Outlander (Outlander, #1) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Jan 29, 2012 Lucinda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Wow, 'twas just as good as I remembered it! Sometimes re-reads can be disappointing, but not this one. ...more

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Oct 30, 2013 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance-contemporary, romance-time-travel, scotland

Ok, so I know that everybody read this like 10 years ago and I am the only person reading for the first time. I have had very well-read friends tell me that this is their favorite book ever. I know people who have read the series several times (all 450,000 pages). And while I really really wanted to like this, I just didn't in the end. I thought it was confusing, and some of the themes and storylines were out of place.
Claire is an English World War II nurse who is reconnecting with her soldier h Ok, so I know that everybody read this like 10 years ago and I am the only person reading for the first time. I have had very well-read friends tell me that this is their favorite book ever. I know people who have read the series several times (all 450,000 pages). And while I really really wanted to like this, I just didn't in the end. I thought it was confusing, and some of the themes and storylines were out of place.
Claire is an English World War II nurse who is reconnecting with her soldier husband after the war in Scotland. Long story short: she visits a stone circle after a ritual and gets sent back to 17th century Scotland. In order to keep herself safe of being accused as an English spy, she ends up marrying Jamie Fraser who is a sexy kilt wearing Scottish warrior with a knack for getting maliciously injured. Claire spends a lot of time nursing him and they are always on the run from the British.
I am a sucker for a fish-out-of-water story. Travel, time travel, whatever I like to watch a character have to quickly adapt to their new surroundings. And Claire is delightful. She is smart, funny, caring and strong. I also liked Jamie, and while their sexual relationship didn't feel very developed, their friendship did. Jamie is struck by love-at-first-sight, which seems like a lazy way to develop lust, oh, I mean love.
So they run around the country side from the British and especially from Clair's first husband's long lost relative who want to maim, love, screw, and kill Jamie (sometimes in that order).
I thought that the story could have been shorter, but was driven by the characters and the setting, both of which I liked. But there was a considerable amount of time that was spent talking about whether or not you can beat someone you love. Children, lovers, other family members. What is the lesson in a good beating (apparently there is one and Claire learns that in a particularly upsetting scene)? And when does it cross the line into pure abuse. While I get that these were different times, there was so much time (in an already long book) spent discussing beatings, detailing the injuries, and reflecting on the lessons. Ug.
To a lesser degree, I had trouble with the notions that homosexuality is only a weapon used for evil and that religion is the only answer for the really tough questions. These sort of conservative themes didn't seem to match the rest of the book.
I don't regret reading this (finally), but most likely not picking up the rest of the series. ...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Gayle rated it it was amazing

Simple, 5 stars. Basically, I couldn't put it down. It was suspenseful, romantic, engaging and just plain ol' fun to read and get lost in the story. There are quite a few swoon-worthy lines and moments in here, and I'm not usually one to get swept away by romantic nonsense. But I couldn't help it. I'll definitely be picking up the 2nd book soon!
(Recommended by Alison L) ...more

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Nov 28, 2016 Angie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio

It took me exactly a full year but I finally finished! Hahahaha! I actually listened to it as an audio book which I started on our road trip to Utah last year for Thanksgiving, and finished on our road trip home from Utah for Thanksgiving this year! I don't listen to audio books very often (other than on long trips, usually!) but REALLY appreciated this one as an audio book because of the pronunciation and spelling of Gaelic words and names throughout. The narrator (Davina Porter) was amazing! T ...more

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