Outlander Book Club: Book 2, Chapter 49 breakdown

Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter

This chapter doesn’t hold too much in the way of foreshadowing, except around Roger and Brianna’s ability to travel through the stones. With the knowledge of Jamie being alive, it’s clear that Claire will likely go to the past. After all, her soulmate is there and he can’t travel to her.

Would Brianna follow her mother? I’m sure when Dragonfly in Amber was first published, many readers wondered how the story would continue in Voyager. What would make Claire leave her daughter? Would Brianna attempt to go through the stones too?

What about Roger’s ability to time travel? He clearly has that gene, so it suggests that he will try to go at some point. This chapter makes it clear that, eventually, all three are going to end up somewhere in the past.

Other than that, the book connects more to the first book. We come what seems like full circle for Geillis. There’s no need to believe that she didn’t burn at the stake at this point, so it seems like her life is over. That part of the story is over.

Adapting the Dragonfly in Amber chapter for the TV series

There was no way this part of the book couldn’t be adapted. We needed to see the moment Gillian went through the stones to the past. We never get to know how far into the past she went, especially in the show, but that doesn’t matter. We see it happen here. We see the beliefs Gillian had about travel, and the steps she was willing to take to make her dream a reality.

Then there’s the news Roger has. He doesn’t wait for them to get back to the manse. Everything happens at the stones, possibly for the sake of time. It would have been easier to film this whole section together at the stones.

Roger tells Claire that Jamie is still alive. Since there wasn’t the storyline focusing on the men from Lallybroch, we don’t have that mention that I can remember. The focus is purely on Jamie and Claire feeling like she has to go back.

The TV show goes one step further. It helps to bring Bree and Claire back together, starting the initial healing. After all, there wouldn’t be the time to do that in one episode in Outlander Season 3 (allowing for the storyline of the 20-year separation). So, we see Brianna tell Claire that she believes the story.

What did you think of the final Dragonfly in Amber chapter? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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