The Outlander in Around the World in 80 Books

Aug 11, 2011 Laura (booksnob) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, literature, 2011

Historical fiction meets the wild west in this emotional, heart pounding, run away novel. The 19 year old Widow has killed her husband and is being chased by her two brothers-in-law into the wilderness. She has dogs on her heels, is wearing a long black mourning dress and is definitely guilty. She succeeds in avoiding her captors for a time and capturing the heart of those reading her story.

The year is 1903. As the story journeys along you meet a cast of interesting characters straight out of a ...more

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Feb 18, 2023 Tony rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, novels, own-loanable, setting-canada

I'll admit to being a sucker for historical fiction about survival in the old(ish) west of the Americas, and so picked this up without knowing anything about it or the author. The framework is a classic chase narrative -- but elevated by a beautifully evoked sense of time and place, along with a striking protagonist and cast of characters.

The book opens with "The Widow" on the run from her fearsome twin brothers-in-law in 1903, having just killed her husband, who is their brother. This is in sou I'll admit to being a sucker for historical fiction about survival in the old(ish) west of the Americas, and so picked this up without knowing anything about it or the author. The framework is a classic chase narrative -- but elevated by a beautifully evoked sense of time and place, along with a striking protagonist and cast of characters.

The book opens with "The Widow" on the run from her fearsome twin brothers-in-law in 1903, having just killed her husband, who is their brother. This is in southern Alberta (then, still part of the Northwest Territories), not too far from the border with Montana and Idaho. Through flashbacks, we learn of the 19-year-old's privileged but motherless upbringing, and how she came to be married and on the run. She makes it into a mountain range where she loses them, and meets a mysterious loner (modeled on the real-life William Moreland, who roamed Idaho forests some 30-40 years later) and a member of the Crow tribe born in Baltimore. I hesitate to say too much more, other than she subsequently spends time in the mining town of Frank (200km south of Calgary), where she meets a remarkable preacher and interesting merchant, and is present for a deadly landslide (the "Frank Slide," which really happened).

The whole book feels somewhat like a fairy-tale, with its chance encounters, relentless pursuers, and outsize supporting cast. The landscape is beautifully described in all its beauty and danger, and there are individual descriptive scenes that are incredibly written -- for example, a scene (that has no bearing on the plot) where a horse is struggling not to drown in a lake while finding a shore it can climb. Ultimately though, what keeps the pages turning is the desire to know if "The Widow" can make it to some semblance of safety. To be clear, this isn't some kind of feminist tract or "girl power" nonsense -- while helping herself and having agency, "The Widow" gets all kinds of help from different people for different reasons, and it's a nuanced and thrilling read. ...more

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Sep 15, 2009 Ginger rated it really liked it

This book is as poetic as it is captivating. Much of the momentum pulls from what is unknown...sort of like the art of white space in a watercolor painting. In a sentence or two, it is about a young widow on the run in the Canadian wilderness. Her psychological status leaves one guessing; does she hallucinate? Compelling and beautiful language. Got a unanimous thumbs up from my book club and they're a tough crowd to please! :-) ...more

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Apr 08, 2009 Megan rated it liked it · review of another edition

I'm not sure what it was about this story. I liked the plot, I liked the characters, I was even fine with the writing style (which is unusual and took some time to get into) but I just couldn't get myself excited about the novel over all. ...more

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Oct 20, 2009 Susan rated it really liked it

Totally absorbing, well written, a page turner!

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Jan 22, 2011 Hege rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, favoritter

Oh, I really liked this book. It's a real page turner and I love the end. Great with a book that can avoid cliché's :) ...more

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Jul 16, 2010 Windy rated it it was amazing

A poetic, atmospheric read which to start with I didn't expect to enjoy but then surprised myself by falling in love with it and not wanting it to end. ...more

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