Friday, December 13, 2013

3...2...1...Magic!

So...I admit I went into this a little skeptically.  I read this book in high school at the insistence of a friend.  I put it off for a while then picked it up one rainy afternoon and...resumed normal function some time the next day after having read straight through the night.  Wow, did this book ever rock my little boat.

So of course I expected to be a little disappointed.  When I read this the first time I was about 16 and the entire premise of a sexual relationship with anyone existed entirely in the realm of someday.  The protagonist was an impossibly old 27...which now seems impossibly young.  I had the paperback with the gold finish the first go round...this time I read it on kindle.  I expected it to be different...and it was...but underneath the perspective changing layers of added years and sterilizing effect of technology the magic is still there. 

It begins with a reunion in the Scottish Highlands.  Claire and her husband of 8 years Frank have been separated by war for the majority of their marriage and are navigating that weird intimate space of known but unfamiliar.  They have been living separate lives...faithfully on her part and less certainly on his.

The first genuinely spooky event that I somehow sort of missed the significance of the first go 'round happens in fact to Frank as he spots a man looking up at Claire as she stands in the window.  It seems relevant to me now that he seemed angry or unhappy.  Since I have not yet finished the series this little nugget is distinctly golden.  Frank is as scared shitless  unnerved by this apparition as anyone would be and I find his emotional reaction entirely legit.  His rational mind still saying lover and ironically still finding lover less threatening than ghost.  Since we are beginning the story on the back end of a bloody horrific war I have to wonder why it couldn't be both.  But whatever.  No asked me.  Proceed with your story Diana Gabaldoon. 

We learn through the rest of the chapter that Claire is clever, outspoken, a little clumsy, and not quite as socially graceful as her position and certainly her husbands position requires. And she sort of doesn't care.  Which is awesome, but I have to wonder how realistic it is that there wouldn't be like...real conflict...if her behavior starts impacting his career.  Or something.  Today though, it's awesome and I leave you with this juicy morsel to whet your appetite for next chapter.

No, I decided. Dropping the teapot was a perfectly normal reaction. Dropping it into Mr. Bainbridge’s lap was merely an accident of placement; I had to drop it somewhere. It was my exclaiming “Bloody fucking hell!” in a voice that topped Mr. Bainbridge’s heartcry that had made Frank glare at me across the scones.
Gabaldon, Diana (2004-10-26). Outlander: with Bonus Content (p. 11). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Chapt 1 coming tonight

...after I have put the assorted vomiting and/or feverish children to bed and crossed my fingers that we make it through the night without full bedding changes.

Friday, December 6, 2013

By amazing coincidence

Outlander is scheduled to be a T.V. series in 2014.

Here is the IMDB profile:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3006802/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1


Interesting. 

Welcome travelers



This blog exists because drugging unwilling discussion partners is illegal. 

Requests are welcome, books will be reviewed and discussed chapter by chapter.

The first book selected is "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldoon.  I was stiff armed into reading this in high school, then mildly obsessed for a few years afterward.  By mildly of course what I mean is that the paternity of my children may have been impacted by one of the main characters.  I've got my copy ready to go.  Chapt 1 review will be posted by 9 am Monday morning.