SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have FINISHED A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.
Ya know, I find it a bit of a daunting task to write about the end of A Breath of Snow and Ashes because mother of god... SOOOO much went down in the last part - hell, in the BOOK - that I dinna know where to start.
I think they're headed back to Scotland with "Lallybroch or Bust" on their bags. Actually, scratch that, because they have no bags that I know of after the fire. Donner's a douche - and I wasna sad to see him go. But I thought it was a bit of an about-face from him to just show up acting like a complete ass. I suppose he wanted to get back through the stones and was going to do anything necessary to get there.
The girls and I are in agreement that we all loved when Jamie gave Claire an out to leave and follow her family (something she's never had) and she threw the stone out the window. Might I just say that I'd have done the EXACT same thing. I loved that she did that. Although I was kindof scratching my head when Jamie made the offer in the first place. I was like "Really Jamie??? Really???" I mean, isna it a little late for that? C'mon dude... Claire's not going anywhere. And I think he knew that but wanted to be a good guy and put it out there. And I LOVED when he was asking Bree about the 20th century. I have always maintained that there isna enough of this type of talk from Jamie. I love him even considering the possibility of going forward even for a microsecond. That is something I would just love to see, even though I know I have a better chance of seeing Malva come back from the dead and actually sleep with Jamie (hey, he did say he kindoffff understands necrophiliacs, right?)
Here's a burning question among my Outlander sassenach friends: Will Ian go to Scotland, too? All I can say is he BETTER. His mother deserves to see him - and we deserve to see a reunion.
OK so here's what I'm expecting to see in Echo: Willy will find out he's Jamie's son. Maybe Willie will take up where Bree left off as the offspring in Jamie's life. I truly thought Bree was going to tell Willy they were siblings. My god, can you imagine the anguish of poor Lord John? And speaking of LJG - I was verra sad to witness the coldness of John and Jamie's dealings at the inn. They care so much for each other and have too much honor between them to show it. Who CARES what side of the argument they're on? They're best friends! Hug it out! John - is your relationship with the King more important than your relationship with Jamie? I think not! Just my .02.
Let's see... what else? God there is so much. Bonnet. Sighhhhh Bonnet. I was glad Bree did what she did for him although I dinna ken for the LIFE of me why I care. And I am dying to know what the papers were that she and Jamie got from him in the prison. His business dealings? His assets? What what WHAT? And WHY? Did he make them a deal to give them these things if they'd promise to kill him before he drowned? And wouldn't the horror of 9 hours tied to that stake to the point where only his head was showing pretty much be almost as much as he'd have to take? Hell one more hour and he'd be swimming with Big Pussy AND the fishes.
Jocasta: Good riddance. She was a pain in the ass from the word "go". I dinna understand why she and Duncan couldn't just take Phaedre and Ulysses with them. Phaedre is off knitting with Marsali, I suppose... and poor Ulysses is up in Virginia fighting for his freedom with Mel Gibson. Good for him. I always liked him and he had more class in his little pinky than Jocasta had in her entire body. Shame on her for keeping slaves. But what else can you expect from a MacKenzie (of Leoch, that is.)
Fergus - WHERE FOR ART THOU, FERGUS?!? Ugh - please please please tell me we're going to see Fergus again. He's doing a fantastic job with the printing press (OK so maybe Marsali isna knitting) but I just miss him, OK? I MISS HIM and his goddamn Fronch MURMURING. Hell if I were Marsali, I'd get preggers again just to have him woo baby #5 out at the end of the 9 months.
And last, but certainly not least, Roger and the bairns. I. Think. It. Is. AWESOME that Bree took the fam to Lallybroch and bought it. I really do. I have to wonder if Echo is a duel story of Jamie and Claire at Lallybroch in the 18th century and Bree and Roger there in the 20th. Wow - that would be cool. And might I tell you - the one thing that made cry in this book to the point where I hadn't cried that hard since Ian was STOLEN by the Mohawk: the chest with Jemmy's name on it. Holy crap - is Jamie Fraser not a god? Seriously. I wonder if Claire knew he did that. Probably, I'm sure. But wow. And it's kindof funny because didna that scene conjur up visions of Sandra Bullock (oh poor Sandra Bullock - who didn't know that fool was a loser from the day she married him?) and Keanu Reeves standing at the mailbox in The Lake House? I am verra into heirlooms, peeps.... so yeah, I cried my fat arse off at that box and the note inside it. How completely thoughtful of Jamie. I'm hoping they hid lots of little things for her to find around Lallybroch. Maybe she told them she'd buy it if she got back.
