Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 17 breakdown

Just the Outlander book chapter

First thing’s first, this is a beautifully written chapter. We start with Claire and Jamie learning a little more about each other, but it also gives us a chance to delve deeper into their relationship and the connection that they have.

Jamie questions whether what he feels for Claire is normal; whether what they feel for each other is normal. It certainly isn’t. While Claire doesn’t think too much of Frank in this chapter, it’s clear that she’s considered her feelings for Frank. She knows that her connection to Jamie is building fast and it’s electric.

However, their conversation is halted by the arrival of Hugh Munro (not Monroe as I remembered his name being in the previous breakdown). We get to learn about his trials of the past and why he’s so honored by the different parishes. I do have to question the irony of him being given the badges for various parishes but nobody actually offering him some sort of help after everything he’d been through. Sure, he might not have taken it, but there’s no mention of anyone doing more than just letting him legally beg around different parishes.

But moving on from that. We’ll focus on Hugh’s reasons for being there. After all, we don’t just meet a character for the sake of it. There’s a bigger reason, and Hugh’s reason is to pass on a message to Horrocks. Jamie mentions that he can’t get to the meeting place to see Horrocks because of Black Jack Randall and the Watch, so he needs to set up another meeting place. Hugh can do that.

However, the discussion of Horrocks does lead to Claire learning a little more about Murtagh. She learns that he is family to Jamie, although we don’t yet learn the full connection.

The ending to the chapter sees Claire and Jamie back in their room at the inn. They continue their lovemaking, developing their connection much deeper than before, as Jamie continues to share his feelings for Claire.