Book Review: Outlander

On my flight home from Emily and Henry's wedding a couple of weeks ago, my airplane neighbor and I got to talking about books.  Surprisingly, she and I had similar taste enjoying such novels as The Hunger Games, the Twilight Saga, Divergent/Insurgent, and the like.  After exchanging a number of suggestions back and forth (for instance, I was adamant that she read the Tiger's Curse series), she assured me that I must read Outlander by author Diana Gabaldon.

I was a bit skeptical when I found out that the book fell under the genre of historical fiction.  As you all know, historical books are not normally my sort of thing.  I am a fiction girl at heart, preferably young adult fiction with a little utopia/dystopia thrown into the mix, but 100% fiction for sure.  Regardless, since we had so many other book interests in common, I decided to head to my local library and give it a shot (I decided on the library because, honestly, who wants to waste $15.00 on a book they aren't even sure they will like?).  In the end, I read the 625+ page book in under a week and LOVED IT!  My best description of Outlander goes something like this:

1 Part The Time Traveler's Wife + 1 Part Braveheart = Outlander

Summary:

Claire Randall is leading a double life.  She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon - when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles.   

Suddenly she is a Sassenach - an "outlander" - in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743. 

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny is soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch.  She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart.  For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Interesting Side note: When I Googled the author, I found out that Diana Gabaldon is actually a Dr.!  In fact, she holds three degrees in science: Zoology, Marine Biology, and Quantitative Behavioral Ecology, and spent a dozen years as a university professor before beginning to write fiction - none of which has anything to do with her Outlander novels.  I guess that just goes to show me/you/us that we can never really know what God has in store for our lives; so we might as well enjoy the ride!

Review:

As explained in the Adams County Book Reviews:

Part romance, part historical fiction, with a dash of science fiction...this book appeals to readers of basically any genre.  But, don't let the romance descriptive deter you from trying this - people I know who despise romance novels cannot believe how much they enjoyed reading this book and the series...Gabaldon's extensive research is evident in the descriptions of the 17th century and the conflicts of that era between the Scottish clans and the British.

From the start, I found myself liking the character of Claire.  She is strong, resourceful, adaptable, and underneath it all, an incredible partner, lover, and friend.  Jamie, too, is one of my favorite male literary characters.  Although his behavior is sometimes a bit archaic in terms of gender relations, it is understandable when placed within the confines of his place in history.  Outside of that, he is - above all else - honorable, a man who always seeks to find himself on the right side of justice.  In fact, he reminds me immensely of William Wallace's character in Braveheart: incredibly ruthless at times, willing do do whatever is necessary to stand up for what he believes is right, but ultimately a loving and patriotic family man.

Main protagonists aside, Outlander "is not a light-hearted read, for sure.  There's a very high body count, and some brutal torture scenes."  Regardless, for me, all of that just made the story "ring true."  In the end I was left satisfied by the "epic-style adventure and truly satisfying romance." (Source)

After finishing Outlander yesterday afternoon, I immediately headed back to the library to pick up book two in the series, Dragonfly in Amber.

Unfortunately, it was checked out. :(  

Instead, I picked up another dystopian YA novel to keep me occupied until Dragonfly is returned.  I will let you know about my thoughts on this continuing series in future posts!

Question of the Day:


In the spirit of historical fiction: what is one event, time in history, or culture that you are interested in learning more about?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Book Review: Insurgent (Book II of the Divergent Trilogy)

I finished Insurgent - a 544 page book - in two days.  

That means I read over 250 pages a day.  

(No, I didn't just sit on the couch all day.  I still taught yoga, I still cooked, I still played with Lola, and I still talked to my husband.  But when I wasn't doing one of those four things, I read.)

And, to answer your question, YES, it was that good.

