I'm Only Happy When it Rains

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 118 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

OHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDD!!!!  I weep for Lord John. I seriously do. His love for James Fraser is so unconditional and all-encompassing... MY GOD. It's almost more abundant than Claire's. It's like he was born to walk this earth in such turmoil over Jamie Fraser after having done something unconscionable in his last life. It hurts me to the core of my being to watch this poor soul be near Jamie and hold back his feelings. Is it me or is he VERY easy to relate to? Haven't we all - at one time or another - experienced his pain in dealing with another human being? Someone  you couldn't share your feelings with... or express your true self with? My god it's mind-boggling how this poor soul can stay in the same room with Jamie and not scream at the top of his lungs "I LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH!"

OK so I've had a glass of wine which may or may not be enhancing my ability to wallow in pity - be it self-inflicted or otherwise. But WORK WITH ME HERE, PEOPLE!

And PS -  I will say it: I GRIEVE Stephen Bonnet. Boyfriend NEVER had a chance in this life! His family was probably god-awful - the likes of which you read about in Angela's Ashes. They lead him to this selfish life of crime. I'll never understand him. It was like he wanted to experience love with Brianna so badly but just refused to let himself go that route.

If I had a request for HERSELF - Diana Gabaldon regarding book 8 - it would be "Can we PLEASE have an HONORABLE IRISHMAN????"  I have HAD IT entirely with shanty Irish drinkers, gamblers, smugglers and the like. That's all we ever see in print or film! You'd think there wasn't one dignified Irishman on the planet! I have 5 words for ya:

THANK GOD FOR PIERCE BROSNAN!!!!!!!!!!!

The Poor Wee Fools

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 112 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

I am in the midst of reading but just had a "WOW" moment... and HAD to stop and blog.  Jamie, Claire, Roger and Ian are with the militia at Moore's Creek and know the battle will begin that afternoon or evening. Jamie has grease smudges on his hands and quietly tells Claire "They've cannon" as he's wiping his hands on his pants. He's realizing MacDonald's troops (who are Highlanders, remember) have swords and not a lot of muskets and powder... or men, for that matter... and are marching into an ambush but a huge group of militia who are armed to the gills.

"Oh, Christ," Jamie said, so softly I could barely hear him. "The poor wee fools. The poor gallant wee fools." 

When I read that line, I had to take a moment. This is one of the most powerful scenes in the series, in my humble opinion. Jamie is realizing his own Scottish people are going to die in this battle... and the group HE is fighting with will win. And he feels terrible about it - but knows he has no choice because - just like almost 30 years ago - Claire has told him the outcome of this war. He's remembering Culloden, when he was on the other side of the cannons with only a sword to protect him.

Wow. I mean... seriously... just... Wow.

When Irish Eyes are Smilin'

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read chapter 108 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

I have a problem. Not so much a problem per se... it's more of a quandary. You see... there is a miniscule, teeny-tiny, barely there part of me that is attracted to... Stephen Bonnet. (cringes and waits til the backlash is over).

I KNOW! I KNOW! He's DISGUSTING! And I'm not really even INTO bad boys. I don't know what's WRONG with me!!! I mean... we've got Roger being all debonair and racing into the jungle to find him now that he found Bree and Emmanuel's dead. We've got Jamie hootin' and hollerin' all KINDS of  nasty, hot,  Scottish Gaelicness and war cries. We've got Ian - LORDDDD we've got Ian - sitting on the stoop of Bonnet's house, wringing the water out of his LONG hair (ohhhh the visual). And my ass is thinking "Wow I hate that I love it when Bonnet calls Bree 'Sweetheart'." !!!!! WHAT THE EFF IS WRONG WITH ME???

OK I have to go read more. Shannon says the rest of 108 is awesome. Hell Jen L says the rest of the book is awesome. No time to blog. I'll be back later though... because we must discuss!!

Rescue Me

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read Chapter 102 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

Holy MOLY. I canna BELIEVE what I've been reading over the past few days. It is SPEC-FRIGGIN-TACULAR. It's like someone picked me up and plopped me right smack in the middle of OUTLANDER. I love you, Diana Gabaldon. I really, really love you!

