Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 78 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Brianna checking in on the paper she’s making. We know that paper is scarce, so it’s not surprising that Bree is looking into making it. She knows the how, and now she just needs to put that into practice.

I do love how the book sprinkles in Bree’s “inventions.” We get to know what she’s doing without her making a big song and dance about it. There are some things that she’s extra proud of, but right now, she’s just focusing on making life easier (and cheaper) at the Ridge. Maybe she can make toilet paper!

Roger then asks if Bree can take herself and Jem up to the Big House for the night. He wants to use the cabin as a meeting house. The idea is to bring freemasonry to the Ridge. The problem is they need neutral ground, which rules out the Big House and Tom’s house. Roger’s house seems like the best option.

I love that we see how Roger wants to do the same as Jamie when it comes to the people of the Ridge. He wants to find a way for everyone to live harmoniously. As a Presbyterian, he does have a little more respect from the fisherfolk than Jamie does, but he needs to find harmony with the Catholics, too. This is the perfect option.

Bree agrees, although it’s clear she’s not 100% happy about it at first. She can see that Roger just wants to do the right thing for the people of the Ridge, and that is something she can respect. She also knows that this is something Jamie would do, so she’ll just have to deal with it.