In case I haven't succeeded in peaking your interest quite enough, and you're wondering what Insurgent is all about, here is a brief description:

One choice can transform you - or it can destroy you.  But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves - and herself - while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors.  War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows.  And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable - and even more powerful.  Transformed by her own decisions, but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

First things first, I realize that this is ANOTHER dystopian novel.  I know, I know, you probably think that is all that I read, but really, it's not.  Right now, for instance, I am reading a historical fiction novel and loving it.  But that's besides the point.  My point is that yes, this is a dystopian novel, but don't discount it just because you think that you don't like this genre, or you think that all of the novels in this genre are essentially the same.  Trust me, they aren't.  They are as unique to one another as coffee is to marinara sauce (that's my very awkward way of saying that,  although they are all books, they have totally different flavors).  Take for instance, the author's explanation as to why she connects to the dystopian field of writing:

[There are times when] everything seems like the end of the world, and I don't think that's necessarily a silly thing.  You're waking up and becoming aware that the worlds has problems and those problems affect you, whereas when you're [a child] they don't seem to affect you that much even if you're aware of them.  This dystopian trend picks up on that little part of your life where everything feels really extreme and it honors that part of your life by saying, "Yeah. It is the end of the world.  Let's look at it."

Just to catch you up, I read Divergent (the first book in Roth's trilogy) last May.  Quite unexpectedly, I fell totally in love with the book by page five.  Similar to my experience with Insurgent, I read the 500+ page novel in a couple of days.  And then, I had to wait over 11 months for Insurgent to be released.  The wait was more than worth it (as you will see in this review), but now I am stuck waiting another 12+ months for the final installment of the trilogy to be released.

But wait...

...let me back up...

...I'm getting ahead of myself.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term "insurgent" means:

• (noun): a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government; especially: a rebel not recognized as a belligerent

Tris is the quintessential insurgent.  First - and foremost for me as a reader - she is conflicted about the necessity of violence, and sometimes death, in times of societal rebellion.  In turn, Tris shuts off a large part of herself in an attempt to protect herself from future pain.  I understand that "gut reaction" sort of response because it is something that I, myself, do in times of extreme emotional stress.  On the other hand, Tris is resilient, honest to a fault, and frequently stubborn.  Although sometimes misdirected, her intentions are always pure.  As a female reader, I can relate to both Tris' sacrificial intentions and imperfections.  In this way, I feel a stronger connection to characters such a Tris and Katniss (from the Hunger Games), than say a character like Bella from Twilight (To all you Twilight devotees, don't get your panties in a twist, I am still as loyal a Twlight fan as ever!).

I recently read an interview with Divergent/Insurgent's author Veronica Roth.  In that interview, Roth is asked how her personal adolescent experience informed her writing of the trilogy.  Her response really hit home for me, and perhaps indicates why I am able to connect with the world she has created in her books:

As a teenager, I put a lot of pressure on myself, and a lot of that, for me, was about finding a moral high ground.  As I've grown up, I've decided to abandon that because it made me judgmental and also stressed me out.  There's really no way to be perfect.  Perfectionism is a silly trait to have, so in a lot of ways that inspired the world of "Divergent," in which everyone is striving toward that ideal and falling short of it.  Tris is a character who experiences that stress about, "Am I doing the right thing? I always have to do the right thing.  If I don't, what am I worth?"

Take that Perfection.  You have just been unceremoniously throw out of the window!

Insurgent left me flabbergasted!  

In the final two pages of the book there is a HUGE twist!  I knew that something was brewing throughout the book, but I would never have guessed what it was.

My jaw literally dropped when I read the last page.  

So I read it again.  

And then I read it a third time, just to make sure I had read it correctly the first two times.  

WOW.  

Don't get me wrong, I liked the twist.  It is a little crazy...certainly out-there...but it should make for a very interesting conclusion to the trilogy.  Unfortunately, I will have to wait over a year to see how it all shakes out.  Darn those trilogies and series!  Between:

• The Twilight Saga;
• The Hunger Games;
• Delirium/Pandemonium;
• the Tiger's Curse Series; and
• now the Divergent trilogy;

you think I would have learned my lesson by now, right?!  I guess I am more stubborn and like Tris than I realized...

Question of the Day:


What is your favorite genre of books to read (i.e. fiction, nonfiction, history/historical fiction, self-help, spiritual, wellness, young adult literature)?!

Also, if you have read any F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C. books recently tell me about them in the "Comments" below.  I am always looking for a great new book to read!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo