Not a bad historical fantasy, but I have some issues with it. I kept postponing my reading until it was close to the due date at the library. Even when I began reading and the deadline was drawing near, I kept looking longingly at the other books in my library book pile and had to force myself to keep going with this one.

First off, the book starts with Claire returning to Scotland (in the 20th century) with her grown-up daughter Brianna. They meet a charming young Scotsman, Roger MacKenzie, and there is an immediate spark between Brianna and Roger. That's all well and good, and I was interested in this new plot line. But does Gabaldon stick with it? No. Everything takes a sudden left turn, back into the past, and we're once again in time with Claire and Jamie. And there are hundreds of pages between the appearances of Roger and Brianna.

The historical fantasy aspect isn't bad, as far as historical fantasies go. It just wasn't what I was particularly interested in. Claire and Jamie, blah blah, Bonnie Prince Charlie, blah blah, Battle of Culloden, more blah. The manuscript is filled with all kinds of vignettes that do nothing to advance the action and only slowed me down (like when Claire and Jaime discover the cave paintings).

And this might sound very nitpicky, but she mentions birds in the book four times and only gets it right once. At the very beginning, chickadees are mentioned. Well, there are no chickadees in Scotland; they have related birds called tits. If Claire had seen/heard Blue Tits or Coal Tits, that would have been accurate, but not chickadees. At another point, Claire is woken by a mockingbird. Nope, there are no mockingbirds in France. Claire hears a meadowlark – impossible! Maybe a Skylark, but there are no meadowlarks in Europe. At least when Jamie feeds crumbs to some sparrows, she just leaves them as generic sparrows and doesn't assign a species. I even pulled out my "Birds of Europe with North Africa and the Middle East" to make sure I wasn't losing my mind, and it confirmed my thoughts. If you want accurate historical fiction, you can't just randomly stick North American birds into a novel set in Scotland and France!

Okay, my bird rant is over. I can tell how disengaged I was from the story that I was counting and evaluating the appearances of birds in the text.

One thing I did enjoy was the prominence of genealogical research in the plot. It turns out that Claire's 20th-century husband, Frank, fortunately included some of the characters in this narrative in his family tree and made enough of a fuss about it that Claire was aware of these details. She spends a fair amount of time convincing her 18th-century husband, Jamie, not to kill these relatives too soon to ensure that Frank will be born. There's more discussion of the paradox of time travel in this novel, and I liked those speculations.

Book number 283 in my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project.

Wow!

I am certain that all of the content in this book could be reduced by one-third.

Getting stuck in useless, if not uninteresting, details would be the downfall of those series.

It's still an engaging story, but wow, couldn't we make it less bulky?

For someone who pays so much attention to detail and emotion, the characters are still very clinical and somewhat dry and flat.

Despite all the sexual activity happening, I still don't believe in the passion of the Clare/Jamie connection.

I think in this particular volume, there was much more emotion and excitement in the several sentences between Mary and Alexander Randal.

As I was saying, less is more.

This book has its good points, but it could be improved by trimming the excess and adding more depth to the characters.

The story has the potential to be even more captivating if the author focuses on what really matters and eliminates the fluff.

Maybe with a bit of editing, this could become a truly outstanding series.

Resumen de lo que este libro ha hecho con mi vida:

How I have cried like crazy! This book has had a profound impact on my life. It has taken me on an emotional rollercoaster, making me experience a wide range of feelings. The stories and characters within its pages have touched my heart deeply. I have laughed, I have gasped in surprise, and yes, I have cried my eyes out. The author's writing style is so engaging that I couldn't put the book down. It has made me think about life, love, and everything in between. This book has truly become a part of me, and I will cherish the memories it has given me.

This book!! I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading the Outlander series. Despite the fact that each book has around 900 pages (or probably more), it doesn't matter.

Diana Gabaldon's way of storytelling is truly brilliant. Her books are amazingly written with an abundance of details and an incredible plot.

There is so much more in this book than just the story of Outlander. The first book was intense and mainly focused on the main characters. But in Dragonfly in Amber, there are numerous twists, wars, and some really shocking truths at the end!

The beginning was a bit slow, perhaps to explain the reason behind what had happened with Claire and Jamie. However, after some time, I was completely immersed in the story and the characters. I really liked some of the new characters, especially Fergus.

I didn't really care much about Roger's appearance in the beginning, even though he is going to play a role in the next books. All I care about is how the story of Jamie and Claire will progress in the upcoming books, and I don't mind reading about other characters along the way.

Oh, Jamie! I knew from the beginning what had happened, but still, the ending made me emotional. There were so many things happening in the last 100 or 150 pages, and it was heartbreaking to see the impact it had on Jamie and Claire's future.

I am going to read Voyager as soon as I am able to take on another heavy book. And after that ending, I'm really迫不及待 to see what will happen next!

Cliffhanger??? Really

Trigger warnings for discussions of rape and child abuse.

Dragonfly in Amber delves into Claire and Jamie's arduous attempt to prevent Bonnie Prince Charlie from igniting the Jacobite uprising. As history foretells, this uprising would culminate in the massacre of the Highlanders and the obliteration of the clan system. The book commences in the 20th century, presented from the perspective of Roger Wakefield, a historian whom Claire visits in her quest to uncover the fate of the Highlanders she interacted with in the past. Claire, now a doctor and widow of Frank Randall, is resolute not only in learning what transpired but also in revealing to her daughter Brianna the identity of her true father and the circumstances surrounding her birth.

The moment Claire commences recounting her time in France, the point of view shifts to hers, which is fortuitous as much of Roger's commentary fixates alternately on the beauty and sexual allure he feels towards Brianna and, of course, on how strong and beautiful he deems Claire to be.

We are nearly aware from the outset that Claire and Jamie's efforts to halt the uprising are in vain. Essentially, Dragonfly in Amber chronicles their failed political machinations. This can render the reading experience tedious at times, as there is a palpable sense of how the book will conclude. To relish this novel, as with the first, one must have faith in the relationship between Jamie and Claire.

I wish I could label Claire as a strong protagonist. I can clearly perceive the attempt to endow her with strength, such as when she contends with Jamie over the right to work as a nurse at the hospital during her pregnancy, unwilling to remain idle at home all day while he manages his cousin's shipping business. There is also her defiant bid to prevent Jamie from murdering Johnathon Randall, despite the man's torture and rape of him, in order to safeguard the possibility of Frank Randall's birth. Having decided to stay with Jamie, Claire is loath to forfeit the possibility of her marriage to Frank.

Regrettably, this is where Claire's strength wanes. For the most part, she is rather submissive to Jamie. She never refuses sex, even when Jamie utters remarks like wanting to use her. Am I expected to find this romantic? And when Claire has sex with the king of France to liberate Jamie from prison, his initial thought is not of the sacrifice she made for him but a desire to kill her for permitting another man to touch his property.

“Christ!” he said, and sat up suddenly, turning to face me. “Do ye not know what I…Claire.” He closed his eyes briefly, and took a deep breath. “I rode all the way to Orvieto, seeing it; seeing his hands on the white of your skin, his lips on your neck, his—his cock—I saw it at the lever—I saw the damn filthy, stubby thing sliding up…God, Claire! I sat in prison thinking ye dead, and then I rode to Spain, wishing to Christ ye were!” (pg 467)

Does Claire become incensed by Jamie's over possessiveness? Does Claire tell Jamie to go to hell in no uncertain terms? Of course not. Claire implores Jamie to punish her for her so-called betrayal.

“All right,” he whispered. His eyes bored into mine, daring me to close them, forcing me to hold his gaze. “All right. And ye wish it, I shall punish you.” He moved his hips against me in imperious command, and I felt my legs open for him, my gates thrown wide to welcome ravishment. (pg 478)

Both Jamie and Claire employ the term "mine" to refer to the other, but Jamie's possessive remarks are disconcerting, considering his beating of Claire in the previous book and his threats of violence in this one. Are we truly supposed to believe this is a love match when Claire has to constantly remind Jamie of his promise not to beat her again and at times seems to outright dread him?

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I have finally completed the second book of the series!

And it was truly, truly excellent.

I don't believe I loved it to the same extent as the first book, yet it was most definitely worthwhile to read.

I have a deep affection for Jamie and Claire ♥

This book was more vivid and detailed than the first one......and perhaps a great deal more heart-wrenching.

There was a lot of madness and a great deal of drama as well.

I am most definitely excited to discover what the third book has in store :)

I can't wait to see how the story progresses and what new adventures and challenges Jamie and Claire will face.

The author has done an amazing job of creating a captivating world and characters that I have become deeply invested in.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a touch of romance and adventure.

This book was truly great. However, you need to get through a rather slow part towards the middle.

But once you manage to overcome that hurdle, it's like a whole new world opens up. Wow! The ending is just fabulous.

And there is definitely more of Jamie in this one. He is such a loveable character.

