Claire performs two operations in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 88
The time has come for surgery in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 88. In fact, there are two surgeries that Claire must perform.
The first is the reason Claire is back in America in the first place. She does the surgery on her grandson, and it goes successfully. Did we really think anything different? I do think that Henri-Christian’s surgery was on the more routine side of things for Claire, even in the 18th century.
The second surgery is trickier, and it is also messier. She needs to save Henry Grey’s life, and she listens to what Denny has to say about what he experienced when removing the first bit of metal. I love that we see Claire take stock of everything Denny says. He isn’t trying to show he’s better than her but genuinely help her save their patient, and she respects that.
We also see Denny’s respect for her as a surgeon. Then we see John’s admiration for her. There’s a moment where we see Claire’s work described as being a military commander organizing a battlefield, and it really does fit for Claire Fraser.
There is a small hint of foreshadowing in this chapter and I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section. I fully expect to see this chapter play out in the TV series. I’ll get to that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 88.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Claire performing Henri-Christian’s surgery. Denny is in awe at Claire’s work and the ether, which John was able to get the items for. There is a problem with light, but Claire is able to do the surgery relatively easily.
After this, we see her move on to Henry Grey. John remains with his nephew to ensure if something goes wrong, Henry has a family member there. Denny explains where he thinks the other ball is, and Claire understands she needs to work carefully. Mercy would like something to do, so Claire tells her how to use the ether.
Now it’s time to get to work. We don’t get to see the full surgery, but we do get to see John in awe of Claire. He already respected her talents, but he gains more respect for her in this part of the books. He sees her fully at work, and it’s the perfect way to show just how amazing she is at her job.
We then cut to William, Dorothea, and Rachel, who are all waiting on the sidelines. William is shocked to hear that the surgery is complete but there were no screams. It shows us what William is used to. Really, it’s what they’re all used to hearing when it comes to surgery.
The conversation moves onto Dorothea and Denny. Dottie hasn’t told her parents yet. She wants to do it as a p.s. in a letter about Henry. She thinks that her parents will ignore the fact that she wants to marry Denny when they hear the good news about Henry. William knows that is not the way her parents will act.
I love that we see Rachel, in her attempt to be honest and caring, is a little tactless. William scolds her for that, and notes that Denny is a talented surgeon. Then he wants to make a comment about Claire’s skills but realizes that she scares him a little. Doesn’t she with everyone?
Toward the end of the chapter, Rollo’s hackles are up. He growls at a man, and William thinks about the man who had been asking for Ian Murray. It’s clear that someone is a threat, and William is uneasy about this man. He has every right to be.
In the end, William realizes that by Dottie potentially marrying Denny, he will be on the opposite side of the war to some of his family. That doesn’t sit well with him.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There are two elements of foreshadowing in this chapter. The first is in John’s admiration for Claire. He gains a new respect for her, and I think that this all leads to his decision to marry her to protect her. If it was anyone else, he wouldn’t had gone it, and I think it’s more than just Jamie that makes him want to save Claire. He loves her in his own way, especially after she’s seemed to do the impossible for Henry.
Then there’s the ending. William realizes that he will be on the opposite side of the war of Dottie if she marries Denny. He is already on the opposite side of war to his father, but he just doesn’t know it yet. It’s all about to come out.
Then there is a bit of plot development. I don’t think we need to explain who the old man that Rollo doesn’t like was. It definitely wasn’t the cat Rollo was growling at.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I expect to see at least the first part of this chapter used in the TV series. I fully expect to see the surgeries. We need to see Claire at work, and we need to see how Denny and John both look up to her. They follow her instructions and they learn from her. It’s not often we see that, but it’s hard not to be amazed by Claire’s surgical abilities.
Will the latter part of the chapter be used? This part I’m not too sure about. There probably isn’t enough time to delve into Denny and Dottie’s relationship. We could have a moment with Arch Bug showing up and Rollo’s hackles going up, but that wouldn’t need the entire conversation about Dottie wanting to marry Denny being included. Dottie’s storyline doesn’t play the biggest part in the overall story, so it may be skipped over.
We haven’t gotten to know John’s family. In the main books, they’re just thrown in and it is a little jarring at first. We have to read the Lord John Grey books to really know who they are. This is a problem, and it could be a reason for the writers to skip over Dottie and only include the most important parts in the TV series due to time constraints. There isn’t the time to fully flesh all the new characters out.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 88? Let us know in the comments below.
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