Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 19 breakdown

Connecting to the Outlander TV series

While the chapter wasn’t used exactly in the TV show, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t adapted in some way. During the show, Claire and Frank never went to Loch Ness. Instead, they visited Castle Leoch.

We get much of the same thoughts. Claire thinks of how the castle has changed in 200 years. When she and Frank visited, it was abandoned. Nobody lived there and things had just been left behind, a foreshadowing of the destruction of the Highlander way of life.

However, when Claire thinks of the castle when Colum is leading her through it, she notes how things have changed over time. This is the essence of the Loch Ness chapter. Things have changed but they’re the same. In Castle Leoch, the castle is full of life but the castle’s walls themselves are laid out the same. This is also something that Claire notes at her wedding to Jamie when she realizes the church is the same one she married Frank in.

The story of the Loch Ness Monster doesn’t come up in the show. There isn’t a mention of a possible portal under the loch. However, we do see that Claire has connections to mythical creatures, magic, and other time travels. The essence of the chapter is certainly captured throughout the TV show but with a different setting.

What did you notice during your reading of Outlander Book 1, Chapter 19? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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