Outlander

I really wanted to love this book and I think that's where the downfall started for me. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but this story fell short of expectations...maybe it was the setting, maybe it was the prose, or maybe it was just the length of the novel. I don't know... but at one point the story just plateaued for me and I just wanted the book to end.

One thing that really disappointed me was the fact that we never get to fully understand why Claire gets to travel back in time... Was it magic that led Claire through the stone? Was it genetics? Was it some sort of time warp thing? In addition to this, the author does not explain how Claire's actions and choices effect what happens during her own time (has this happened already, or is she actively changing the timeline?). Exploring these questions are one of the reasons time travel books are so interesting to me. The book is told from Claire's POV and since she doesn't know how or why she became lost in time, nor how her actions will effect the future, then we shouldn't; however, I felt cheated as a reader. After 500+ pages of reading, there is nothing but romance and more romance. The only time travel descriptions we get is the odd sensations Claire experiences when she touches the rocks on Craig na Dun, and a half-assed explanation from one of the monks about how all our actions effect the future, etc...(side note: I actually digged this conversation Claire has with Brother WhatsHisName. I think it really helped heal her, but it did nothing to assuage my curiosity about the whole time-traveling aspect of this book).

That being said, the overall book was interesting and I didn't hate it. There were definitely parts that I really enjoyed reading and I am still really excited for the STARZ TV series to come out. I think Diana Gabaldon does a great job with dialogue and really defines each of her characters. Will I be picking up the rest of the books in this series? Nope, I'll be content with just watching how the rest of this story unfolds on screen.

3 out of 5 stars.

Also, check out the trailer while you're at it: https://www.goodreads.com/videos/57817-outlander-starz-first-look-trailer