My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In late 2015, I saw a book in Barnes and Noble (Written in my Own Heart’s Blood) by Diana Gabaldon and thought “This sounds amazing.” I picked it up (and it was nearly 1000 pages in harcover) and suddenly realized it was the most recent book in a series with books that were all practically a thousand pages long. I can’t read a series book without doing it in order, so I put it back on the shelf and said “Another time.”
Fast-Forward to 2016…
I sign up for the 2016 Reading challenge: 52 books in a year (1 a week). I can do it. Great start in January. Epic fail in February with 0 additions. Get myself started again in March. Epic fail in April with 0 additions. Epic fail in May with 0 additions.
OK, I’m not one to easily fail so I get myself back on track in June. June is going well, I’m averaging about 1 book every 4 to 5 days so that I can catch up by September. I finish reading a book in late June and realize I don’t have anything new to read… I head downstairs to my building’s small library and peruse the shelves (about 1000 books to choose from).
I see Outlander. I decide to buckle down and read the nearly 1000 page paperback version. I can do this. I can’t get it done in a week.
It took a little longer as I added in a last minute family visit / trip where I didn’t read for about 4 days… (but still had a great time!)
And I loved it! I suspend my disbelief at some things and at the amount of necessary repeated violence… then think perhaps I am a little whiny given what these characters go through without complaining. Could I take that much blood loss and hits? Vanity would probably kick in and I’d likely not make it through.
I am excited to read the series, but I need to catch up on my 2016 Reading Challenge before I take on another 1000 page book. Target: November when I hope to be almost ahead of where I should be with my 44 of 52 books at that point.
Read it. It’s part historical fiction, part fantasy (the whole time portal thing), part romance (without too much focus on it) and part pure character study.
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