jamie doing staring up at Claire’s 1945 window? Dangit, Diana, if you’re going to write one more book, make it THAT one.

And yet I’m still giving this gumbo of a novel four stars because the writing’s excellent, the editing’s decent (fewer repeat words and a little tighter overall this time, hooray!) and the stories are generally entertaining. Davina Porter continues to be a stellar audiobook narrator—I absolutely love the way she says “Really?” and “moon”—and her lively voice(s) got me through many hours of running, driving, ironing and chopping vegetables, which are the circumstances under which I generally listen to audiobooks. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this series to anyone who has the stamina for it.

[Elisa Glendenning (mostly off-line) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars ✨

I wonder if DG deliberately leaves it so long between novels, in the vague hope that their readers will forget specific details? 🧐 Never have I spent so long hacked off with, Claire (which admittedly isn’t hard for some to believe 🤣), but no matter her many flaws, her penchant for face slapping one of the worst imo, she’s still one of my favourite FMC’s. Like hubby #2, I just can’t stay mad with her for very long. Begrudgingly, I admit that DG mostly handled a certain situation well - I loved jealous Jamie, but disappointingly, there was no grovelling; I was not amused 😡 However, to err is human, to forgive divine and there is no one more divine than James Alexander Malcom Mackenzie Fraser 😍

I much preferred this to AEITB. For one thing, the chapters are short and there’s only one real battle. Mostly, I loved that Jamie and Claire were together for most of the book - aside from the first 20%, thankfully, there are no long separations! His resignation/refusal to join the war in Savannah delivered a couple of fist pump moments from me. If I had one wish, it would be less off page steamy scenes. I don’t care one iota that our MC’s are getting on a bit; they’re still way more sexier than the Quakers!!! 😝

Although I wasn’t too fussed with William in the last book, he did grow on me. His daddy issues were understandable but frustrating - I feel like I’ve been waiting years for a certain father/son reunion. It’s still very much unfinished business, but their few chapters together did not disappoint and were worth the wait. You can always rely on Jamie to go that extra mile, take that LJG 🫵 The goodbye scene 😭

“He compressed his lips for an instant, and then, too fast for William to back away, came round the table and, raising his hand, cupped William’s cheek, the touch light and fierce. “No,” he whispered. “No! I am not sorry.” Then he whirled on his heel, threw open the door, and was gone, kilt flying.”

One of my favourite aspects of this series is Claire’s role as a healer. I’ve always loved medical dramas and she’s the 18th century equivalent of Dr Quinn 😂 However, sometimes less is more. We don’t need eyeballs, amputations, and frenulums to be so graphic and if I never read about Vesicovaginal/Rectovaginal fistulas and fecal slime ever again, it would be too soon 🤢

I’m just so grateful that I can binge read these novels. I would never have had the patience to keep up. It must be so exasperating when you’ve waited years for the sequel, anticipating certain developments, only to discover no further progress whatsoever. Or finding on completion, you have to buy additional novellas to fill in the blanks.

Finally, I saw one reader call this Darklander and I would have to agree. I never expected certain outcomes and whilst I did shed some happy tears, there were many that weren’t. Why DG, why? 😢 Fortunately, it ended much more optimistically. So comforting to see most of the Fraser clan back where they belong. Claire wasn’t the only one crying at Adso’s little gift; the conclusion gave me goosebumps! Roll on #9!

”Hello, the house!” she called, laughing. Then I was flying down the hill, with Jamie just before me, arms flung wide, the two of us flying together on that same wind.”

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

EPIC!!

"I have loved others, and I do love many, Sassenach-but you alone hold all my heart, whole in your hands," he said softly. "And you know that."


I have loved ye since I saw you, Sassenach,"
he said very quietly, holding my eyes with his own, bloodshot and lined with tiredness but very blue. "I will love ye forever. It doesa matter if ye sleep with the whole English army- well, no," he corrected himself, "it would matter, but I wouldna stop me love you."

Diana Gabaldon does not disappoint with this book. (Like anyone really thought she could, I mean she is a genius)

Written in My Own Heart's Blood (or MOBY) was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. I mean that in all the best (and heartbreaking) ways possible.

