Outlander Book Club: The Fiery Cross Chapter 5 breakdown

Claire treats a dog in Outlander Book 5, Chapter 5

Claire goes from doctor to vet during Outlander Book 5, Chapter 5. There’s certainly some humor in the chapter, but it disappears with a conversation about Hillsborough.

The moment with the dog is mostly a way to give one man a reason to choose Claire over Murray MacLeod. That’s the important part of the chapter, giving us a chance to learn what happened at Hillsborough. We know there was something that is a concern to Governor Tryon, but nobody is willing to really talk about it. Even MacLennan didn’t discuss what happened when he went to Hillsborough with others.

This is a chance for Claire to learn about the events from that night. It’s no wonder Tryon wants to find those responsible. However, the man who gets treatment from Claire makes it clear that he’s not at the Gathering to find the people who attacked him. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want justice.

It’s a moment that wasn’t used in the series. Instead, the series did something that I appreciated to show us Hillsborough instead of just telling us about it. Many of you know already that one of the issues I have with the books is there’s a lot of telling when it comes to events that Claire doesn’t witness herself.

As for foreshadowing, I don’t notice too much in this. There’s a tiny bit, but this chapter is mostly about pushing the Hillsborough/Regulator story forward.

Let’s dive into The Fiery Cross Chapter 5.