I love reading and have done since I was a child. You would always find me with a book in my hand and if I was reading a particularly good book I would rush home from school to carry on the adventure. These days I don’t get as much time to read as I would like so it takes me longer to get through a book, but I do like to try and go to bed a little earlier every night and read a few pages before I go to sleep. Sometimes I find a really brilliant book which I can’t put down and will read at every spare minute I get and very occasionally I get book hangovers.
Although sometimes it’s not just when I finish a book but whilst I’m reading it. Sometimes a book grabs me that tight that I can’t concentrate on anything else until I finish it. This is what I’m currently experiencing with my latest read. Last year I read a book called Outlander (Cross Stitch as it was released in the UK). It had been recommended to me by my cousin in America as it has a bigger following over there and I had never heard of it before then. She swore that it was amazing and I had to read it. So I did. And I loved it.
It is a story about a woman called Claire Randall who goes on a second honeymoon to Scotland after the war in 1945 with her husband, Frank. Whilst there she walks through a stone circle and is transported back in time to 18th century Jacobite Scotland. She finds herself in the middle of a feud between the Scottish clans and the English redcoats, both of whom are interested in her history and where she has come from. Claire then runs into young Jamie Fraser and she has to decide between her overwhelming desire for Jamie or returning home to her beloved husband Frank. This is just a little description of the book but obviously there is more to the book than this. It has an incredible love story but it also has concepts of history, politics, fantasy and murder, making it a really gripping read. The author Diana Gabaldon really knows how to engage with readers and taps into all your emotions at one point or another in this book. The relationship between Jamie and Claire is very intense and romantic but there are also parts that are not for the faint-hearted. Some of these scenes are really descriptive, so just be aware that this is not a book that is all roses and rainbows. Personally that’s my favourite sort of book, as I like to go on a rollercoaster of emotions! Diana describes the scenes and characters really vividly so that you feel like you’re there with Claire throughout the whole book and sharing her experiences. I’m currently 4 chapters into the second book in the series, Dragonfly in Amber and can vouch that it is just as good as the first one.
There are 9 books in the series so far and they have just made the first book into a TV series. This is shown on Amazon Prime in the UK and I have just signed up for the 30-day free trial, so that I can watch it. I have 2 episodes left to watch (which I plan on doing today) and have really enjoyed it so far. It has been created exactly how I pictured it and the actors are all spot on. The scenery is stunning and the acting makes you feel as connected with the characters as the book does. As with most films and TV series there are some changes but they have been done really well and don’t have an affect on the main storyline. I roped my fiancé into watching it with me and even he is enjoying it a lot. The story really has something for everyone.
I would really recommend picking up the book or if you’re not much of a book worm you need to watch the series. If you sign up for Amazon Prime you can watch the series and get free next day delivery on the book too. Bonus!
Let me know in the comments if any of you have delved into the world of Outlander yet.Labels: Lifestyle
