“On Screen” (= In The Outlander Books) and Off Screen Bantering

Outlander Chronicles 2013
Day 224 | Audiobook: A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Book 6) | Part Three: To Every Thing There Is a Season | Chapter 24: Touch Me Not

Over the last couple of days I’ve continued to listen to the audiobook of “The Breath of Snow and Ashes” (Outlander book 6). I don’t think I’ll manage to finish this AND the next in 2013 and thus the Outlander Chronicles will continue from 2013 to 2014, but that’s ok.
It’s always interesting to see, or better hear *g*, how much I have (almost) forgotten or from these books. The memory returns quickly once the stuff is mentioned or is brought up in the narrative, but still. Tom Christie’s feeling for Claire for instance. In the back of my mind I always remembered it, but it just now came back full front, when she fixed his hand. Even though his feelings for her aren’t mentioned for so much longer yet.
The same goes for Christie’s daughter Malva. Just now when she spends some more time with Claire in the surgery and shows interest in what Claire is doing, I remembered what will happen to her. I also remembered her accusations towards Jamie. But that as well hasn’t happened in the audiobook yet. It’s a slightly disconcerting experience to listen to some events and to vaguely or sometimes even quite vivid – remember other – future – events, which will happen later on in the story. But I still enjoy the sort of walk down memory lane.
I did not at all forget about Archie Bug and what will happen to his wife and what he will do in the next book. But until last night I at least always felt a bit sad about it, whenever he and his wife appear in the story, because I liked both of them. Last night though I listened to the part in which he tells Jamie and Claire about how he lost his two fingers and the mood slighty shifts. At least Jamie and Claire and I saw him in a different light and it sort of gave me the creeps. Especially knowing what I know about him from book 7.

Anyway… my main reason for writing this post were other thoughts about other scenes. In chapter Jamie lovingly (or not *g*) starts teasing Claire about all kinds of things, namely her womanly virtues or lack there of, saying things like “ye fart less in your sleep” and “ye saw a neat seam – though ye like it much better if it’s through someone’s flesh” and telling her that she is neither gentle nor patient.

But in the end he ends up telling her what he likes most about her in true Jamie Fraser fashion.

“Above all creatures on this earth,” he whispered, “you are faithful.”
I thought of saying something about St. Bernard dogs, but there was such tenderness in his face, that I said nothing, instead merely staring up at him, blinking against the green that filtered through the needles overhead.
“Well,” I said at last, with a deep sight of my own, “so are you. Quite a good thing, really. Isn’t it?”

While I was listenting to all of this and of Jamie’s endlessly teasing her with the most absurdly faults, I was reminded of Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe teasing each other on Twitter on a regular basis. And in my mind I could so perfectly picture this scene of Jamie teasing Claire, because we get a sense of that on Twitter already.

I could continue this list with more and more tweets. With many other folks of the Outlander crew as well and it’s been such a treat to come back to that fun in the few minutes break at work or to catch up with all the fun when I got back home from long days at the office. Because work has been freaking insane these past two weeks and Outlander – audiobooks and Twitter fun – definitely helped to keep me sane.
But even with all the bantering going in it always comes back to the fact – stated from everyone involved – that they are all very thrilled and happy to be a part of this project and that they really do care about each other and get along splendidly. And that’s something that makes me Outlander fangirl heart very very happy, every freaking single time one of those guys mentions it on Twitter.

There was another scene from the audiobook that reminded me of yet another treat from the Outlander-Universe. When Claire stitches up Tom Christie’s left hand (weeks before she does surgery on the other hand) Christie and Jamie butt heads again. After Christie leaves, there’s the following

Jamie made a derisive Scottish noise, then picked up Christie’s half-full cup and thriftily drained it.
“No, he wouldna – frigging Sassenach.” Then he caught a glimpse on my face and gave me a lopsided smile. “I didna mean you, Sassenach.”

For 98% of my time in the Outlander-world, I forget that “Sassenach” usually isn’t meant a nice word to say to anyone. But It IS a very nice thing to say, when it’s said by one particular Scottish guy ;-). I just love that Sam and the Gaelic teacher did this short clip and shared it with us. Best production team ever!

[Quotes are from “A Breath of Snow and Ashes” by Diana Gabaldon, Copyright © 2005 by Diana Gabaldon. All rights reserved.]

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