Brianna almost falls through time in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 27
There are portals through time everywhere, and Brianna finds another one in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 27. At one point, we’re afraid that she’s fallen through time.
Things all start with her going to work, and it’s very clear that the men don’t respect her. They’re men of the 1980s. Of course they have little respect for a woman, especially one who is above them when it comes to positions.
So, they decide to play a “prank” on Bree by locking her in the tunnels in darkness. She’s left fumbling her way around, and that’s when she almost falls through time. By the end of the chapter, we learn she didn’t, but it was a scary moment for a while.
This chapter certainly foreshadows a few things in the coming book and the next one. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
I really want to see this chapter used in the TV series. We need to get that reminder that while women could work, they weren’t all that accepted outside of what was considered a woman’s job. Bree has put herself in a man’s position, and the men don’t like that. Fragile men. That’s all I’ll say.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 27.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Bree at work. She is trapped in a tunnel by the three men who showed her around earlier. They all set it up so she would be in this tunnel in the dark, and it’s clear that they expect her to panic. Why would they do this except to show that they have no respect for a woman in her position in the workplace?
They immediately anger me. I can’t stand men like this today. There are too many of these fragile little boys who are scared of equality. But that’s a whole other topic. Let’s stick to the book.
Bree doesn’t panic. She gets angry, but she doesn’t panic. She does manage to find a door that has a slither of light, and she manages to find her way remembering the way around the tunnel from earlier in the day. She knows the train is ahead, and she’ll be able to start the train. However, this is when trouble comes.
Bree trips and she starts to hear the sound of the stones. There’s a portal somewhere around, and Bree panics that she may have gone through time. All she can hope is that either she didn’t. She just has to hope that she’s still in the 20th century, but she won’t find out until she gets out of this tunnel.
I did have some fear in this moment. If she was trapped in the past, what would that have meant with this tunnel? Would she have been trapped inside an actual tunnel that wouldn’t have been fully constructed? It did give me the clue that she hadn’t actually traveled through time, though, especially when she mentions that it didn’t feel the same. Plus, Bree thinks about this. The tunnel didn’t exist 25 years ago, so she would be stuck in rock if she did go into the past.
When she gets out, she is back where she belongs. The men are outside, two of them impressed with her attitude. Rob Cameron is not, calling Bree “hen” to make it clear that he still has no respect for her in the workplace. He also thinks highly of himself, and it’s clear that Bree has no respect for him.
The term “hen” also stands out. I know this is a commonly used term for women in Scotland, even now. However, to be used against Bree makes me feel sick. Bonnet referred to her in the same way multiple times, and I’m sure it would have made Bree sick to keep hearing it from another man.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
This chapter certainly foreshadows some things. It’s pretty clear that the men are going to come up again, but I get the sense that this chapter foreshadows that Rob Cameron is more of a threat to Bree than she realizes. While the other two probably thought it was just a prank, Rob is up to something.
I also get a sense of foreshadowing for Jemmy’s story. He has to deal with Rob and there are some similar circumstances. In fact, it’s all in the same tunnel.
The biggest is Bree being so terrified of traveling. This isn’t just about being stuck in a rock or not being with her family. It’s clear that there is more traveling to come. Roger and Jemmy will head back and forth through the stones, but eventually, the whole family will need to go to the past to remain safe. However, it’s not something Bree can do again. She is suffering with her health because of the traveling, and I get a sense of that within this chapter.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I want to see this chapter used in Outlander Season 7. We need to see the problems Bree faces at work, and Rob Cameron is a major character so he needs to be introduced in this sinister way. Bree is a strong-willed character, and this chapter reminds us of that. She’s smart and collected in problematic times, and I want to see that used in the series.
For me, Bree has been underdeveloped in the series. For the whole of Season 5, we just got the reminder that she’s a mother and that’s it. There was one instance with the snake bite that reminded us that she is an engineer, and we get to see that a little more in Season 6. Can we have her stand out on her own in her own right in Season 7?
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 27? Let us know in the comments below.
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