Brianna and Roger’s happiness is interrupted in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 114
Brianna gives birth to Amanda, and it’s supposed to be a happy time in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 114. It is to start with, but it’s soon clear that there is a problem.
Some of this chapter is told through reports from Fergus’s paper. I love how the book manages to keep Fergus in focus through these reports. There is one report that stands out as some foreshadowing of things to come, and I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
Most of the chapter is focused on the birth of Amanda Claire Hope MacKenzie. It’s supposed to be a joyous time, especially since Roger is there for the birth and he’s able to hold his daughter without any doubt that she is his. However, the happiness turns to sadness as it’s clear that Amanda isn’t healthy.
Brianna, Roger, and the whole family have to make some big decisions to be able to save Amanda’s life. At least they have this option, which is more than others on the Ridge would be able to do.
The chapter hasn’t been used in the TV series just yet, but I fully expect it to be used in Outlander Season 7. I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 114.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter begins with some reports from Fergus’s newspaper. There are a couple that stand out. One of them is a theft that happens at Forbes’s warehouse. The other is the birth of Amanda.
It takes some time for Roger and Bree to settle on a name. Initially, they were going to call her Marjorie after Roger’s mom. In the end, the name didn’t seem to fit the child, and they end up switching to Amanda, with Mandy for short.
Roger is delighted to be there for the birth and to see his wife afterward. He’s also delighted to be able to hold his newborn daughter. However, the happiness ends as the family notices a few things about Mandy
She doesn’t feed all that well. That might not have been a problem had it not been for Mandy’s fingertips and toes turning blue now and then. Bree’s instincts as a mother kick in, and she knows that there is something seriously wrong. Claire listens to Mandy’s heart a few times until she accepts that there is a problem.
There is only one way to fix this. They need surgery, and Claire can’t do it in her own time. This will mean traveling to the future.
Fortunately, it looks like Mandy can hear the stones sing. Jemmy tells the family that Amanda has said to him that she can hear the stones. How would Amanda be able to tell him this as a newborn? This certainly brings something up for the future.
In the end, one thing is clear. Bree, Roger, and Jemmy will need to travel to the 20th century with Amanda or they face losing her.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There are a couple of elements of foreshadowing in this chapter. One of those is the theft at Forbes’s warehouse. It makes it clear that Forbes’s story isn’t quite finished in the books.
The most important foreshadowing is when Jemmy tells everyone that Mandy has told him she can hear the stones. Not only does this make it clear that Amanda can travel, but it foreshadows just how powerful Amanda and Jemmy. They are deeply connected.
We also know that Amanda is the one who helps keep the whole family together when they’re traveling back to the 18th century. This is brought up in Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, and I’m sure this moment in A Breath of Snow and Ashes foreshadows that in the ninth book.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
The chapter hasn’t been used yet, but I fully expect it to. There is no way the TV show can avoid it. After all, there are leaked photos of Bree and Roger in 20th-century clothing.
There is only one reason Bree and Roger would leave the 18th century now. They would do it for the health of a child, so that means we should get the storyline of Amanda’s heart defect and the surgery she needs.
I do think it’s also important to show that while Claire can do a lot, she’s not a miracle worker. There are some things she just can’t do in the past, and she has to admit her inabilities at times.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 114? Let us know in the comments below.
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