Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, Book 2)
by Diana Gabaldon
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Book Reviews of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, Book 2)
Book Review: Mushy Dialogue and Excessive Use of Adverbs
Summary: 3 Stars
I actually started this book a year ago. The fact that I am just now writing this review because I've just now finished this book is telling in and of itself. After reading Outlander and LOVING it, I set sky high expectations for the rest of the series and delved into book 2 with lightning speed. After 500 pages of this romantic onslaught (which is only the half way point), my rocket paced enthusiasm was reduced to a mere farting noise. As so often happens when I read two books by the same author back to back, the stylistic flaws become blaringly obvious and in the case of Dragonfly, Gabaldon's honeydew dialogue and purple prose proved too much for my pallet.
To be fair, book two does pack its fair share of action, introduces a new cast of characters, and moves the landscape from the rugged highlands of Scotland to the metropolitan high life in Paris. But in spite of all this, the benefits of the story can not overcome the pitfalls of the writing. For example, after a scene where Clare and Jamie barely escape a life threatening situation by the skin of their teeth, Clare turns to Jamie and exclaims "Oh Jamie! I just want to make love to you!"
What?! That doesn't even make sense! You are almost killed, you've just gotten home, it is made expressly clear that you feel like hell and you want to make love? I mean maybe "Oh Jamie, open that whiskey I need to get drunk" or "Oh Jamie, let's call a therapist!" but not "let's make love". That's just ridiculous.
The other issue I have is with Gabaldon's apparent obsession with adverbs. There is not a SINGLE action that takes place without some descriptive word preceding it: "he handsomely ran across a field", "she tremblingly touched his glistening chest". OH MY GOD.
Will I continue with the rest of the series? Yes, because I've already bought the books. Will I enjoy them? Not likely.
Book Review: Dragonfly in Amber 5 stars
Summary: 5 Stars
I give Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series 5 stars +... Each book is absoltely attention grabbing.. Claire and Jamie are so perfect together and the details make the books so real that you can hear them talk while you read. Dragonfly picks up exactly where Outlander leaves off when you get past the initial 1969s part and drift back to the 18th century. Their lives are so real that you can see every moment in your head as if you were a part of it.
The details are so real you'd swear you'd actually seen Scotland in the 1740s. The Clans and their tartans are even accurate. Lord Lovet really was beheaded.. I did some internet searches for certain details.. The battle of Collouden.. forgive my spelling.. really happened. The stones on the battle field are actually there even today.
Some of the gaelic words that are in the books I tried to find in an online gaelic dictionary but they weren't there. But it's not a complete dictionary. I have been unable to find a full gaelic translation dictionary, but there very well might be one.
Reading these books makes me want to go to Scotland and see the country for myself.
I had only read about 150 pages of the first book when I came on amazon and bought the entire rest of the series. I stay up most of the night reading just because I can't stop.
This series is more addicting and more detailed then any other books I've ever read and more addicting even then Harry Potter.
If you love to read and you love historical and romance novels.. then this is a great book. Its got everything you'd ever want even mystery, suspence, drama, romance, war, travel, ocean travel... a lot of drunk scotsmen.. and humor.. parts will make you cry and parts will make you laugh.. parts will make you laugh til you cry or cry til you laugh.. Awsome books..
Book Review: Trying to Stop Bonnie Prince Charles in his Tracks!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Dragonfly in Amber" is the second book in Gabaldon's "Outlander" series.
Following hints from different Amazon Reviewers I decided to read the first volume of the series as it combine two of my favorite themes: time travel and historical novel.
I was hooked for good and devouring the first three steps of a sextet!
The time travel scheme is more an excuse to allow a modern glance to a historical period, registering and comparing situations with critical (and amusing) sight.
This second part, as it was the first volume, is a terrific historical novel. It is full of every day life details, accurate background and period reconstruction; now crossing the Channel and romping thru pre-revolutionary Paris before returning to Scotland and the doomed Restoration uprising.
The story continues with Clare & Jamie adventures when they try to stop Charles Stuart from starting the second Jacobite upheaval. To accomplish this feat they move to Paris and pose as wine dealers and Jacobite supporters, entering a maze of complex relations with many different groups.
The book starts and ends in 1968, introducing a new character: Brianna, daughter of Clare & Jamie. She is not an easy person to deal with but is as fascinating as her parents.
This is a book full of romance and cloak & sword adventure, yet there is some space to allow deep meditation on transcendent issues as honor, love and meaning of life.
To better enjoy reading this book I recommend to read first "Outlander", however if you are not inclined to do that, the author give enough clues of what has previously happened all along the story.
One last caution: there are several romantic yet explicitly sexual scenes and a couple of violent ones too. So I recommend this book to adult readers only.
Enjoy!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
Book Review: My favorite in the series
Summary: 5 Stars
I could write a million pages about how good the books in this series are. SERIOUSLY! Diana Gabaldon, the most masterful story teller of our generation, brings the sequel to "Outlander" to even higher standards than the first, and probably my favorite of the series (or maybe it is tied evenly with "Voyager"; I'll have to figure that out the next time I read the series through). The adventures and sorrows that take place in this book are so spectacular that you can't even breath during it, afraid that you'll miss something. The scene where Claire offers herself to the King of France in order to get Jamie released from prison is so saddening (yet a decision that I thought she made correctly) that I had to stop for a moment to take it all in (and she did this soon after miscarring her baby by Jamie, nearly dying from it). Then later after Jamie is released and he rejoins her, she is just so overwrought with sadness that she can't even look at him, her emotion of the baby just too great. I wept at that part, especially when she was able to pull through and embrace him. Then at the end, there is the "scene"...THE "SCENE" when Jamie forces her to cross back through the time portal, knowing that he and the battle of Culloden are both doomed. Jamies love for Claire is so great that he would rather lose her forever to a different time (and the new child she carries in her womb) then leave her unprotected and with an uncertain future after his death. Jamie and Claire are the "Romeo and Juliet" of our time, there is no doubt about that. I can't wait for the final two books in the Outlander series, said to be in the works (they better get here soon!) To conclude this review, every woman with a wanting for romatic literature, that is more well written than any other romance or historical fiction, you must read these books, over and over and over again.Book Review: A rollicking time travel adventure!
Summary: 5 Stars
Dragonfly in Amber is the second in the series of the time travel adventures of Claire Fraser, who in the first book, Outlander, accidentally travels back in time through a set of ancient standing stones to the 18th century, there to find true love and adventure.
Dragonfly in Amber starts 20 years later. Claire traveling with her adult daughter Brianna in Scotland. As the story evolves we learn that Claire had travelled back to her own time through the stones when pregnant with Brianna. Believing that her 18th century husband Jamie had died in the battle of Culloden, Claire has put the past behind her and put her energy into raising Jamie's child, Brianna, with Frank her 20th century husband. Claire has also pursued a medical degree and works as a surgeon in a hospital in Boston. Now Frank is dead and Claire has found out that Jamie may have survived Culloden. Claire and Brianna spend time researching the fate of Jamie Fraser, as well as learning more about how time travel in the stones is accomplished.
Interspersed with Claire's 20th century story is the tale of Claire and Jamie's adventures in France picking up from where Outlander left off. This thread details the events leading up to Jamie and Claire's decision that Claire must return to the future.
This second book of the series is the only one that divides its time fairly equally between 20th and 18th century adventures of Claire Fraser. It succeeds beautifully, keeping the suspense alive as to what happens to Jamie and how Claire's 20th century family will adjust to this knowledge. Claire has grown as a character and has developed into a powerful and charismatic woman--in both time threads. The story is interesting and well written. Another page turner from Gabaldan!