I miss Jamie!

Stuck at home again as someone needs to be here to sign for Mom's new Shell card when it arrives, so.... here I am writing yet another post which probably only 1 or 2 people will read.

Last night I picked up the book I had been reading before I started Echo in the Bone. After reading a Diana Gabaldon book, it felt like returning to middle school.

So... about EITB:
(SPOILERS AHEAD)

- I felt lost with some of the characters a lot of the time. It'd been a couple years since I read the last book. During the entire novel, I was trying to remember who the heck Arch and Murdina Bug were.

- For the entire book I was petrified of Rollo being killed. I knew how devastating that would be to little Ian. (Yes, I'm aware he's no longer a kid but I can't help thinking of him as one. He feels like a young soul to me, and he definitely has some of Jamie's spirit there; the youthful/childlike part, which is so freakin' fantasticly endearing).

And Ian without Rollo is just unthinkable to me. It would be like Captain Hook without the hook... Mickey Mouse without Minnie... Tom without Jerry... JAMIE without CLAIRE!

- Jenny Murray: Self centered-always has a bee a-buzzing in her bonnet-misunderstands Claire completely Jenny.

I havena liked Jenny Murray much for these last few books. Still, I did forgive her just a wee bit when she told Jamie she was sorry for what she said to Claire.

Okay, so I'll still a bit peeved with her as those were some strong words there. I mean, saying Claire "HAS NO SOUL?!"

And why doesn't Jamie just man up, giving his sister a firm talking-to? She needs it. I know Claire can take care of herself, but it'd be nice to see Jamie putting his sister down a step or two on her Ladder 'O Bitchdom.

- Ian Murray Sr: I will miss him. I loved his last words to Jamie. Guarding Jamie's weak side?

Insert crying jag...

- Ian: Glad he finally has some closure regarding all this Emily cr@p. (Aye, I loathe the little witch).

But what's the obsession with this baby making business?

Loved the 'child of Ian's spirit' though; Swiftest of Lizards. I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again.

But WHY did he leave his parents so soon? His father was dying, and he broke his parents hearts for leaving like he did. I can't believe he left his father's deathbed to run after a girl he's kissed only once, who hasn't committed herself to him, and whom utters the word "Thee" so much it gives non-Quaker's like me migraines from Hell.

- Ian and Rachel: I like Rachel. She seems a sweet gal, but all this "Thee" business makes me cringe. I just want to delete that word out of her vocabulary forever.

Even though I like Rachel, I actually kind of wished she and Ian wouldn't work out so that I wouldn't feel suffocated by all those "Thee's." It almost felt like I was about to have a freakin' panic attack from seeing that one constant word jumping out of the page so much. It was very distracting.

- Claire and Jamie knowing they'll be separated for a few months... broke my heart just thinking about it. Jamie only uttered a few words about it, and it was so sad just because I remembered how depressed he was all those years without Claire, after she went through the stones again.

- Claire the spy: In the famous words of Doctor Who, "WHAT?! WHAT?!"

Why the heck would she put herself, and her family, in danger when she already knows the outcome of the war? That just doesn't make sense.

- Jamie... ahh, Jamie. There were a few times when I heard 'Vintage Outlander' coming out of his lovely, sexy mouth in this book. ("Let me be enough.") I wish there were more than just a few lines like that, but I'll take what I can get. (I also loved his funny remark on OF COURSE Ian and Rachel are engaged; she's taking care of his dog. Lol! That was classic, funny Jamie right there).

I feel like a bad Outlander devotee for saying this, but it feels to me like all these minor characters and history telling are taking over my Jamie/Claire 'Happy-Happy-Joy-Joy-Mmmpphhm-Ohhh-Jamiiiieeee' time.

I don't give a rats arse about Arch Bug's mania, Claire's search for some grease for a patient's arsehole, or pages upon pages of description of Claire's various surgeries under deplorable conditions. I'm never going to repair arteries or amputate limbs - in this century or centuries past - so just get on with the Jamie Love already!

- William: Thank God he finally kens the truth!

I thought it funny how he inherited Jamie's seasickness.

- Roger as head choirmaster? Huh?

- Brianna: Reminds me of Jenny Murray sometimes.

- The letters: Liked that they had them, and I kept wondering to myself if I would have done the same as them; reading the letters sparsely like that, rather than just diving in like a kid at Christmas.

- Gotta save the most horrific for last..... Claire and Lord John?

Really? Claire and Lord John? CLAIRE and Jamie Lovin' LORD JOHN?!

I understand her marrying him for his protection, but actually sleeping with him?

WHAT?!

I'm trying to accept that they were both in deep mourning. LJ and Claire both were a little drunk perhaps, and I know they were imagining the other being Jamie. (Which, if you ask me is kind of endearing yet sick at the same time). What really bothered me though - and bothered me A LOT - was the morning after. I mean, these two were just so chummy and you would think sleeping with each other put a solid end to their mourning over Jamie's being "dead." They weren't the least bit uncomfortable about what they had done. In fact, sometime later LJ comes to Claire's bed again and says he really does know "how to pleasure a woman." He demonstrates this, and Claire can't join him quick enough.

BUGGED THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It just seemed so out of character for the both of them. I'm beginning to wonder if people are right, and DG does things like this to her characters just to get a rise out of her fans.

I'm sure Jamie will get over it quickly, as they've been through worse, but clearly he thinks it's all some joke. I hope he at least breaks LJ's nose, or SOMETHING! I want to see him go into Berserker mode, or SOMETHING. I guess Claire forgot all about this "Mine!" business. Lord John must have f--- it all out of her brain.

All right, can you tell by now that I'm still a little upset by this crazy Claire/LJ pairing? I knew fans were angry as hell with Claire over something, but reading about this Claire-on-Lord-John-Lovin' wasn't what I'd imagined.

- Even though this was another loooong book, the end came so abruptly. I read that last line, and thought - "Is that it?" I wish it had ended with Claire, or with Jamie sealing Lord John in a cave somewhere with no food or water, and naked as a jaybird until a regiment came along.