Outlander Read-a-Long - Chapters 22-28

1. How do you feel about Claire disobeying Jamie and the resulting punishment he brings forth on her for this? Do you feel that Jamie's punishment was justified by the fact that everyone was put in danger by Claire's actions? Finally, did Jamie's vow with Claire's dagger do anything to sway your thoughts or change your mind on how you initially feel/felt about his punishment?

I don’t blame Claire for disobeying Jamie. I think it was stupid of her and not very well thought out but I can understand why she did it. My feelings about Jamie punishing her have not changed from the first time I read this. My 2012 Woman’s Lib brain screams WHAT THE HELL!!!!!! But in the time and place it does make sense, it is what is expected. And I think in the long run having Jamie wallop her would be a lot better than one of the other me.

But I still don’t like it and I cheered when Claire threatened him. You go girl! 

"If,' I said through my teeth, 'you ever raise a hand to me again, James Fraser, I'll cut out our heart and fry it for breakfast!"

Yeah, I suppose Jamie’s vow did kind of help me to see just how much he disliked raising his hand to her, and he is a man of his word so I have no doubt he will keep his vow – or he had better any way or I’ll be going right off him. But then there was all that weirdness about him enjoying it, but not enjoying it...

2. Just for fun, what was your reaction to the suspicious black spot Claire spotted on the floor near the area where Jamie was sleeping? Did you have any theories to what it might have been before it was revealed to be a _____?

Ummm are we talking about the bed-bug or have I totally missed a scene somewhere? Ok, I’ll go with the bed-bug. At first I thought that it was a stain on the bedding and they were sleeping with minging stuff that hadn’t been washed properly, which – in the time and place wouldn’t have surprised me. Or that she was hallucinating and seeing spots of blood – I was waiting for something very deep and meaningful.

But when Jamie tells her what it was I couldn’t help by laugh at Claire’s response. And for some reason it leads to one of my favourite bits.

"In the end we did sleep a bit more, peacefully entangled on the floor, atop a hard but bugless bed composed of my cloak and Jamie's kilt"

I just find that image adorable for some reason. One of my favourite sentences in the book.

3. With regard to the 'changeling' baby Claire and Geilie spotted in the wild - if it were you back then and you happened upon a changeling baby in the wild in a circumstance such as this, do you think you'd have reacted most like Claire or Geilie? Explain.

This is another one of those situations where it is difficult to separate the 2012 brain from the 1700’s brain. It all has to do with how you are brought up doesn’t it? If I was born back then and in that situation I would like to think I would do what I could for the baby but then if I had been brought up to believe that the wee folk have left it and the child was cursed would I… *shrug* But then if I was Claire and I had been whisked from my time to that time I would be like her. "Screw you, that’s a baby!"

4. Share your thoughts on Geilie Duncan. Is there anything that surprised you about her story or were you suspicious of her from the beginning? 

I had a feeling there was something a little off about her. I didn’t guess anywhere near what she was and what happened though. And don’t get me wrong, I did like her. I liked her because she was spunky and had attitude. But at the same time I was always thinking, ‘you are far too nice for your own good lady’

5. Your thoughts on Jamie's LAST REASON for wanting to marry Claire - the one he had been so secretive about. GO!

Alright, so if we hadn’t guest his feelings after what he said about trying to be strong enough not to beg her to stay when he was sending her to the stones we do now!

Excuse me while I melt into a puddle of cute and love fuelled goo. I read Jamie’s declaration – if you can call it that, with a smile on my face the whole time.

First of all  -

“Because I wanted you.’ He turned from the window to face me. ‘More than I ever wanted anything in my life,’ he added softly.

Dang!

But then I loved how he injected humour into what he was saying to her too – once again turning the stereotypical ‘declaration of love’ on its head :)

“Jamie Frasier, for all ye canna see what she looks like, and for all she weighs as much as a good drought horse, this if the woman for you,"

And finally from further on –

“My love,’ he whispered. ‘Oh, my love. I do want ye so.”

*SIGH* 

Yip…Do I really need to say more?
 

Got to me one of the best 'I love you's in fiction. 

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You can check out the rest of the link to this weeks questions/answers here and also find the questions for next week too :)