Outlander by Diana Gabaldon review!!

Hey Everyone,

in Australia, we are currently in the holidays between term 3 and 4. So this is giving me a lot of great reading time, which means that i can finally read a long book that i have been dying to read for ages but have never gotten a chance to read because it took too much time and concentration. As you may have already figured out, the book im talking about is OUTLANDER!!!!!

Before you start reading, you must know that there are SPOILERS in this summary! If you don't want to read the biggest spoiler, do not read past the photo of the Scots :)

Enjoy! 

Summary: After separation by their work in World War II, British Army nurse Claire Randall and her husband Frank, a history professor, go on a second honeymoon to Inverness, Scotland, where Frank conducts research into his family history and Claire goes plant-gathering near standing stones on the hill of Craigh na Dun. She faints when investigating a buzzing noise near the stones; upon waking, she encounters Frank's ancestor, Captain Jack Randall. Before Captain Randall can take her into his custody, he is knocked unconscious by a Scotsman who takes Claire to his party. When the Scots try to repair the dislocated arm of their comrade Jamie, Claire uses her superior skill to relocate Jamie's arm; whereupon the men identify themselves as members of Clan MacKenzie, and Claire eventually concludes that she has traveled to the past, and represents herself as an English widow who is traveling to France to see her family. The Scots do not believe her and take her to Castle Leoch, where Claire searches for a way to return to her own time.

The Scots see Claire as a "Sassenach", an Outlander, ignorant of Scottish Highland culture. Her medical skills earn their respect; but the clan chieftain, Colum MacKenzie, suspects her of being an English spy. Colum sends her with his brother, Dougal, to collect rents and solicits donations for the Jacobites. This is overseen by Ned Gowan, a lawyer from Edinburgh made part of Clan MacKenzie. Captain Randall tells Dougal to bring Claire to him for questioning. To keep Claire from Randall, Dougal tells her to wed Jamie, which she does. Torn between her attachment to Jamie and the thought of Frank, Claire tries to return to Craigh na Dun. When prevented, Claire accepts the position of castle healer, in which she relies on her medical experience, and befriends Geillis Duncan, the wife of a local official, who shares her love of medicine. Eventually Claire and Geillis are charged with witchcraft while Jamie is away, but Jamie returns in time to save Claire. Just before their escape, Claire realizes that Geillis is, like herself, from the future, when she sees asmallpox vaccine scar on Geillis' arm. Geillis also sees Claire's scar.

Claire relates her predicament, and Jamie takes her to Craigh na Dun. When Jamie allows her to decide whether to stay with him or return to Frank, Claire prefers to stay, and Jamie takes her to his home of Lallybroch, where they share a happy peace with Jamie's sister Jenny and her husband, Ian. Though Jamie is still a fugitive from the British army, he reclaims his position as Laird of Lallybroch until one of his tenants betrays him and he is taken to Wentworth Prison, where Captain Randall is stationed. Claire and the clansmen attempt a jail-break, but fail and Claire is captured by Randall, who threatens to have her raped. Jamie offers himself in Claire's place, and Randall ejects Claire into the woods outside the castle. Claire tells Randall that she is a witch and predicts that, after his marriage, he shall father a child, but never see it. Thereafter Claire is befriended by Sir Marcus MacRannoch, a former suitor of Jamie's mother. While MacRannoch's men distract Wentworth's main guard, the clansmen drive a herd of agitated cattle through the underground halls of the castle, trampling a man. They rescue Jamie, who has been assaulted physically and sexually by Randall, and take him to MacRannoch's stronghold, where Claire tends the worst of Jamie's wounds. As soon as Jamie is capable, they and Jamie's godfather, Murtagh, escape to Saint Anne de Beaupre's monastery in France, where Jamie's uncle is Abbot. As she and Jamie emerge from a sacred hot spring under the Abbey, Claire reveals that she is pregnant.

Originally Published: June 1, 1991
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Original Language: English
Followed by: Dragonfly In Amber, Voyager, Drums Of Autumn, ABreath Of Snow and Ashes
Page count: 640
Main Characters: Jamie Fraser and Claire Randal 


So, as you can probably tell by the summary, this is an amazing book with an amazing storyline! the characters are great too, specially Jamie (and just letting you know, he is mine. jks). There is so much action and then again so much romance in it. the book just grabs you from the second you start reading it; this is probably because she travels through the stones in one of the very first chapters, but its still amazing. 


Im just gonna write down some reasons why you should read this book and some reasons why I loved it:
1. as I said before, the Plot of the Story is great. Very different to any other books Ive read before. 
2. Characters. It may sound lame, but in this book, you get to know the characters so well because it is such a long book and so many things happen to them. And I specially like one character... you can pobably work that out by yourselves. 
3. Time Traveling. I mean! who has never dreamed of travelling through time. Well Diana makes this dreams come true; the book makes you travel to the 17 hundreds, which is in fact a time where lots of things happened in Scotland... and that leads me into the next point.
4. Scotland, Scots, War. yes! all of this things are part of the book. 
- Scotland: i personally love it. Everything about it is amazing (maybe not the weather...), but anyway. the accent, the traditions, everything about it is amazing. And I specially like the book because it takes place in the Old Scotland (1700s) which sound like a stunning place. 
- Scots: can we just talk about their kilts! 
- War: in case you didnt know, there was a war between the scots and the english during the 17 hundreds and that is exactly when Claire lands. the is the middle of the war. And can I just say, the is an English woman walking around Scotland during a time of war. Suspicious... yeah, thats what the scots thought
5. For any age. There is something about this book that makes it suitable for any mature reader. I often read YA books, but i still loved this book, which is an adult book. I dont know why that is, but I just thought it was amazing even thought it wasnt supposed to be read by someone my age. I am sure that adults who enjoy reading would love reading this book and any young adults that like reading long book would like it too. 


For all of you people who do not enjoy reading that much, you can still find out what is Claire Randal story by WATCHING THE TV SHOW.
The TV show is so, so, so good. Its really similar to the book, i think one of the best if not the best book to TV show adaptations I know and I have watched. And the last reason why the TV show is so great, is because the actor are stunningly good! 


Jamie Fraser is played by Sam Heugham



 Claire Randall is played by Caitriona Balfe

 Frank and Jonathan Wolverntorn Randall are played by Tobias Menzies





Hopefully this Post has encouraged you to read or watch Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. 


Please leave any book recommendation in the comment box below :)