Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 25 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Jamie and Roger heading off to see one of the local Native American tribes. They’re trying to form a bond, and part of that involves taking Gideon. The Cherokee would like to use Gideon for breeding their mares. It makes sense considering the stud that Gideon is, and it’s great to see that part of Jamie’s past come back into the story.

While on route, Jamie and Roger smell burning. They find a cabin that has been burned down and the parents are dead. They find a child who is still alive. Roger understandably wants to get the girl to Claire, but this isn’t an option. It’s clear from the way the fire has burned her skin that the girl isn’t going to survive getting to Claire. It’s going to take a day to get back.

Roger and Jamie can only do one thing. They need to help this child pass as peacefully and as mercifully as possible. Roger helps to do that, and we see him step up in the way of a pastor. We get this chance to see him take on this spiritual side to him.

Richard Brown and some men turn up. It looks like they had something to do with the burning, but they’re trying to pin the blame on Jamie and Roger. When Richard Brown leaves, Jamie points out that while it wasn’t them, they do know something about it.