An Echo in the Bone

Summary (from the publisher): In this new epic of imagination, time travel, and adventure, Diana Gabaldon continues the riveting story begun in Outlander.

 
Jamie Fraser is an eighteenth-century Highlander, an ex-Jacobite traitor, and a reluctant rebel in the American Revolution. His wife, Claire Randall Fraser, is a surgeon—from the twentieth century. What she knows of the future compels him to fight. What she doesn’t know may kill them both.

With one foot in America and one foot in Scotland, Jamie and Claire’s adventure spans the Revolution, from sea battles to printshops, as their paths cross with historical figures from Benjamin Franklin to Benedict Arnold. 

Meanwhile, in the relative safety of the twentieth century, their daughter, Brianna, and her husband experience the unfolding drama of the Revolutionary War through Claire’s letters. But the letters can’t warn them of the threat that’s rising out of the past to overshadow their family.

Diana Gabaldon’s sweeping Outlander saga reaches new heights in An Echo in the Bone.

Review: This is the seventh installment of the Outlander series, and its conclusion marks 5,899 pages read. It's hard to read that many pages without really getting to know the characters and feeling immersed in the world of these books. Jamie and Claire are embroiled in the Revolutionary War, while their daughter Brianna and her husband have travelled back to present day to save their daughter's life through modern surgery. 

I had a harder time getting in to this book than previous ones. It almost feels like a marathon; it took a while to find my stride but I finally got into the groove of the novel and was sad to see it end. This novel has four main plot lines, which I think was a large part of the struggle. I really enjoyed Claire & Jamie's story line and that of Roger and Brianna. However,  I was less in love with William (Jamie's son) and Lord John's story lines. I found them less entertaining and was anxious during those chapters to get through them and back to the characters I was really concerned about. 

I am so excited that Ian finally has found a love interest! I've been hoping he would find a girl for the last couple books and I really hope he and Rachel work it out in book eight. And I'm interested to see what will happen with Ian's mother (Jamie's sister) Jenny now that she has also travelled to America. 

This book was a major cliffhanger in multiple ways, and I did not see most of them coming. So ready for book eight already. Although I'm so sad to see Claire and Jamie age! They feel like good friends.

Stars: 4