I finished listening to these chapter AGES ago and (obviously) never felt the mood to post about it, even though I have quite a few good things to say about this part. So here I go, before I get distracted once more.
Part Seven: Home Again
32 The Prodigal’s Return | 33 Buried Treasure | 34 Daddy | 35 Flight From Eden | 36 Practical and Applied Witchcraft | 37 What’s In a Name
Unlike the last few chapters where I wrote that I wouldn’t mind, if they left this and that part out, with the start of Part Seven I wish they could and would film every single moment of their return to Lallybroch. Listening to all of this was so much fun, in the way that it’s exciting and infuriating drama, but also so so sweet and such a testament to the epic love story of Claire and Jamie. I really hope they will spend sufficient time on this part of the story. These six chapters and the following few are the only time we’ll spend at Lallybroch with Jenny and Ian this season, so I hope it won’t be a quick “pitstop” before the story heads over to the Silkies’ Isle and then out to farther shores.
No new sets or characters are needed for this one and in fact I think they might even leave out the other Murray children, at least I haven’t read anything about them being cast. They are not necessary for the plot, even though the homecoming scene between Young Ian and his sister Janet is a funny one. I’m definitely looking forward the confrontation between Jamie and Jenny in regards to Young Ian’s actions and his future. And of course to the punishment Jamie has to dole out this time and how that works out for him. To me that’s one of the (many) iconic scenes of this part and I hope we’ll see a bit of that.
Of course the big question for these chapters is how they will deal with the “Daddy! Who’s that woman?” cliffhanger at the end of chapter 33. They might actually end an episode there or a few beats later after Laoghaire’s big entrance. I’m betting on the latter at the moment. I mean, that’s a BIG bomb to be dropped on the TV audience who hasn’t read the books. I remember my sheer outrage the first time I read this chapter. The fight between Claire and Jamie afterwards will be explosive, a lot like the scene at at the river after he rescued her from Wentworth in season 1 and I’m already very excited for that, because Cait and Sam are so good when they can really get into each other’s face.
I guess they’ll condense Claire’s “flight” a bit and have Young Ian find her quicker, but I really hope they’ll still give Claire enough time to process and thus Cait at least one scene to rage and mourn. And then of course to deal with Jamie in her modern witchcraft way. Did I mention already that I wish they’d be able to film every single scene of these chapters :-)?
I hope they’ll give us at least one or better two more scene of loving intimacy between Claire and Jamie and I don’t necessarily mean sex, but all these wonderful small moments where they can be themselves with each other like they couldn’t be with anyone else in the past 20 years. The moments in which they talk, really talk and get to know each other again. And yes, of course I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of the sex either. Who would :-)? There are a few moments before the big reveal and of course later once Claire had returned to Lallybroch.
“To say ‘I love you’ and mean it with all your heart” *sigh* There are so many more loving, funny, iconic lines in these chapters, but I think that’s the one I’d love to hear the most.