Guess we'll have to wait and see...
Sigh. Now I can breathe easy! I was waiting for your reaction for the end of Snow and Ashes. Can you BELIEVE all the sh*t that went down at the end of it? Oh, the image of Bree and Roger at Lallybroch was so perfect for me. The only way she could exist in her own time and feel connected to her family! And a Fraser as laird of Lallybroch again. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many points you brought up in your post - insanely busy and intense ending to that book! I was really sad to see how Jocasta's story went down, and sad to see how quickly Donner turned.
But one of the saddest and most poignant moments is the parting of the Bugs from Jamie's protection. I LOVE IT when he releases them from their oath to him! So honorable, Jamie. I couldn't believe Arch Bug was the third man. It blew my mind! Just like Tom Christine, another proud and stubborn man. And speaking of the Christies, how did you feel about Ian and Allan Christie? Oh, Ian. Has to make such difficult choices in his young life.
One of the most painful things to me was to see the house destroyed, the stunning, beautiful home they loved to much (finally! a home of their own, and now gone!). And to see how deftly DG tied the dates together to explain why the fire happened later than they expected it to. It highlights the pointlessness of destruction - a home, a way of life, gone up in smoke, for nothing. Can't wait for you to blog echo!
Ahhhhhh....I canna tell you what a relief it is to know that we are in the EXACT SAME BOAT now that you are finished this book in terms of knowledge of what happens next. (True, I have bumbled upon a spoiler or two, but I wilna mention them.)
ReplyDeleteHave to add to your random thoughts the one part (other than the last part of Ian's story) that made me weep: Jamie's goodbye to Jemmy. "If you happen to meet a mouse named Michael, tell him hello from your grandda." SOBBBBBBBBBB. OMG that killed me. So matter of fact, but so heartbreaking. Go back and read where Jamie says goodbye Willie in Voyager, and you'll feel the punch to the gut even harder. (And an aside: I was in the car the day after reading that Jamie/Jem goodbye, and "You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins came on. SOBBED through the entire admittedly sappy song--then realized: Holy Hell--it's a DISNEY song. Can we say ABOSAA playlist addition??)
So here are my predictions for Echo (some of which dovetail Carol's):
• William is going to play a bigger role, and the shit's gonna hit the fan there...he's gonna find out Jamie is daddy. Also maybe that LJ is gay?
•• I can't imagine that Bree and Co. are going to stay in the future...but I also can't image why DG would have them busily restoring Lallybroch if they're only going to leave it again.
•• This book is definitely going to get more into the friendship/relationship btw Lord John and Jamie, given that it is somewhat fractured by the end of ABOSAA, and given that everyone says to read the second LJ book before Echo.
• LJ is TOTALLY finding out the truth about Claire/Bree/Rog and where they come from.
•• Everyone talks about a huge cliffhanger at the end, so I suspect it's going to end with a big Claire and Jamie separation. Will she go back through the stones? Will he have to stay on one continent while she goes to another? Hmmmm...
•• I think we will meet Emily.
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ReplyDeleteI love say hello to the mouse named Michael. Michael Mouse. SO CUTE.
ReplyDeleteCanna participate in Echo predictions. But do love reading them.
Oh, Sirena, your comment reminded me of one other question: WHO IS THE SUBSCRIBER WHO SENT IN THE NAME TO THE PAPER??? And is it even important? Obviously someone wants people to think J/C are dead: is it J/C themselves? Someone else? Hmmmm...dinna know why, but something is telling me that it's Arch Bug.
ReplyDeleteTo all of your various predictions/speculations/wild theories about what will happen in ECHO, let me quote DG:
ReplyDeleteFuirich agus chi thu! <eg>
That's "Wait and see" in Gaelic, along with DG's trademark "evil grin".
Can't wait to see what you think of ECHO. I have enjoyed your thoughts on ABOSAA very much.
(And now I'm getting out of here before I'm tempted to say anything at all in response to your speculations....because I really don't want to spoil anything for you.)
Karen
Oh Tracey so true! I totally forgot about that. WHO SENT IT IN? Is it malicious? Was it them, themselves?
ReplyDeleteLike Karen, I'm super careful not to give stuff away and have even forgot a lot of things I could spoil - I think it's a self-defense mechanism to not make me mourn having finished the books, too much. I may re-read echo as you guys do though.
I think I should try Lord John before I try echo again though. The books are so action packed you forget a lot without meaning to!
Tracey, I got the impression that it was C/J who sent the info. about their deaths. Hmmm you've got me thinking now.
ReplyDeleteI too truly hope Ian goes back to Scotland. I think he needs to. To move on.
