I borrowed this from the library. I find Gabaldon enthralling while I'm reading her, but have doubts whenever I put whichever book down. I was trying to think why yesterday, as she passes the Plot, Characterisation, Style test I usually apply to books - if the book gets a really high score in one element I'm inclined to forgive deficiencies in another element, though I insist on a conceded pass in style as a minimum. But when I thought about it again I wonder if she does pass the Plot element - her plots are a bit too much like life, just one damn thing after another*. I wonder if I mean no theme apart from survival?
However, she does very satisfactory endings and beginnings, she slides in information you need from previous books or history in a graceful and unobtrusive manner, and her past is a different country*, for example not at all full of eighteenth century women with feisty feminist attitudes. And I always have to keep reading to find out what happens next. So I will probably continue to read her books, though not buy them.
I saw the lady who runs the local second hand shop reading this book at her counter when it first came out in Australia - I had just seen it in new arrivals at Angus & Robertson Books on the next block. "Goodness, has someone brought in the latest Gabaldon already!" I exclaimed - "No," she said, "It will be far too long before someone brings one in, I bought it new today before I opened up." She wasn't planning on selling it once read, either.
*And for those of you who like to know the origin of quotes: Life is just one damned thing after another. Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915). The past is a different country; they do things differently there." L.P. Hartley in "The Go-Between"
A Breath of Snow and Ashes first published in 2005
However, she does very satisfactory endings and beginnings, she slides in information you need from previous books or history in a graceful and unobtrusive manner, and her past is a different country*, for example not at all full of eighteenth century women with feisty feminist attitudes. And I always have to keep reading to find out what happens next. So I will probably continue to read her books, though not buy them.
I saw the lady who runs the local second hand shop reading this book at her counter when it first came out in Australia - I had just seen it in new arrivals at Angus & Robertson Books on the next block. "Goodness, has someone brought in the latest Gabaldon already!" I exclaimed - "No," she said, "It will be far too long before someone brings one in, I bought it new today before I opened up." She wasn't planning on selling it once read, either.
*And for those of you who like to know the origin of quotes: Life is just one damned thing after another. Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915). The past is a different country; they do things differently there." L.P. Hartley in "The Go-Between"
A Breath of Snow and Ashes first published in 2005
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