Friday 19 September 2008

Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon

Synopsis
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century - and a lover in another...In 1945, Claire Randall is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. Innocently, she walks through a stone circle in the Highlands, and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. Suddenly, she is a Sassenach, an outlander, in a country torn by war and by clan feuds. A wartime nurse, Claire can deal with the bloody wounds that face her. But it is harder to deal with the knowledge that she is in Jacobite Scotland and the carnage of Culloden is looming. Marooned amid the passion and violence, the superstition, the shifting allegiances and the fervent loyalties, Claire is in danger from Jacobites and Redcoats - and from the shock of her own desire for James Fraser, a gallant and courageous young Scots warrior. Jamie shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire, and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

My View
This is one book I have heard so much about and so many seem to love it, sometimes that puts me off a book as in the past I have been so disappointed by a book that I have maybe expected too much so I kept putting this one off and also its quite a chunky book too but, wow it was brilliant!

Its deemed to be historical fiction though in this book how much of it is accurate I do not know as its not an era I have a huge amount of knowledge about but, its a brilliant story and the only thing that disappointed me was after Claire goes through the stone circle you don't get to find out what happened to Frank (until the next book) but, as the book is Claire's story I guess you wouldn't!

Jamie is a very interesting character and extremely likeable! The tender scenes of Claire & jamie''s first night together were so beautifully written and worded.

Yes it is a long book and very descriptive but, then I love books like that I am a massive fan of Cecilia Dart-Thornton who writes very long descriptive books so there you go! That said I didn't think the story was slow moving which is what sometimes can happen with descriptive books.

I'm so glad I loved this seeing as I have the rest of the series awaiting to be read!

Date read: 9-12 September 2008

3 comments:

Marg said...

One of my favourite series ever! So glad that you enjoyed it!

Fyrefly said...

I've read up through the fifth book in the series, and I agree, they're just wonderful. The second is a little more historical fiction-y and a little less romance-y than the first, but it's still a great read.

Michele said...

This is a great series! It's fun to see another convert!