The Duke of Sandringham is such a baffling character in Outlander. Given that this book deals so much with sexual assault, it’s really odd to introduce this character and have the fact that he goes around trying to rape young boys be played out like a comedy beat. I think maybe the point was to show that Black Jack Randall wasn’t a monster just because he was interested in men, but rather because of his sadism. But it doesn’t change the fact that both men’s behavior is reprehensible!

Also “I think that respect has maybe room for secrets, but not for lies” is SUCH a good line… (Outlander p199)

Detail I never noticed before—Jamie promises Claire “hot tea for supper” as they’re heading to Craigh na Dun, because he expects her to be back in her own time and home… (Outlander p407)

The Geillis Duncan reveal is so bonkers good, maybe my favorite part of the first book? Smallpox vaccination… (Outlander p400)

I find ending and starting scenes to be a real challenge when writing, so it’s so interesting how chapters in Outlander books are broken into these little chunks. Gabaldon reaches a good exit line and she just stops there, even when the next scene starts in the same place with the same characters. Like cutting to commercial! I kinda like it.

Oooh I had forgotten that the Comte st. Germain gets a book 1 mention… (Outlander p369)

Romance writing trope that I hate: describing skin as “transparent” or “translucent.” STOP. It makes it sound like you can see someone’s organs through their skin lol. (Outlander p361)

This scene where Claire is massaging old Alec is a good example of what I love so much about these books. The purpose is just to get some backstory about Jamie’s parents, and it could easily have been folded into a different scene, or Jamie could’ve been the one telling the story. But instead it’s folded into this scene that gives further characterization to a small side character, lets Claire show off her healing abilities, and just adds extra texture to the world. (Outlander pp 344-349)

It’s so strange, how bad Gabaldon’s sex scenes so often are… like, I love these books, but the smut in them is pretty cringey. I’m just reading the one after Jamie gives Claire her wedding ring. A beautiful scene, full of passion! And then the sex is sooo bad porno. Yikes. (Outlander pp 318-19)

Ahh we’ve reached the Jamie flogging Claire scene. Super controversial. Gotta be honest, I don’t hate it. I like that this book is properly messy and it’s not always easy to forgive/understand the character’s choices. And it really puts paid to the fact that Claire isn’t at home in this time. Even Jamie isn’t a safe harbor from the culture shock. (Outlander pp286-87)

Typo alert. “Look at me over” should be “look me over” on page 274. Also Jack Randall is the worst.

I love the whimsical and ridiculous moments in Outlander… the fact that the Loch Ness monster is real, and it’s a dinosaur that’s come through a time portal…. Amazing. Perfect. (Outlander p257)

The section after Jamie and Claire get married and have their wedding night drags a bit… I guess I like Claire bonding with the men and learning how to knife fight is nice, but the stuff with Jamie is kind of repetitive in terms of their relationship development. (Outlander chapter 18)

I kind of love that Jamie starts off as a pretty perfect charming romance novel hero. Like his only flaw at this point is “tone deaf.” It’s like having a female protagonist who is clumsy but otherwise perfect lol. Obviously he’ll have more serious flaws that we’ll get to know soon enough, but for now he’s the perfect guy except he can’t serenade his new wife! (Outlander p221)

Typo alert, page 216 says “not to risk a major uprising” but the word “not” shouldn’t be there!

Ooof I’d forgotten that Dougal lies about Jenny getting pregnant with Randall’s child. He really is a monster in so many ways… (Outlander p214)