Just listen to this line: 'And here I thought I married you because ye had a fair face and fine fat arse. To think you've a brain as well!' That's our Jamie for you, always full of charm and unexpected remarks.

Overall, despite the slow middle part, the book is well worth reading for its amazing ending and the wonderful presence of Jamie.

Why did I wait so long to delve back into this world?

It's a question that has been lingering in my mind ever since I decided to take this step. Maybe it was fear, or perhaps it was a lack of confidence.

But now, as I look back, I realize that I was missing out on so much. This world is full of opportunities, challenges, and experiences that I have only just begun to discover.

I have met new people, learned new skills, and broadened my horizons in ways that I never thought possible.

It makes me wonder what else I could have accomplished if I had not waited so long.

However, I also know that everything happens for a reason, and perhaps this delay was necessary for me to grow and mature in other areas of my life.

Now that I am here, I am determined to make the most of every moment and not let anything hold me back.

I am excited to see where this journey takes me and what new adventures await.

Bueno, te diré, Sassenach. Perhaps "light" may not be the first word that comes to one's mind when thinking of you, as he said. But I can talk to you as if you were my own soul. Moreover, your face is my heart.

Can we talk about the wonderful, romantic, and excellent character that is Jamie Fraser? I had never known a character as wonderful as him. He has it all. He is romantic, yet brave. He gives everything for his loved ones and the people he values, and still remains honest and upright.

I feel that if the world were full of Jamies Fraser, the world would be a much better place. And if we add the face he has in the series... you couldn't help but fall in love in the same way.

Lo sé, he said. I know, my love. Let me tell you how much I love you while you sleep. I can't express to you how much I love you when you're awake; only the same words, over and over again. While you sleep in my arms, I can tell you things that would sound stupid when awake, but in your dreams, you'll know the truth. Go back to sleep, mo duinne.

This book, at first, I wasn't going to give it five stars. Because you start with Claire being in the present (of the time when she was born) and being separated from Jamie Fraser for 20 years. Then she starts telling us how she got there, but very briefly, and then goes completely to the past without returning to her time. She begins to relive everything she lived since they left the cell of Culloden.

Ay, Claire, I love you so much that my heart breaks.

Then I was only waiting for the reunion... the whole book, it was my only concern and motivation. But let me tell you, that the reunion doesn't occur in this book, but until the next one. So that you don't despair and get frustrated like I did. In this book, it focuses only on how Jamie and Claire Fraser are going to prevent the Stuarts from reaching the throne, since Claire knows that everything is going to end badly. So she tries to prevent a historical event. Will they succeed? You'll have to read the book to find out.

¿Crees que no lo sé? Soy yo quien tiene ahora la parte más fácil. Because if you feel for me what I feel for you, then I'm asking you to tear out your heart and live without it. But you must do it, mon duinne. My brave lioness. You must do it.

It was one of my best reads of the year and it was an excellent book to end my 2020.

Jamie… sólo quiero estar donde tú estés. Nada más.

For if you feel for me as I do for you - then I am asking you to tear out your heart and live without it.

Twenty-odd years after Outlander, Claire Randall and her daughter, Brianna, return to the Scottish Highlands. Claire goes to a local historian, Roger, to find out what happened to the men she knew from her time in the 1740’s—and to learn what happened to beloved Jaime Frasier.

I just finished this audiobook, and I’m still scraping myself off the floor. This was a really good book—really long, but really good.

It’s funny; after finishing Outlander, I really had no desire to pursue the story. The book was good, no doubts (Claire was awesome, the chemistry between her and Jaime pretty good, the surroundings amazing), but I was a little disturbed about the focus on abuse and the disappearing plot. Imagine my surprise when, out of the blue, I was craving to read Diana Gabaldon! I have never experienced such a longing to read an author or to go back to a world before. So I hunted down an audiobook copy (because, damn, does Davina do a brilliant job with this audiobook!) and began.

Boy, was I surprised when the book opened with a third person point of view of a character we’d never seen before with Claire and her 20 year old daughter! I was asking my friends, who had read the books, “Am I reading the right one? What happened to Jaime and Claire?” They told me to hang in there, the book would get to them shortly. And they were right; after about three discs, the book went back to Jaime and Claire and the fun times began again.