We see several POV's in this book. Of course there is our Jamie and Claire, but we get a good deal of Ian (and Rachel) and also Roger and Bree. And of course William

The Roger and Bree story line is the craziest for me. Of course if you read ECHO, you know that Jem was kidnapped by Cameron who is a very bad man. Obviously. I loved the relationship with Mandy and Jem. Of course they are brother and sister, but they have a very interesting connection that you learn more about as the story unfolds.

Roger ends up going back to look for Jem (not spoiling) but he ends up in a time BEFORE Jamie and Claire time by a few years.

The person who Roger meets, I won't spoil, but I just loved him. I wanted Roger to give the proper warnings, but I knew that he could not do so without drastically changing lives.

Ian and Rachel are pretty sweet too. Of course we learned of Ian's fascination with the Quaker girl in ECHO, but it was a little uncertain if they would end up together.
This book made me love Ian a whole lot more. He really is just this amazing man that we have seen grow up in this series. He want from being this awkward teenager to this amazing fierce man. And his heart. It's just... He's full of love for those around him. Which we know he gets from his Uncle Jamie.
When Ian and Rachel get married and he lays down what he calls a love token from Emily
"Now I lay it down, as witness that I come here a free man, that my life and my heart are once more mine to give. And I hope I may be allowed now to give them forever."

William. had a hard time with his portions in ECHO. I did. But at the end his reaction to finding out that Jamie was his father was intense. To be totally honest this book made me fall in love with William, he's an amazing man (just like his Da) but seriously I wanted to punch him a few times and tell him that there were worst men in the world he could discovered had fathered him. I mean his father is Jamie Fraser. Talk about DNA lottery!

Jamie and Claire. Oh Jamie.. Okay, we really have to discuss that he has ruined me for all book men. I mean Alexander Barrington, I love you but seriously JAMMF is riding very close behind you.

Jamie is the sweetest, most loving and perfect man there is. Of course he isn't perfect, no one claimed he was but you see really get to see him with Claire throughout this book. They are not split up at any point in time that I can recall an I LOVED that. God they spent so much time apart in other books.

It's rough in the start of this book. Jamie knows that Claire has slept with John Grey (again not a spoiler if you have read ECHO) and he is basically just trying to wrap his brain around this.

************Spoilers************
He's more pissed at LJG than he is at Claire. He knew the kind of pain she felt, he had felt it before himself. His reaction to LJG though well I felt LJG even though I really like him, the dude deserved it.

We see LJG really not pushing the "I heart Jamie' bandwagon this book. Of course we know he cares for him, but he is fighting his own wars (literally aint no one got time for anything else) He was amazing to Claire, which really made me happy. He really respected her.

back to Jamie and how amazing he is.. So again, the love between Jamie and Claire I felt was more pronounced in this book. Yes we know they were in love in all the other books, but in the other books a lot of bad ass shit (sorry) was taking place and the universe seemed to be always ripping these two apart. In this book there is slightly less of that. There's drama in other places, but their love shines!

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Jamie

I have loved ye since I saw you, Sassenach,"
he said very quietly, holding my eyes with his own, bloodshot and lined with tiredness but very blue. "I will love ye forever. It doesa matter if ye sleep with the whole English army- well, no," he corrected himself, "it would matter, but I wouldna stop me love you."

Then

"I don't say that I dinna mind this, because I do. And I don't say that I'll no make a fuss about it later, because likely I will. But what I do say is that there is nothing in this world or the next that can take ye from me- or me from you." He raised one brow. "D'ye disagree?"

Swoon

"Ye lost your parents young, mo nighean donn, and wandered about the world, rootless. Ye loved Frank"- his mouth compressed for an instant, but I thought he was unconscious of it-"and of course you love Brianna and Roger Mac and the weans... but, Sassenach- I am the true home of your heart, and I know that."

I love him.

This series just gets better as it goes. I cannot wait to read book 9 in about 5 years (well worth the wait)

[Hildy · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS BELOW! I CANNA WRITE THIS WITHOUT SPOILERS! I have too much to say.

