Outlander

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Pages: 656

(NON-SPOILER INFO)
Claire Randall and her husband Frank, the history buff, decide to take a honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands in 1945. One day while roaming the countryside alone, Claire walks through a stone circle, only to be transported to 1743. Cast back in time, Claire meets her husband’s ancestor, the evil Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall and a Scottish clan named MacKenzie. While traveling with the MacKenzie’s, Claire uses her training as a nurse, to heal a young Scots warrior named James (or Jamie) Fraser. Thrust together by circumstance Claire begins to have feelings for Jamie. But how can she let herself love another man when she is already married? Will she be able to return to her own time and Frank? Can she escape Randall before it’s too late? And how will she affect all of history, including her own?

(SPOILER INFO AND MY THOUGHTS)
First off, I have to let you know that Diana Gabaldon is a very detailed writer, right down to describing the stain on someone’s sock. Because of Gabaldon’s long descriptions it was hard to fall into this book right away. As a matter of fact, I almost gave up after about 100 pages. But then Claire and Jamie marry and the book starts to pick up. But it’s at its best when Claire and Jamie are battling together to escape the evil Randall. And when that happens, Outlander becomes a page turner. I still had some problems with the story. My main issue with the plot is the fact that war separated Frank and Claire for SIX years and neither of them had affairs while apart, but a few months tossed back in time and Claire is already sharing the bed of another man. A few other issues I had with the book are the beating Claire receives from a man that loves her, Jamie’s rape which felt unnecessary, and Claire’s pregnancy at the end which felt tacked on and too good to be true. But for the most part, Claire and Jamie are written in a way that makes you care for them. You want to know what happens and you want it to work out for the best. I don’t know if I will read any others in the series but I liked Outlander enough that I might give them a try.

3 out of 5 stars!