Our characters return in all their brilliant glory. In fact, I may love them even more than in the first book, specifically Jaime, whom in Outlander I thought was a decent guy, but here, I really “fell in love” with him. Claire Frasier has got to be one of the best female characters I’ve read. She remains strong-willed, independent, but is still loving, caring, and kind. She doesn’t feel the need to act masculine, nor is she a wimp. With so many books focusing on women who need a man to swoop in a rescue them, it was so nice to see a positive female role model.

Jaime, as I said above, was deliciously charming. I loved his over-protectiveness, and yet he still gave Claire space and respected her, when it wasn’t uncommon for men of the time to treat their wives badly. Sure, there were times he crossed the line, but I think he, overall, was a good example of a man: strong, caring of his wife, but not dominating.

There were tons of other sidelong characters, from Jaime’s sister, Jenny, to Claire’s French friend, Louise, to the little boy that attends Jaime and Claire, Fergus. While I can’t remember all their names, and I often had trouble keeping them straight, they really brought life to the story. Fergus is so adorable; Louise, while “simple”, was a fairly good friend; the Mother from the hospital was another character I really liked. All of them were interesting and didn’t feel clichéd.

What I found remarkable about this book is how Jaime and Claire can be married and are even MORE interesting than when they are single. So many books/series/movies/TV shows base most of their plot on the “will they/won’t they?” but Diana Gabaldon proves that a book can survive without that old plotline. Jaime and Claire are an amazing couple; they have great chemistry, love each other unconditionally (even through a very challenging period, in which they hate each other and are apart for a while!), and work together as a team.

If there are any problems that I had with this installment, it would be with the plot. I didn’t like the opening in modern day; I didn’t like Brianna or Roger. Claire has always been grounded and realistic; she never whined about being ugly, but she never denied she was attractive. Brianna feels like a Mary Sue: she is gorgeous and lovely, intelligent and bewitching. Even given that these descriptions come from Roger’s point of view, it’s still too much. Roger himself is another boring character; he has none of the charm that Jaime has and feels more like a prop, something to hold up the plot.

Back to the plot itself: it was confusing for me (since I didn’t pay attention to the blurb) when I opened the book to be catapulted into “modern day” with a 40-something Claire and her 20 year old daughter. I kept wondering what happened and what I missed. Did I skip a book? If it hadn’t been for my friends, telling me that I was on the right path and would find out shortly, I might have given up reading this all together. The modern day story is boring, constructed only to make finding out what happened “in the past” more interesting and mysterious; only, I wish it had all been jettisoned. Outlander worked fine being all in the past; I’m not sure why the change was made. Even finding out about Geelis at the end didn’t make the modern section any better.

Once the plot returns to the 1740’s, it fares much better. It moves along quite nicely, for the most part. I was definitely happy to see the numerous conversations about Jaime’s beatings reduced, along with a few less sexy times. However, there are parts where the story seems to grind to a halt or just doesn’t go anywhere; it also felt a little too much in places (all the traveling Claire and Jaime do, from Lallybroch to Edinburgh to the front lines, etc.).

Even with its faults, I still enjoyed myself as Davina took me through Scotland. The characters are brilliant, the setting told in amazingly careful detail, and the story was interesting and unique. I don’t know why, but I find myself liking Dragonfly in Amber even more than Outlander. I will definitely be hunting down an audiobook version of Voyager.

While I have a great affection for the ongoing story of Claire and Jamie, I have to admit that this particular book felt a bit overly verbose. Indeed, they are a captivating couple, but when we are privy to every single thought that Claire has, it can become rather tiresome.

Nevertheless, I still believe that the characters are quite exciting and the story is engaging. However, the never-ending nature of this novel truly made me eager for the conclusion.

Once again, we are taken back in time to the era of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the events surrounding his campaign to claim the throne. Jamie, with his dashing good looks, charm, and virility, is a joy to read about, especially with his clever witticisms and banter with Claire. (Let's not forget his sexual prowess!) Claire, on the other hand, remains cute and deeply in love, but she is constantly reminiscing about the past and her first husband. I absolutely adore the beautiful ways in which Jamie expresses his love for Claire. He is truly a woman's dream when it comes to romance and adventure.

As the tale progresses and meanders towards its conclusion, my love for Claire began to wane. Her tasks seemed overly burdensome, and her unwavering staunchness was a bit too much for my taste. Coming from modern times, I would have expected her to complain a little, but no, our Claire soldiers on without a second thought about the danger, unpleasantness, and downright terrible living conditions. :)

Despite this, I do plan to continue the series eventually. It will be fascinating to see how the next five (or is it six...yikes!) books unfold. I just need to dedicate six, seven, eight... months of my life to reading them.