Name: A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Rating: 4.333333333333333 (102 reviews)
ISBN: 9780385340397

Diana Gabaldon

In 1772, Jamie Fraser is asked by the governor to help protect the colonies for King and Crown, but thanks to his time-traveling, twentieth-century wife, Claire, Jamie is aware of the ultimate result of the American Revolution.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

2.5 stars begrudgingly rounded up. Finally finished this monster of a book. Read a couple hundred pages then had to switch to audio. Diana Gabaldon loves putting her characters through the wringer then never exploring the consequences afterward. For instance, why didn’t we get anything from Brianna dealing with her abduction from the man who raped her previously? Earlier on we get more a little bit from Claire dealing with her own assault.

And then we get nothing from Brianna and Roger’s journey through the stones! How ridiculous. The author spent a ridiculous amount of time on the perverted side plot involving Lizzie that could have been cut entirely. I’d much rather have had the story explore the time travel aspect. It’s just insane what the author (and her editor I suppose) choose to include and go into way too much detail about as opposed to what they gloss over. Plus we never got a farewell seen between Brianna and her parents. This is glossed over the most! Claire simply says, “We had said our goodbyes…” like please Diana I’m begging you to explore the emotional depths of your characters! And what did they tell everyone on the Ridge about Brianna and Roger’s “move?” I wanted that, too!

There’s really no plot strong enough to carry through the series anymore. It’s just the author coming up with the worst possible things to happen to her characters.

I remember listening to the previous book in this series and not really liking the audiobook narrator. I liked her better here (don’t ask me why) but after months of listening to her, her voice was starting to be grating. These books are too long with too little reward.

I do wish Claire could just be the only narrator. I don’t always need Roger or Brianna’s perspective.

There’s a little mystery and at the very end, the author included just enough to keep me interested…but it’ll be some time before I dive into the next one.

Amanda

2.5 stars begrudgingly rounded up. Finally finished this monster of a book. Read a couple hundred pages then had to switch to audio. Diana Gabaldon loves putting her characters through the wringer then never exploring the consequences afterward. For instance, why didn’t we get anything from Brianna dealing with her abduction from the man who raped her previously? Earlier on we get more a little bit from Claire dealing with her own assault.

And then we get nothing from Brianna and Roger’s journey through the stones! How ridiculous. The author spent a ridiculous amount of time on the perverted side plot involving Lizzie that could have been cut entirely. I’d much rather have had the story explore the time travel aspect. It’s just insane what the author (and her editor I suppose) choose to include and go into way too much detail about as opposed to what they gloss over. Plus we never got a farewell seen between Brianna and her parents. This is glossed over the most! Claire simply says, “We had said our goodbyes…” like please Diana I’m begging you to explore the emotional depths of your characters! And what did they tell everyone on the Ridge about Brianna and Roger’s “move?” I wanted that, too!

There’s really no plot strong enough to carry through the series anymore. It’s just the author coming up with the worst possible things to happen to her characters.

I remember listening to the previous book in this series and not really liking the audiobook narrator. I liked her better here (don’t ask me why) but after months of listening to her, her voice was starting to be grating. These books are too long with too little reward.

I do wish Claire could just be the only narrator. I don’t always need Roger or Brianna’s perspective.

There’s a little mystery and at the very end, the author included just enough to keep me interested…but it’ll be some time before I dive into the next one.

THE SIXTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING OUTLANDER SERIES. The long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. It's 1772, the Royal Colony of North Carolina, and the governor calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and preserve the colony for King and Crown. One minor problem: Jamie Fraser's wife, Claire, is a time-traveller, as are his daughter and son-in-law. And Jamie knows that three years hence, the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the end of it all will be independence - with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. Beyond present danger, though, looms the threat of a tiny clipping from the Wilmington Gazette, dated 1776, which reports the destruction of the house on Fraser's Ridge and the death by fire of James Fraser and all his family. For once, Jamie Fraser hopes the time-travelers in his family are wrong about the future. But only time will tell.

Doing a read of this as a follow along with the TV show adaption and so addictive!!! I can't put these books down.

Lover of Romance 

Doing a read of this as a follow along with the TV show adaption and so addictive!!! I can't put these books down.




Andy Sporring

Robin M Cabana

I really enjoyed parts of this book, but it was way too long! There were way too many subplots and Diana Gabaldon could have left some of them out. The action is good - when you get to it. And poor Claire - she really has to go through a lot in this book. I hope life is a little easier for her in the next one!

Allison Francis

I finally finished it after a year of reading it!

Kaitee Tredway

Kristina Masone

Elena Enns

As always the writing is amazing, though I am starting to feel as though there isn’t much plot in these novels as there were in the first three. Overall, still a good read.

Geneviève Rouleau

Manon van Heumen

As always, I enjoyed it immensely, but at times this was so slow. The book could have easily been 300 pages shorter to tell everything.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Reviews

Highlights