I love that Bree bought Lollybroch. What better way to feel connected with mom and dad than Lollybroch.
Shannon--I just don't know why C/J would want people to think they're dead. I could see that they sent it in b/c they knew it would have to be found eventually, but I don't even know that they'd really think about it that deeply. Just not sure...
ReplyDeleteSo happy your to Echo in the Bone. I've been waiting for you to catch up. I can't wait to hear what ya'll think! ;-)
ReplyDeleteCarol, Tracey R., I can't wait to read your reactions to some of the questions/observations you have after reading Echo. Whatever you do, don't peak at the end. I don't know if you do that, I do on occasion and was warned not to with this book. I was glad I didn't, so I just thought I would pass that along.
ReplyDeleteHow could Claire throw a gem out the window? That's like a bag of money! And where did that gem come from? It seemed too big to be the black diamond--and what happened to the black diamond? So many questions...
ReplyDeleteDG must have a good reason to send Bree and Co. back to the future. Don't flame me, but they used a huge portion of Fraser assets to travel to save a baby's life. B&R were young and could have more bairns. People of that time period lost children to birth defects, disease and accidents and didn't have the option to get futuristic health care. I was all for them to leave the first time I read the book, but on the reread, I found myself shaking my head over it.
I'm going to reread Echo along with you.
LOL Terry - I thought that, too. I might have hopped out after it after I threw it out there to make my point.
ReplyDeleteTOTALLY AGREE and would never flame you. I told Tracey I feel like they risked way too much for that baby. Not that I don't feel bad and not that I don't understand. But at what point do we stop playing "God" with the stones? The baby had a slight chance of survival... whereas they all could have died going through the stones. And Claire and Jamie will never know what happened to them, unless they come back through the stones. It's all verry thought-provoking.
KEEP READING!
ReplyDelete;)
--sassynach
Jennet - no worries! I'm so NOT a peeker! I don't want to know anything! Not even what the weather is like in the book! Nothing! :)
ReplyDeleteI just finished ABOSAA ( I know I'm months behind you but I'm making good progress! 6 books finished in just over a month: Not bad eh?)
ReplyDeleteI always find that I'm emotionally exhausted after finishing these books.
I'm torn between trying to start Echo now or waiting until at least tomorrow! lol I did read the back jacket after finishing ABOSAA and got goosebumps.
Hi ladies. I've come to this party soooo late... but I've been so ravenous about these books, yours is my favorite blog to get a fix in between 'cuz my friends that read them did it so long ago it's less fun to discusswith them since they're so far ahead of me. (As are you all, I guess, but it doesna matter since you had the good sense to writeabout it.)
ReplyDeleteANYWAY: IJust finished ABOSAA. I'm planning to read a few LJG books ('cuz I know I won't beable to wait for the next installment) also not my point. Sorry. I feel starved for conversation about Herself & her work.
On to my questions: What was Emannuel's cause of death? I read that part 3 times & still feel like I'm missing something.
Someone mentioned Jaime & Bree taling something from Bonnet's cell. When did that happen? Was i reading too fast? Did I miss that too? HELP!
Okay- I found the bit about Bonnet's affadavits. Still wondering about Emmanuel if anyone has any info.
ReplyDeleteI'm with HappyMom here - what exactly happened to Emmanuel? And I have another question - just exactly how important is it to read the 2nd LJG book before starting Echo....I tried to start that one, after struggling through the first one - and eventually gave up as I just couldn't get into the story.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure either what happened to Emmanuel. I just finished ABOSAA and was wondering also.
ReplyDeleteJust finished ABOSAA and my heart is hurting. I was dreading the goodbyes, and they hurt so much. But it is also a reflection of how much we love the characters. Having read these 6 books, again, in a brief amount of time, I think ABOSAA may be my favorite. It is so far developed from Outlander that it is sometimes hard to believe where the series began.
ReplyDeleteGailie
It's so interesting to me that you had some angst about Stephen Bonnet's demise and were glad Bree showed mercy on him like she did, because I had the total opposite reaction. I wanted him to suffer so much more for all the horrible things he did to Bree and everyone else he killed, raped, robbed and tormented over the years. I wanted to sic piranhas on him while he waited to drown, and then sit there laughing as he suffered. Isn't that awful? ;-) Really though, he grossed me out on every level. Just the thought of poor Bree having to sleep next to him in bed during the voyage, with his stinky hot breath on her neck, makes me want to toss my cookies.
