Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 116 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Bree and Roger looking for the best place to watch Bonnet’s execution. This is important for Bree. She wants to see Bonnet gone for good. It has been almost 10 years since Jamie let Bonnet go free, so it’s about time he’s gone.

However, Bree spots Lord John Grey with a man who looks a lot like Jamie. When she goes to see John and is introduced to William Ransom, William asks if they’ve met. There is a sense that she looks familiar but he can’t place it, because who would think they’re looking in a mirror? William looks a lot like Jamie, while Bree looks a lot like Ellen Fraser.

Bree eventually gets the truth out of John. She finds out that William is her half-brother and that John married Isobel to make sure he could raise the boy. Why have Jamie and John not talked about John’s decision to marry just to raise Jamie’s illegitimate boy? It is a question that needs to be asked.

At this point, John also learns that Bree wasn’t raised in France as he assumed. She makes it clear that she was raised in Boston by another man. I’m really surprised that this never came up before considering the two are good friends.

One thing I love is that Bree doesn’t fully understand what William’s true paternity coming out will mean to the boy. After all, Bree is from 20th century America where this sort of heritage means very little. To an Englishman in the 18th century, it means everything. While she would likely know that, she hasn’t had the opportunity to fully comprehend that until now.

I also like that we see Bree has grown a lot in the last 10 years or so. When she learned Frank wasn’t her father, she lashed out. Now that she’s learned she’s not an only child after all, she’s just mostly accepted it and considered what it means. Age and wisdom bring maturity that she would have never had 10 years ago, but it’s important to show in the books.