OK so first off - how about Jamie kidnapping Mrs. Forbes? Holy god I was L-O-V-I-N-G it. It was the old Jamie that I know and love! Total crisis, and yet he's calm, cool and collected. And being all charming and frisky with Mrs. Forbes! I wished I was her! And when he picked her up??? UGH!!! I wonder if he really ate the picnic lunch with her.... and how he managed to get the brooch. I want more details! SUCH A GREAT SCENE!!!

OK so what else - so much. Roger and Ian grilling Forbes about Bree's whereabouts?! The ear! Oh god, the EAR! And Ian SMOKED IT and is now carting it around in his little man-purse. Oh god that is so awesome I dinna know what to DO with m'self. The only thing missing from that scene was my boyfriend, Fergus. I mean, really. He would have used that hook to really do some psychological damage, dinna you think???

I didn't talk much about Claire being rescued from the Governor's boat. When Jamie came through the fog in the rowboat, I honestly thought it was one of the most powerful moments in the series. No drama. No pomp and circumstance. Just Jamie - quietly doing what he does best; rescuing Claire. I could see him in that boat... coming closer...closer...closer... until he was right up next to the ship - and standing next to Claire. I found it really moving.

OK it's Outlander Chat time - more later!

Moya Brennan

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

Heard this Moya Brennan song on my Gaelic (and Gaelic-esque) mix on Pandora today... and looked up the lyrics. Wow. Go here and listen to it - and read the lyrics. Absolutely beautiful. It's not available at Playlist.com so I canna put it on my playlists - but it's perfect for one of the Outlander movies... somewhere. Havena decided yet.

Gaol Sucks

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 98 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. 

So wow. Where to start? Malva a ho. A big, fat, DEAD ho. And I canna feel bad about it. Not one bit. What I can feel bad about is Claire's ridiculous and annoying need to GET INVOLVED in every crisis that is better off left alone. Case in point - trying to save Malva's dead bairn. Although - she's a doctor - I get it. How could she see that belly move and NOT try to save the baby? I was with her on that. But I'm thinking she should have run to the house - gotten someone - ANYONE - as a witness - and said "OK I'm going to cut into this dead Malva I just found in order to try to save her baby. Capice?"  And she would have had an alibi. But no - she just slices right in with her Swiss army knife and once again - Claire's in deep doo-doo.

How POWERFUL was that standoff scene with Jamie and Claire at the big house? Holy god. I love how Claire is just able to shoot someone and go about her business of hiding in the house and making a bite to eat for Jamie.. and no one cares at all. Why isn't anyone taking her to jail for THAT?

And speaking of jail. Or Gaol. Um, YUCK. Mrs. Ferguson would have been told PRONTO that she should keep her damned hands to herself. I mean, really. I couldna have even stayed in the bed with her after that - roaches or no.

And is it me or do people just go into labor all around Claire - at opportune times? It's fascinating! "Oh wow - I hate being in jail - it's stinky and I'm bored". "Shriekkkkkk!" "Oh look - I can get out and hang out by the hearth and deliver a child!  That will take a good couple of hours. Excellent!"

Here's a scene I want to see in ABOSAA: The Movie: Jamie running after the carriage as Claire and the Governor are riding down the street. Oh. My. Holy. Ever. Loving. God.   I DIED! SO heroic. And Ian's all "Um, hullo, Uncle Jamie? Your damned HAT fell off and now the whole world and maybe even Jupiter knows it's you, ya DUMBASS." That was tremendous. Poor Jamie. He's all panting and shiz. It reminds you he's now old, just like the rest of us.

OK more in the next entry - this one's gettin' a little long....

All Together Now...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 82 in A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES.

I have to say something. Loudly. But I don't want to give away a spoiler.
So scroll down please, if you will....

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MALVA CHRISTIE IS A BIG, FAT, EFFING SLUT!

Nothing further.
For now.
More to come...