Helpful Score: 3
A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon - 5*(rounded up from 4.75*)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (ABOSAA) is the sixth book in the Outlander time travel/historic fiction/romance saga about the extraordinary lives of Claire and Jamie Fraser and their family.
By this time in the series Jamie and Claire are well settled into their home on Fraser's Ridge in the mountains of North Carolina in the years right before the Revolutionary War. Most of their immediate family lives on the Ridge also, and more Scottish settlers. Jamie is "Mac Dugh" - in many ways the laird of the Ridge community. But it's an uneasy leadership. Many of the settlers are Scottish lowlanders and Protestant (Presbyterian). Jamie is a Highlander and Roman Catholic.
Some readers of the series have said that the previous book (A Fiery Cross) is their least favorite because of the lack of action. But there is no lack of action in this book - especially in the back half when we have disappearing slaves, disappearing gold, murders and a trial for murder, kidnapping, the beginnings of the Revolutionary War, time travel and more. One of the best parts of the book for me was listening to Brianna recite the poem "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" (which she had learned in grade school), at the same time that the ride itself was happening. It sent a few chills down my back.
The only reason this book isn't rated a full 5* is that I occasionally find it overly conicidental that so many bad things can happen to one family. BUT I've had this problem with other historical fiction books (exp: The Illuminator), and for me these events in the Outlander series seem much more critical to the plot and make more sense than in the other examples I gave, so it only mildly detracts from the ultimate rating. Plus, there are plenty of good times and sometimes even LOL moments to lighten the mood.
Most of the mysteries in this book are wrapped up before the end but not all. I can't wait for the next book!
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (ABOSAA) is the sixth book in the Outlander time travel/historic fiction/romance saga about the extraordinary lives of Claire and Jamie Fraser and their family.
By this time in the series Jamie and Claire are well settled into their home on Fraser's Ridge in the mountains of North Carolina in the years right before the Revolutionary War. Most of their immediate family lives on the Ridge also, and more Scottish settlers. Jamie is "Mac Dugh" - in many ways the laird of the Ridge community. But it's an uneasy leadership. Many of the settlers are Scottish lowlanders and Protestant (Presbyterian). Jamie is a Highlander and Roman Catholic.
Some readers of the series have said that the previous book (A Fiery Cross) is their least favorite because of the lack of action. But there is no lack of action in this book - especially in the back half when we have disappearing slaves, disappearing gold, murders and a trial for murder, kidnapping, the beginnings of the Revolutionary War, time travel and more. One of the best parts of the book for me was listening to Brianna recite the poem "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" (which she had learned in grade school), at the same time that the ride itself was happening. It sent a few chills down my back.
The only reason this book isn't rated a full 5* is that I occasionally find it overly conicidental that so many bad things can happen to one family. BUT I've had this problem with other historical fiction books (exp: The Illuminator), and for me these events in the Outlander series seem much more critical to the plot and make more sense than in the other examples I gave, so it only mildly detracts from the ultimate rating. Plus, there are plenty of good times and sometimes even LOL moments to lighten the mood.
Most of the mysteries in this book are wrapped up before the end but not all. I can't wait for the next book!
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