Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

By: Unknown on Thursday, December 18, 2014

Title:  Outlander
Series:  Outlander #1
Author:  Diana Gabaldon
Published:  April 28/06 by Recorded Books (1st published 1991)
Length:  327pgs
Format:   audio book
Genre:  historical/time travel romance
Shelf:  borrowed
Rating: ★★★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone 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 Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

My Review:

This is an imaginative and unforgettable and imaginative novel brought to life through Gabaldon’s phenomenal storytelling. The tone of the writing changed throughout to highlight the action or events of the current section of the book. Gabaldon’s eloquent and very vivid descriptions paint this world in stark clarity before your eyes. I couldn’t help but picture it all. This novel is fantastically well written. Gabaldon engaged my heart and my mind throughout.

Gabaldon creates some charmingly realistic characters that pull you back in time. Getting to know the well-developed cast was a real treat. The main characters were simply unforgettable. Gabaldon develops them individually and together in a gradual yet in depth manner, allowing you to get to know them as well as your best friends. Being immersed in their lives, in situations so far from my own yet so realistic, was a fantastic escape from reality.

The enchanting narrator brings this story to life. She kept me entranced throughout. The variety of different character accents made everyone not only stand out but also come to life in a very vivid and realistic manner. I will admit, that I was quite worried about listening to the audio version considering the length of the story, but this narrator definitely held me captive.

This novel is the perfect match of author creativity & a narrator that can do it justice. I was captivated for the full 32hrs of play time. This is a brilliant story that I’d recommend to absolutely everyone. I will definitely be re-reading it many times over, both in print & audio format, and reading much more by this author.

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