ROMANCE

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I chose Outlander as my romance selection after searching around on Novelist. I was looking for a very stereotypical historical romance with a lot of cheesy love scenes. It just so happened that it was February, national Romance month and NoveList was featuring novels and highland men in kilt novel and Outlander set the trend for the now popular sub-genre.

Set in the 18th century Scotland/England. Claire Randall transports back to the Scotland amidst the beginnings of the second Jacobite rebellion. Picked up by a band of Scottish Rogues she is off on a remarkable adventure - none the less of which includes the dashing Jamie Fraser.

After reading Outlander, I have a hard time categorizing it as strictly a romance novel. I think it would be much better labeled as historical fiction and/or Fantasy with its time-travel elements. While elements of time travel are present, Outlander does not have several of the traditional characteristics of romance novels. The couple, Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser, marry in the first novel, it is written in the first person, it does not have a happy ending and both are married to other people throughout their journey in time, etc.

I love Gabaldon's use of natural medicine, aspects of pagan religion and Claire's quick wit and guts.

While it's hard to describe the novel without sounding a little cheesy, it's worth the risk. This novel totally threw me for a loop - I've already finished the next two in the series.

Other Recommendations:

Prince Across the Water, Jane Yolen
This novel looks more in-depthly at Bonny Prince Charlie and the happenings of the Jacobite rebellion.

The Black flower: a novel of the Civil War by Howard Bahr

This features a nurse and patient relationship during the Civil war told during only two days at the battle of Franklin, TN in November 1864. Bahr is recognized for his historical accuracy and literary imagination. It was nominated for four awards.