 | Readerrrr (0) 03/15/2006 |  I'm torn. As you can see, I give DG a 5--she truly does write terrific stories. The historical accuracy is astounding: she really makes you feel as if you've traveled back through time. And the DETAIL--right down to how folks cleaned their teeth--it's truly amazing. Breathtaking, really. Even though I hate the long intervals between stories as much as everyone else, it's easy to see why it would take so long to write such lengthy, intricate books. Also, the characters are really living beings. My sense is, they keep living even when we're not reading them!
On the other hand (you knew there was another hand, didn't you?) I'm pretty sure she's a sadist. I've never seen ANY author (short of DeSade) who can TORTURE her characters like Gabaldon does. And she manages to take away what's most important to each one--a pregnancy in a woman who desperately wants and loves the baby, the voice of a singer... It's actually painful to read these books, waiting to see what horrible fate will next occur to characters that I've grown to really care about. Ouch!
Gabaldon is not shy about anything sexual or emotional. She even has a male character raped, and her characters deal with all of the horrific blows she's dealt them. I just wonder how many will be standing at the end of the last book (but you can bet I'll be reading to find out!)
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 | kbooklover (0) 12/21/2002 | Excellent historical fiction, with some terrific romance thrown in.
Shortly after WWII an English nurse unexpectedly finds herself in Scotland in 1742, a few years before Bonnie Prince Charlie's attempt to gain the throne brought disaster to Scotland. (This time travel, the only science fiction element in the book, is the device by which the writer provides a 20th century woman viewpoint
character.)
Exciting and well-researched. Best read in order.
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 | Petra-in-NL (0) 02/18/2001 | Looooove her writing, in more ways than 1, or 2, or 3 ;)
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