Outlander reread | 5 star review

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander #1
Published by Dell Publishing Company on July 26, 2005
Pages: 850
Goodreads

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just 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 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 is catapulted 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 love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

My first book of 2021 and was a beast. Starting the year off strong and with something I knew I loved. A safe bet was a reread of Outlander. This book fills me with so much love and excitement and just pure romance feels. The length of the story and the way that everything falls into place over the dual storylines and timelines is beautifully done. Plus the fact that I may be slightly in love with Jamie doesn’t do this book any harm. I will say I did rate this one as a five star and I did love the reread but I don’t think this is a series that I could reread over and over again, purely because some parts did start to drag because I was waiting for things I knew were going to happen.

Characters in Outlander

The characters especially the male characters are usually my favourite in this book for the obvious reason. I definitely wouldn’t be running back to modern day if I had myself a Jamie. The banter between Jamie and Claire is some of my favourites. There is something beautiful and fated between them even though it is strained. Their relationship carries the entire book which at times can make the rest of the content feel a little boring. But that can be my personal experience and because it was an Outlander reread.

I will say that one relationship I loved this time round was Jenny and Jamie. Plus, seeing how they reacted to everything that had happened to them both. Watching them work out who they were was so expressive of what they had been through. Also who they were as people. It was also a great way to see how Claire integrated into family life. Also how they could have a normal life together away from the drama. Definitely one of my favourite parts of this one.

Good and bad bits in my Outlander reread

The best bit of this Outlander reread for me is the romance and the clan politics. Which seem like to very different things to think of as being the best bits. But I love the in-depth look into each of the clans gives us. How it really showed the ins and outs of the relationships formed and the politics of everything that was happening helped build them with strong foundations. For someone who has no knowledge about the Scottish Highlands and the history, this book definitely shows the inside of what was going on within the clans at the time.

I don’t think there are worst bits for me, there are definitely parts that I don’t enjoy as much as others and think become a little blurred and ended up dragging a little. Such as whether Outlander needed to be as long as it was, there are moments that definitely drive the plot and story forward but there is also a lot of filler content.

I would recommend this book, especially if you’re debating over picking it up! It’s got really good bones and I’m definitely looking forward to picking up the rest of the series!

Have you read this one? What did you think?