Like any hardcore bibliophile, I spent the holiday and day off of work buckling down to finish book seven in the Outlander series. I closed the book a couple of hours ago and had to let you all know what I thought!
This series has just fully engulfed me. Sometimes I wonder how this story can continue on after so long, but it's going strong and I'm not bored at all! Without further ado, let's discuss An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon!
Now, don't get me wrong, there are lulls in the book as you explore the story, but there has to be and here's why. There can't be action and romance filling the pages to the brim. There has to be an element of the mundane and everyday routine as well, otherwise it seems like the author is trying too hard to create something out-of-this-world. Having periods of normalcy folded within the pages makes it much more realistic and relatable when something big does happen.. and boy, does it!
At first, I wasn't particularly fond of the sudden changes in perspective that came with this story, but I knew Diana had a purpose in doing so. By including the POV chapters from John Grey and his stepson, William, as well as Claire with Jamie, and Brianna with Roger, it all tied the piece together nicely the further I went into the story. There is a method to the madness.
When we meet the characters in this story, we see that the American Revolution is bringing most of the them close... almost too close, and it leaves your heart in your throat to discover if their eventual paths crossing will be a good or a bad thing.
Brianna and Roger are back in the 20th century with their children and are staying close to Bri's parents through letters that were left to them in their inherited home. Claire and Jamie are trying to leave the war-torn colonies to be bound back to Scotland with Jamie's nephew Ian, but they keep having encounters with troops and also Lord John Grey, a part of Jamie's past that has very much become their present. With Grey comes William, the estranged and illegitimate son of Colonel Fraser.
It's quite hard to review these books without giving away too many spoilers. I know they've been available publicly for years, but for the sake of my friends who are reading this as I do, (and are in various stages of the process) I'm going to keep this short and sweet rather than take all the excitement out of your experience and relationship with these characters. All I will say, if you've been debating on picking up this series for any reason, hesitate no more and go grab them as soon as you can! They're phenomenal!
Tomorrow morning, I head into book eight, the final book in the series, (at least until book nine is released.. which, I'm sure, is a long way off still) and I do so with a mixture of pride and sadness. I'm proud I got through these monster installments while also having the sense of dread that all this time spent with with the Frasers and friends is coming to a close after we've spent the last few months together. I'll have to move on to a new book and new characters to meet. I haven't had a series quite take over my life the way this one has, but I'm glad it did. I can't wait to see what book eight has in store!
My Final Rating: five of five stars
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