From
After waiting nearly four years since The Fiery Cross (2001), readers will find every expectation fulfilled in the sixth book of the popular Outlander series. Gabaldon shines as she unfolds the continuing story of the Frasers, heartbreakingly heroic highlander Jamie and his time-traveling wife Clare. Set during the three years leading up to the American Revolution, this compulsively readable mix of authentically set historical fiction and completely satisfying romance maps both violent loss and strong family ties. On the eve of war much is changing on Fraser's Ridge and Jamie and Claire encounter much harm. This vivid and haunting novel, therefore, brings an aching sadness, but it is balanced with sheer joy, revelation, and solace. The large scope of the novel allows Gabaldon to do what she does best, paint in exquisite detail the lives of her characters. Gabaldon's ability to invoke the heroic and the harrowing writ large, while also creating moments where you dare not take a breath for fear of missing something tiny and fine, is her hallmark. For it is in describing the sound of rain on the roof, Jamie's injured hand, or the understanding between father and daughter that the world of the novel comes alive and offers readers an enthralling experience. Neal Wyatt
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Review
βThe sixth instalment of the adventures of Claire and Jamie Fraser, already number one on the bestseller list, is a whopping 980 pages of action-packed escapism. It also has surprisingly melancholy and insightful views on the experience of growing old and dealing with the losses that entails.... One of the things that sets Gabaldon apart from other romance writers is exhaustive research of the times in which her characters live, so evident in her attention to period detail.... plot lines and stand-alone yarns are expertly woven together with the overall theme of impending doom and the question of predetermination.β β The Toronto Star
βFans of Diana Gabaldonβs popular Outlander series have another rousing historical-science-fiction-romance novel to savour in A Breath of Snow and Ashes.... For fans, this book is another slam-dunk hit. Itβs a massive, long-lasting source of entertainment.β β The Gazette (Montreal)
Praise for Diana Gabaldon:
βRiveting. Gabaldon has a true storytellerβs voice.ββ_The Globe and Mail_
βTriumphant. . . . Her use of historical detail and truly adult love story confirm Gabaldon as a superior writer.ββ_Publishers Weekly_
βDiana Gabaldon is a born storyteller. . . . The pages practically turn themselves.ββ_Arizona Republic
''Readers will find every expectation fulfilled.... The large scope of the novel allows Gabaldon to do what she does best, paint in exquisite detail the lives of her characters.''βBooklist _
From the Hardcover edition.