Outlander Book Discussion

So here's a thread for those of us that have read or are reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon! This thread will only pertain to the first book in the series, (info on the rest of the books here) and please post spoiler warnings at the beginning of your post if you are revealing important plot details (for those, like me that have not yet finished the book).

Feel free to chime in with anything you have to share about the book, otherwise, here's some conversation starters:

What do you like/dislike about Claire as the heroine of the book?

What do you find believable/unbelievable about the relationship between Claire and Jamie?

Do you think Diana Gabaldon paints a realistic picture of historical Scotland? Why, or why not?

Wow! Discussion questions and everything!

I'm through the first three parts of the book, but then ended up putting it away for a bit. I was enjoying it, but needed to cool off for a bit!

I plan to pick it up again soon, though I've just entered a bit of a reading slump this weekend. My beach trip should cure me, so I'll join in soon.

I will start by saying, I am not a fan of the whole series. I like Outlander and the following two, but don't like the rest of the series.

I like them for slush reading, and I am willing to believe that SOME of the story is realistic......other parts I suspend belief while I'm reading.

The three main problems I have are:

SPOILER AHEAD

I find it difficult to work out how she can forgive him so easily with the whole 'beating' episode, and gets over things so quickly. For a woman who is supposed to be '20th century' to accept it and not hold it against him for a LONG time, well, it just trivialises domestic violence as far as I'm concerned.

I also don't like how little she appears to feel for Frank. Yeah, she has problems and then chooses to stay with Jamie, but seems to feel no remorse or think of Frank at all after that point.

SPOILER END

And the main thing I find intensely tedious.......the idea that sex fixes/cures all problems and situations!! "Oh, lets have a quick roll in the hay........inn.........woods........wherever we happen to be, and now everything is miraculously made better."

If that is what sex is supposed to do, I would imagine a large number of us are doing it wrong!!!!!!!!!!

That said, I do enjoy them as long as I turn off my realism button.

I read this book years ago when it first came out and enjoyed it. That being said, the book was originally marketed as a romance, as in the romance section of the bookstore. Since it was, in my opinion, a paranormal romance, I didn't think twice about Claire falling in love with Jaime so quickly and her "forgetting" about Frank. When reading romance novels, you have to suspend reality for a bit and I didn't think differently when I read this.

For the most part, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series with some installments being much better than others. I also have listened to the audio versions and I must say, the reader does a FABULOUS job and really makes the story come alive.

Oh boy, I'm excited I'll have to come back to this thread when I'm not at work.

Making a thread for a book is the quickest way to bump it up my TBR list! ;-)

So, I've been trying to think of how to answer the questions, and here's what i've discovered. I don't seem to know why I like the books. I find the relationship to be both believable and unbelievable. Believable because of their arguments, unbelievable for some solutions to their problems.

I think the picture she paints of Scotland is spot on.

For now that's all I can come up with, give me time and I'm sure I'll be able to better articulate why I like the books.

Well, if the someone who was in Scotland just over a week ago thinks it that was done well, that's pretty good.

Is anyone else finding that this book makes them REALLY want to go to Scotland??? :) It's always been high up on my places to visit someday, but now I wanna go there even more.

Potential Spoilery Stuff (I'm about 150 pages from the end of the book)

And to answer my own questions, I like Claire as the heroine, but I do think she gives up on Frank a little too easily. I also think it's odd that when she says things from her own time people don't question her more or think she's crazy.

One of the things I like about her relationship with Jamie though is how they both keep their feelings guarded. For some reason, I found it really realistic that they were both falling for the other but each assumed that the other was only in it for the marriage of necessity. I like how they came to love each other more and admit their feelings over the time they were together.

End possible spoilery stuff

Overall I'm really impressed with the book and very much enjoying it!

Trust if you ever go to Scotland, after reading these books, you'll fall in an even deeper love with them and with Scotland.

It's been a looong time since I posted in HE, but I still follow the threads and I'm so excited you all are reading this book. I loved Outlander although I took issue with some of the same things that caused the frustrations expressed above about realism, etc. I think a certain amount of suspended disbelief (is that the right term?) is needed.

For those who are audiobook fans, I highly recommend the unabridged recordings narrated by Davina Porter. They are fabulous -- her voice is perfect.

edited to clarify

>11 missylc: & >4 mfbarry:--I totally agree listen to these on audio I fell in love with this whole series I even have the countdown widget for Echo in the Bone on my blog! Which I think I'll have to read and wait till the price of the audio goes down!
I actually avoided these books for years thinking they were romance and I am so glad a reliable person told me no you should really read those!
So thats my 2 cents worth,I hope you enjoy the whole series elb.

I read Outlander over the weekend. It was pretty good, but I don't know if I liked it enough to go on with the series. Lunacat (post #3) pretty much sums up my reservations.

SPOILERS:

Claire seems to accept what's happened to her far too easily. She gives her upbringing (Uncle Lamb taking her to all sorts of less developed places) as an excuse for how she's settled in, but I still don't really buy it. I'm also more "Team Frank" than "Team Jamie," actually. I feel like Frank got the short end of the stick.

END SPOILERS

I would like to go to Scotland some day! I will take Mandy's word for it that Gabaldon's portrayal is accurate. ;-)

POSSIBLE SPOILER FOR LATER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

For Foggi but you do not have to read if you fear spoiler, I just wanted to say that if you continue in the series you may switch teams.

END SPOILER!!

I'm starting to feel Outlander pull at me again. Might be finishing it off soon...

Half way through An Echo in the Bone It is WONDERFUL so far!!!!

totally resisted buying it at Walmart the other day..."you're here to buy groceries" I kept saying to myself. "You have to re-read the previous one first," I keep insisting to myself. "You know you won't get anything else done if you start it."

On the other hand, "You have that birthday check just sitting there." "That other stuff can wait." "You can probably remember everthing that happened before."

Which me is going to win this conversation?

Echo in the Bone was Fantastic! But I think this has to be the biggest cliffhanger she's left in the whole series!I did not want to see it end!

I haven't finished yet, but I had to come say that after reading for a couple of hours this morning, all of my thoughts are occurring in a Scottish accent. For example, on the way to PetSmart with Miles, he was leaning out the window of the car and I thought "careful, puppy, so ye dona get hurt." At least I'm not talking that way -- only thinking -- or I may have gotten some strange looks while chatting with people at the pet store!

I know what you mean lefty I find myself thinking you ken instead of you know lol

lefty & susie - I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who does that! I'm approx. 3/4 through and as always, I am completely enthralled...

Finished! The rest of this post will contain spoilers.

I don't know that I would care to read the rest of the series except for two things: 1) Mandy's teaser in post 14 and 2) to see how time travel "problems" are worked out (i.e. Captain Randall's early demise).

Overall I liked the book but it was longer than I felt necessary. A couple too many near-death misses perhaps. Definitely too much nakedness for my prudish self. But the story was certainly enjoyable. Frank does seem to have gotten the short end of the stick, but I'm holding out on choosing a "team." My initial reaction was to be team Frank, especially after the beating, but Jamie redeemed himself throughout after that incident.

I was fine with how quickly Claire got used to her new surroundings because I thought she was just not the sort of person to get ruffled. If I ever found myself suddenly 200 years in the past, I am sure that after my initial shock and confusion I would settle in well enough because I am really that easy going. Especially since Claire didn't have much family in her present. Missing family would probably be my only real problem.

El, I agree that Claire and Jamie's relationship is built realistically. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. It made Jamie's troubles towards the end more painful knowing how close the two had become.

who's the spoilers here?