ReplyDeleteThe "mouse named Michael" thing had me sobbing! The entire scene at the stones did, really. So did Jamie's vivid dream of Bree, Roger, and the kids arriving at Fiona's house, with Jem picking up the phone and saying he wanted to call Grandda. Oh, my heart. I could cry just thinking about it!
Ian killing Allan Christie with an arrow was such a shocking moment to me. Oh, wee Ian. I can see from his perspective where there was no way to let that awful perv live on after what he did to Malva, Tom, Jamie, Claire, etc. Still...oh, Ian. I really enjoy the darker aspects of his character, after his time with the Mohawk and everything he went through with them. He's become such a complex person and I love reading about him.
I actually felt terribly sorry for Malva by the end of this book. Regardless of what wickedness she got drawn into with the plot to claim Jamie as the father of her child, I don't really think she was the evil person Tom claimed she was. Tom was pretty biased against her since she was the spawn of his witchy wife and his brother, but the real villain here was Tom's own son. He never said a word against Allan though, even though he must've known the truth of who had fathered Malva's baby. It's always the woman's fault, after all, for being seductive and slutty. And it turns out Malva really did love Claire and eventually wanted to come clean about her lies regarding Jamie, though it wound up costing her her life. Such a sad story.
Between the weird menage a trois marriage between Lizzie and the Beardley twins and Malva being impregnated by her brother, I felt like we were witnessing the origins of all those cliches about Appalachian folk and inbreeding!
I'm just so thankful for this blog! I just finished ABOSAA and I don't know what to do with myself...what a whirlwind! And I don't have anyone to talk to about it, so thank goodness I can come here and read your posts and everyone's comments! Wish I'd been here when you all were in the thick of it! I've gotten several people started on the series but everyone is at least two books behind me so I just have to bite my tongue! Aaagh! And I'll be damned if I can make myself stop and let them catch up :/ Maybe I can bide my time with the Lord John series...I don't know. Frankly, I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to read another author again when I finish these...alas, I think Diana Gabaldon has ruined me...but, dinna fash, I don't regret a minute of it! :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome Heather!! And dinna fash, lass. We are STILL in the thick of it every Monday night at 9PM Eastern! Come chat with us at MOP Chat!!! :)
DeleteLove this blog...and first time commenting on a blog! Well not sure if I should go into great detail of how I came across the books but here goes. I remember vividly when the first book (Outlander) came out. It was during my Anne Rice phase (Lestat...et al) and there Outlander was displayed in a well known bookstore with a piece of tartan and a pearl necklace in the front window. I remember seeing it and thinking "Ooh what is that"! I quickly read the front flap for a quick synopsis and I saw "time travel" and thought bah, definitely not my thing and so went on looking for more Anne Rice books. Years later I see the TV series of Outlander coming out and then remembered the bookstore display and thought let's see how good this is. Mind you, I am and have always been a movie/tv screen fanatic and have been a great fan of many well written shows that I actually call myself a patron of the arts (ahem....cable bill, etc.). So back to making a long story even longer, I saw the first episode of Outlander and have been utterly and most fanatically hooked and I now kick myself for passing up such a great literary coma for not reading the books sooner. However, I am also glad I waited since all the books are available to read...actually listening to since I commute to work. Just finished ABOSAA and I have to say I am in awe of DG's story telling and vocabulary!! I feel much better now that I have found an outlet to talk about the stories. On with ECHO!
ReplyDeleteYeyyyy! Welcome Glee! That was a great story and I, too, am a great patron of the arts (giggle...check out www.mypurgatory.com for reference. I am no stranger to the large cable bill!) SO GLAD you found the books AGAIN...because the show is even better when you know "the rest of the story." :)
DeleteWay late to the party here, but just finsihed ABOSAA and am just a few pages into AEITB... I completely sobbed at the end of Breath. Tears streaming down my face. So glad I was home alone so my husband and kids couldn't witness such a sight! Love, love, love this series. Canna wait for S3 on Starz so we can see Jamie again in all his glory. The one character I can't wait to see is Mr. Willoughby of all people. LOL.
ReplyDeleteJust finished ABOSAA and like everyone else - beeeeen sobbing.
DeleteSide note - am I the only one who thinks the TV series has gotten it all wrong especially when it comes to casting? I tried the first 6 episode of season 1 and I just can't do it anymore
When it comes to Jamies dream about Claire at desk writing am I doing this in the right area, does that mean she will go back to future at some point maybe at end of series. I really don't want her to go back especially if when she did Jamie would be alive still. I think i'd only be able to handle it if that were to happen after he'd passed though that would still be heartbreaking. I sure hope they can have somewhat of a happy ending as happy as they can be at end of series.
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