Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 105 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

There is a lot going on in this chapter. At the start, Roger runs into the minister who was supposed to ordain him before. The minister says that he will pray for Brianna, but there is a mention of God’s will. This bit makes Roger wonder once more whether ordination is right for him.

I think it’s worth remembering here that Roger doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps. This isn’t about saving souls, but about helping the people of the Ridge. It’s very important to remember as it shows that maybe ordination isn’t right for Roger, but it’s all he can really think to do to help people.

Roger also shows his respect for other cultures. He listens to why Ian took Forbes’s ear. It’s a talisman (the Mohawk believe the talisman will chose a person) and Ian smokes the ear so he can wear it around his neck until he finds Brianna. Roger later ends up with the rub ring that Bree gave to Eppie and that becomes his talisman.

How does he get the ring? This happens when Jamie, Ian, and Roger get to Claire. She’s with Manfred MacGillvery and Eppie. Manfred admits that he saw Jamie initially and ran thinking that Jamie was after him. Now he’s willing to help if he can, and he recognizes the ruby ring that Eppie had.

Eppie now shares some information about Ocracoke, the dark moon, and wild horses by Bonnet’s house. It’s all clues for when and where Brianna will be. I love that Eppie didn’t purposely go in search for the Frasers and Roger, but she did share the information when she saw them.

Claire has some good news for Manfred in this chapter. She can cure his syphillis. That means he can marry Eppie and give her the life he believes she deserves.

At the end of the chapter, we head back to Brianna. She wakes to what she thinks is Jemmy needing her, but it’s Bonnet having a nightmare. He later tells her that his greatest fear is drowning, and she comforts him through the fear. She shares that she won’t let him drown, although it’s more to keep herself safe than to actually make a promise to Bonnet.