Outlander Book Club: Voyager Chapter 37 breakdown

Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter

There is little foreshadowing in this chapter. The only thing that I see is that we have this hope. Claire and Jamie are growing closer again.

Jamie notes that he can talk to Claire about anything. He’s able to be honest with her, and that sets up the rest of the story. Claire will always be Jamie’s listening ear and vice versa. They are just what each other needs.

Adapting the Voyager chapter

There’s no doubt that this chapter had to be adapted. It was done slightly differently to the book, though. During Outlander Season 3, Episode 8, Claire and Jamie had to quickly brush over Jamie and Laoghaire marrying. All we really got was that Jenny wanted Jamie to be happy and Laoghaire had been widowed twice with two young girls.

Ned wasn’t the one to set everything up. Instead, it was Marsali and Joanie who helped Jamie be happy again one Hogmanay. And I do think the TV show had to show this story. After all, Jamie wants to do right by the two girls and not Laoghaire when it comes to sending money to them. It’s always about Marsali and Joanie, and we get to see that bond just starting.

The show also has to make up for the fact that Jamie learned Laoghaire tried to have Claire killed. Part of that was attempted to be fixed in Outlander Season 2. Then Claire had the line of wanting to forgive but not marry Laoghaire. Was it enough? Not everyone agrees, but I factor in that 20 years had almost passed.

Someone can change in 20 years. Marriage and children can make someone grow up, and Laoghaire may have been terribly sorry about the whole ordeal. Seeing Claire again made it very clear that wasn’t the case, but without Claire in the picture, we have no idea if Laoghaire had seemed to turn a corner. And this is part of the problem with skipping over 20 years. A lot changes in that time.

What did you spot while reading Voyager Chapter 37? Let us know in the comments below.

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