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“As I watched, the evening wind came down, scouring the ruin, and the sharow of a stool collapsed noiselessly into ash, flurries of the soot and char moving ghostlike over the ground.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes –  Copyright 2006 Diana Gabaldon, quoted with permission of the author

Hi guys! 

Welcome to our ABOSAA read-along, we’re so glad you’re joining us to discuss this book. I put chapters 1 & 2 as I hadn’t received my paperback version of ABOSAA. It might have been a bit short. 

Here’s the discussion we had on the first two chapters of A Breath of Snow and Ashes. As many of you requested, it’s a transcript of our discussion. We’d love you guys to join us in the comments and we’ll be chatting with you, in the comments until the next discussion.

The next discussion will also take place next Sunday, on June 14th. Please be patient with us, we need to get the hang of it and over text is a lot harder 🙂 

Discussion

Marie: Hi guys, I’m Marie and I co-own Outlander Online with Paige. It’s been a very long time since I’ve read ABOSAA, since it came out actually, so be patient with me. Paige I believe has read it more recently.

Paige: Hello everyone! I’m Paige. I’ve been apart of OOL for almost 6 years. The last time I read ABOSAA was when the first season came out, so this will be a good refresher for me!

Marie: We’re super happy to have you all join us for this discussion! First of all Paige you’re going to have to help me with this because I am so lost. 

Paige: Haha!!!! Hey I think I might need some help too. Giving what was the last couple of episodes on the season and even just reading the first two chapters, things have DEFINITELY moved up in the timeline. But it it’s kinda cool at the same time because then we can have the scene literally play out in our minds with the characters. 

Marie: You’re right they most definitely did. When I was reading those two chapters it brought me back to the last few episodes of season 5. I was really confused about who kidnapped Ian and I can’t remember who it is… No spoilers, Paige. What did you think of the first two chapters, season aside.

Marie: Wait Ian was not kidnapped, people walked over him… Sorry, like I said I’m lost

Paige: I forgot how much I loved the descriptiveness of Ian and Rollo’s return introduction. Diana always does so well with laying out the scene with such colorful descriptions. Like when she says “Rollo was growling, a low, constant rumble that Ian could barely bear but easily felt, the vibration of it traveling up his arm…..” Reading that, I could FEEL the vibration of a dogs growling. Ian’s and Rollo relationship is so special. They both piggy back off their instincts. When we I started reading the books, I was a bit jealous of the relationship. Since then we’ve gotten our own dog, and having a symbiotic relationship with a dog is truly a special thing.

Marie: I love how Diana writes, it’s hard to find someone who can as descriptive and as detailed as she in her books. Not to mention very historically accurate. It felt like coming home opening that book and starting to read it. Ian is one of my favorite characters in the Outlander series. I love his relationship with Rollo as well. They really have a very tight bond. I tend to circulate back to the first 3 books and I remember MOBY very well. This read-along will be really good for me. How I missed Diana’s words. I always stay away from her BEES lines of the day to avoid spoilers.

We might have not chosen enough chapters to discuss though, so this discussion might be shorter than next week. That Dutch cabin, it really makes you wonder if the people who attacked it are not the same ones who Ian dealt with in the first chapter. 

Paige: Very true. 

Marie: We’re beginning to see the start of the American Revolution at the start of ABOSAA, I can’t wait to read more.

Paige: That’s what I was thinking too about the cabin chapter. Diana likes to put little tidbits and teasers in previous chapters and then actually bring it around full force later. But what I love is that she includes things for a reason And for the importance of the storylines. Nothing gets forgotten. 

Marie: You mean like Ghost Jamie? I have this whole theory about it and I once did an audio discussion about it with Erin.

Paige: Ghost Jamie is great example of that! But I’m excited for the American revolution action too!! It’s one thing to read about them in history class in school, but it’s way more fun reading it in a book with characters that are personal to you.

Marie: Ghost Jamie is a very good example of how Diana weaves bits of the story and wraps it up at the end. For those who are wondering, yes Jamie is a ghost in the first book, he is not time travelling. Jamie can’t time travel. Also Diana has told us that ghost Jamie is 25 and all will be revealed in the final book.

Absolutely! I fully agree with you. What was your favorite part of those two chapters?

Paige: The whole first chapter lol. And even thought it’s a sad part, when Roger starts saying the words as they where burying the people from the cabin. I would hear Richards voice as I was reading.

And it also gave some, I guess insight, into what is coming and really the biggest scene, imo, that is coming up.

Marie: I absolutely love that opening quote at the beginning of the book: “Time is a lot of the things people say that God is. There’s always preexisting, and having no end. There’s the notion of being all powerful-because nothing can stand against time, can it? Not mountains, not armies. And time is, of course, all-healing. Give anything enough time, and everything is taken care of: all pain encompassed, all hardship erased, all loss subsumed. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Remember, man, that thou art dust; and unto dust thou shalt return.”

Something very big is coming up. I feel so sorry for Roger, you could actually feel it as you mentioned.

Paige: But at the same time, you can’t wait to see what happens up until then. And FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, there is another part that made me SO MAD, the first time I read it, I through the book at the wall lol. The only other time I did that was when I read Voyager.

Marie: Shhhh… I’m spoiler free over here haha. Really?

Paige: Lol. Don’t worry I’m not gonna say anything. Oh ya.

Marie: I think we’ve discussed the first two chapters enough, next week will be longer. But I’d love to know which scene in Voyager made you throw your book at the wall haha.

Paige: Lol. I don’t even think I remember. I might have to read it again HAHAHA!!

Marie: Haha! Okay, not yet. We need to do ABOSAA first.

Paige: But I remember distinctly, I was sitting on the ummmmmmm toilet and I was reading and whatever it was, I THINK it was when Jamie was going to give himself to John, but I don’t think that’s the right one.

Marie: That’s a great visual! Thanks for that haha. I think I do remember the scene your mentioning, but maybe those who join us in the discussion might remember it better.

Paige: Your welcome! Anytime! Lol! But that sounds like a good leaving off point for the this session!

Marie: Very much so haha. I think we’ll have a lot more to discuss next week and I can’t wait to chat with the people in the comments. You? It’s great being able to get everyone’s opinion and thoughts don’t you think?

Paige: Agreed! Better start getting some sticky notes and highlighters!!

Marie: Yes, I think I’ll be doing that and there’s no way I’m highlighting a book. You should know me better lol. Having this discussion was super fun and we can’t wait to discuss more with you next week!

Paige: Lol, in the words of Tigger, “TTFN! Ta Ta For Now!!

Marie: Looking forward to chatting with you guys in the comments!

 

Next week we’ll be discussing Chapter 2 through 7.