I am so not worthy to write this review. Diana Gabaldon's writing is just so beautifully descriptive, her characters are so compelling, her plotlines so interwoven, that anything I say is going to seem dumb in comparison. I'm just a reader who has loved every single one of the books in the Outlander series, until now.

I liked this and there were parts that I LOVED but I rarely got to those moments where I couldn't put this book down. In fact, that was my problem. I kept putting it down and had to sometimes force myself to pick it back up. I've heard some of my friends say that this book was such a roller coaster and that's exactly how I felt when I was reading this book. I just don't think we mean the same thing by that. There were times where it was incredibly exciting and moving, where I could feel my heart rate picking up and I was so exhilarated. Unfortunately, I'd move onto other parts of the book and felt like I was sitting in the loading zone, looking around waiting for something exciting to happen. It kills me to say that, especially when almost every one of my friends have loved this. I'm so happy that you did. I just wish I was one of you.

Brace yourself, I am about to say the most blasphemous thing that a fan of Diana Gabaldon can say:

I think she needs to hurry up and end this.

I know you are all reading this, wanting to throw fruit at me and say, "Boo, Hildy! Boo!" This is just one person's opinion. I feel like this is getting unnecessarily drawn out. I know that Claire is a doctor and in every single book we are walked through her surgeries and medical emergencies. Eight books later, I'm tired of it. It bores me. Although, I was geekily excited when she mentioned fistula surgeries because I'd read Cutting For Stone and consider myself a sort of unofficial expert on the topic. ;) Diana's over-use of big words sometimes halts the flow of the writing. I had to Google so many terms and then I'd get distracted by Facebook and not go back to the book.

I was incredibly impatient reading this. After waiting 4 years and having read the first 7 books one after the other, I really couldn't wait to see where this story was going to go. I spoke to one of my friends (the one person on the planet who agrees with me about this book) and said, "I've waited 4 years and I'm 500 pages in and I feel like not a whole lot is happening." Now, part of this is my fault. Three years ago I read some Dailylines. If I ever try to do that again, someone needs to tackle me, and fast! I ruined some pretty fantastic moments by reading or listening to them ahead of time. One MAJOR plot point was revealed while I was listening to DG read an excerpt in Fergus (Did somebody say FERGUS?) 3 years ago. It was pretty darned brilliant at the time but not so much as I read it in the story. It just didn't have any sort of emotional impact on me at all as I read it. I could kick myself. Also, I got my ass spoiled when I went on a social networking site and saw an important moment with the exact page number that it happened. It went something like this: "P.691 of MOBY. My heart is breaking!" I was not impressed. I was fairly certain that in 50 pages, someone important was going to die. Don't do that people. It totally ruined that moment for me. Why? Cause I knew it was coming, even if I didn't know the who of it.

There were definitely some incredible moments in this book. I loved Roger and Brianna and the kids and I found myself wishing for them to come back in the story, especially when we were reading about Dottie, Hal and Ben (Yawn!). I loved William's story and every time Claire was saving someone I daydreamed about poor, broken, sweet William. As always, I loved Jamie, but I found a lot of his scenes and dialogue to be too short or it ended abruptly, making me a little bitter that I couldn't have more of him. By the end of the story, I was definitely back on the DG train and was loving it. Unfortunately, I just couldn't forget how I felt during most of the first half.

**EDIT: I just can't get the image of Percy being like photo bomber out of my head! OMG! Am I allowed to crack myself up? Didn't he just pop into important scenes and then leave just as fast? I can just picture him jumping into a photo with a big smile on his face and his head tipped to the side and then bolting. He was never around for very long. LOL!!!

Am I still looking forward to read Book 9? Of COURSE! That's just silly to think otherwise. I will say that I don't have the same anticipation that I had for Book 8.

I realize that probably a third of our followers are Outlander fans and I am risking life and limb letting my feelings spilleth over here but I'm risking it. I am a wee bit scairt. Somebody hold me.



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[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What am I supposed to do with my life now? 😭