Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Oct 18, 2010 Graceann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, series

Claire and Jamie try to head off Culloden '45 in this 900-page epic entry to the Outlander series.

The story begins in 1968, when Claire turns up in Inverness with her daughter, Brianna, and numerous questions regarding the fate of her 18th century companions. As the story progresses, we are returned to Claire's adventures with her dashing husband, Jamie, and the players in the Jacobite rebellion. Some of the political/backroom discussion goes on a bit too long and becomes quite confusing, causi Claire and Jamie try to head off Culloden '45 in this 900-page epic entry to the Outlander series.

The story begins in 1968, when Claire turns up in Inverness with her daughter, Brianna, and numerous questions regarding the fate of her 18th century companions. As the story progresses, we are returned to Claire's adventures with her dashing husband, Jamie, and the players in the Jacobite rebellion. Some of the political/backroom discussion goes on a bit too long and becomes quite confusing, causing me to want them to get on with the "Claire and Jamie saving the world" portion of the story. This is one reason I deducted a star from my rating.

There are two things that I adore about these books. Claire and Jamie are a great team, and they work well together in a trusting, true partnership. There is also a huge amount of humour, both in the forms of physicality and wordplay, that infuses the pages. It is not unusual for me to laugh out loud just about a page after I'm saying "awww" over some touching thing that has happened.

These are two people who love each other in a way that makes me glad I didn't read these books when I was a pining teenager. Jamie Fraser would have ruined me for any real-life man; he's just too dashing, too head-over-heels in love with Claire, and too utterly gentle a man to exist in the real world. That's why these are novels; no sane person could believe such a person actually lived, at any time in history.

Claire is sometimes her own worst enemy, and thankfully Jamie's around to keep her in tow, and while her modern feminism struggles against the mores of the day, at least she's (sometimes) smart enough to let Jamie take the lead in order to keep things in order.

Two things that prospective readers should know about the Outlander series. These books do NOT stand alone, and should be read in order or else a large amount of disappointment is risked. While there are allusions to incidents in earlier books, if you want to know what these people are talking about, start with Outlander and read your way through.

Secondly, Jamie and Claire love each other, a lot. And they don't express that love by sending each other flowers. These two get physical at times and in places and occasionally with such specificity that more sensitive readers may be bothered by it. Even I, with my high level of tolerance for the naughty, found some of their choices in timing for their lovemaking to be highly unlikely. Then again, a man in a kilt..... ...more

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Dec 15, 2015 Sara rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2015-reads

I really really wanted to love this, but I didn't. I found the first book entertaining although not amazing. I was on the fence about reading the second book, but then it just happened to be sitting there on the display at the library and I felt like it was a sign I should read it.

II was actually okay with the beginning of the book being in a different time. It was odd, but I got into it. When we went back in time I thought I'd be excited to catch up where book 1 left off. No, just no. Of the 1 ...more

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Nov 12, 2022 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, historical-fiction, 2022-read, rws-2022-fall

I can't believe I never discovered this series when they first came out. My high school self would have loved these books--right up there with the Clan of the Cave Bear books that I adored around the same time.

These dauntingly long audiobooks are excellently narrated by Davina Porter, one of the greats in audiobook narration. She carries this 39-hour book effortlessly and manages the Scottish accents enchantingly.

These books are guilty pleasures for nerdy readers. A huge step up from the trashy ...more

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Jun 22, 2014 Larissa rated it really liked it

Okay done with book #2 and I think I liked it even more than the first one! Everything a good story needs - murder, suspense, romance, mystery, and historical fiction (yes the Battle of Culloden and the Jacobite rising were a real part of history!) I am looking forward to continuing on in the series but each book takes 40 hours to listen to (I do audio books for these!) so it will be awhile before I conquer the next one as I have some other books I want to read before I continue on in the series ...more

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Jun 11, 2008 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance

This is one of those epic length series, with unforgetable characters, and a plot that pulls me right into the story. Once into the story the possibility of traveling through time by stepping through a portal within some standing stones in Scotland doesn't seem like such an impossibility. Though shelved on historical romance shelve, it's not one of your typical cookie cutter or bodice ripper romances so even reluctant romance readers should give this one a try. Ok, so you still call this brain c ...more

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Mar 08, 2009 Megan rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical, finished-2009, action-adventure, sci-fi-fantasy

This took me nearly six months to finish, no joke! I would have liked this book a lot better if it was 500-600 pages shorter- so many small details thrown in that seemed unnecessary. Still, the ending left me with questions that would require me reading the third book in the series to find the answers. I doubt I'll ever muster up the energy to continue on with the series, though. ...more

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