SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 50 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES!
Ya know, lassies...I need a chunk of uninterrupted time to sit with both my book - and my computer - and blog about what I'm reading, while I'm reading it. Those are the best blogs. They're thorough and emotional...and I sound like I know what the hell is happening and who is who. When I have to reach back too far to find things I've read, it's not nearly as fun. For me to type... but more importantly, for you to read.
Soooo.... I have decided to go a little backwards. I'm going to blog about what I read today...and then maybe I'll go back over things I've skipped. Mmmmkayyyyy? Great.
So what the hell is up with Roger Mac? He is being a complete DUMBASS!!! I canna even feel SORRY for him anymore. I didna know people would talk??? I didna know this would happen??? I didna know my wife would be upset/suspicious/jealous/all of the above??? Is boyfriend KIDDING??? C'mon. I don't know how often he's been up at Amy McCallum's... but I'm thinking it's been quite a bit. How about bringing Bree with you to visit with Amy while you fix stuff? How about inviting Amy and her kids to dinner? How about telling Claire or Mrs. Bug to get on the matchmaking thing and find her a new man? (OK I know matchmaking isna exactly Claire's forte but WORK with me here, please.) Nooooo...he's just going to keep going there, day after day, and playing Guy Friday while the entire Ridge talks about him and his assumed affair. Even Jamie is giving Claire looks at the breakfast table over his plate of ham, bacon, bread-dripping-with-butter and any other artery-clogging breakfast Mrs. Bug decided to cook up today. My god - wouldna you think Jamie would wring Roger's neck? It always amazes me, the things Jamie chooses to get involved in - or doesna choose to get involved in. This is something he should get involved in.
And what's with Malva swapping spit with Bobby Higgins? UGH! I want him for LIZZIE!!! NOT happy about that....
OH WAIT - Back to Roger - how about THIS little ditty I just read today: "William Buccleigh MacKenzie had mistaken Roger's concern for Morag MacKenzie for...well, all right, he'd kissed her, but only on the forehead..."
I'm sorry. COME AGAIN???? He only kissed her on the forehead??? Did I read that right?? Did I MISS that back in The Fiery Cross? On the forehead? That's all??? And her husband had him hanged??? WTF??? Do you remember it being only on the forehead??
OK - lower the blood pressure... lower the blood pressure... Next....
Bree and Jamie moving the boulder for Bree's aquaduct... and Jamie saying "Why, ye clever, bonnie wee thing!!!" because she knew the water would start to erode through the clay. Cute, cute, CUTE! I loved that part. I was just telling my mentor/sister, Tracey verra recently that I want more Jamie/Bree cuteness. And there it appeared - right in front of my face.
I just wish we'd see Jamie relate to Bree when she's doing something less typically masculine once in a while. She doesn't have to be inventing tools or designing guns or doing manual labor for Jamie to understand/appreciate her. He's not a barbarian. And I'd like to see a little more hugging and maybe a good cry together. Yup. That's what I'd like to see.
Yes! I wish they had more moments like that too. But Bree doesn't really allow herself to be less than a "braw and brawny lass" so how can you ever catch her off guard??? It doesn't mean I don't love her, it's just that she has so much 20th century armor (plus the whole giantess thing, ye ken?). Also, I don't really remember the kiss being on the forehead, and when he mentioned the forehead part as you noted, I did kind of squawk "What? Forehead?" to myself as well :-)
ReplyDeleteLet's go to the videotape, Marv...
ReplyDeletePage 882 of the wee bittie book. I already just broke copyright rules in the Fergalicious thread, so I won't quote the actual text here, but it just says that he bends and kisses her--doesna say where. So I think the benefit of the doubt works in this case--I'll go with forehead. I guess back in the 18th century, even the forehead was fightin' words...
Fine. Once the videotape has been reviewed I have no chance but to accept it. I just assumed it was a wicked inappropriate kiss bc of the result! Hello, he got his ass hanged!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I just want to say I do not (dinna) want to discuss Roger's behavior with Amy McCallum! Everything you wrote is correct! I don't even want to discuss the massive stupidity!
Sirena--just checked out your blog--verra nice, lass! And the donut hole cookies look good!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracey for the tip on Sirena's blog. I hopped on over and can't wait to make a few of her recipes (butternut squash, yum!).
ReplyDeleteI forgot re: the Jamie/Bree cuteness that I LOVED that scene--one reason being the part where Jamie teaches Jemmy to swim by throwing him into the pond. Carol doesna remember this, but our dad taught me to swim in the deep end of the pool the exact same way--threw me in, watched careful, and voila--I could do it!
ReplyDeleteHold on...did I just compare James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser to MY DAD??????? Oh for the love of all that is holy. I need to go lie down.
Poor Roger. We have to start calling him Pure Roger. He's so intent on doing his good deeds that he doesna realize he's causing talk on the Ridge. And why does he have free time to hike up the mountain to help Amy? Because he has Superbree tending to things on the home front.
ReplyDeleteRIGHT Terry - Bree does everything so Roger must have all the time in the world. And Jamie has been doing a lot of fishing lately, too. Don't they have goats that need milking...and plows that need pushing...and fences that need mending?
ReplyDeleteSirena - I will check out your blog right now!
Tracey - nothing was said about that kiss being on the forehead. Sirena is right; he got his ass HANGED for kissing her on the forehead. Dinna get me wrong - I get it - it was the 18th century. But MY reaction to it was "What kind of DUMBASS is Roger, kissing a woman like that???" I dinna think I'd have thought that badly of him if I'd known up front that it was a forehead kiss. Much more family-esque - although he's the only one who knows she's family. I wish she'd turn out to be a traveler or something... so he could tell her. Now THAT would be an interesting twist!!
Hey Sirena - awesome blog and thanks for the mention!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have read quite a bit over the years! I love your commentary on romance novels. I am always saying to my "book snob" friends "It's OK! Try it, you'll like it!" Don't even get me started on Twilight. They are terrified!
Re: Roger's kiss: in the moment, it's not said at all WHERE he kisses Morag, just that he kisses her. I actually assumed whilst reading that it was on the mouth (as those demonstrative Highlanders are wont to do)--but honestly, given that William was so possessive of his wife (and pretty shady overall), it could have been her hand and I think it would have had the same result. He was going to get even with Roger no matter what.
ReplyDeleteLadies,
ReplyDeletethanks for checking out my blog :-)! it's a little offbeat.
And, Roger is getting into such a dangerous pattern of doing stupid things. Which is so ironic because when Claire's friend (Joe abernathy?) confronts him in the 60s about being honorable with Bree, he comes off as a big prude compared to what I imagine other people in the free love era were like. I just think sometimes he causes himself (and Bree) unnecessary pain since he's still trying to adapt to the new century he's in. But I still wish he'd get with the program!
I think that we all assumed that the kiss was on the lips (I know I did) but that was my bias. Nothing specific was said in the text. I did not think that is was a romantic kiss. Roger knew that this woman was his some times removed great grandmother. I think that it was a kiss to feel a connection to a biologica, extendend family that he has never really had or know.
ReplyDeleteTheresa