The Outlander

There are several reasons why I chose to read The Outlander by Gil Adamson. It's set in western Canada, it's written by a Canadian author, and it was nominated last year for Canada Reads. It didn't win but it was a definite favourite among some of the panel. And because it's it written by a Canadian I can use it for a challenge I'm part of, The Canadian Book Challenge 3.

In 1903, a mysterious, desperate young woman flees alone across the western wilderness, one quick step ahead of her pursuers. She has just become a widow - and her husband's murderer.

Gil Adamson's superb novel opens in heart-pounding mid flight and propels the reader through a gripping fugitive-on-the-run story with a twist: this time, the steely outlaw is a grief-struck nineteen-year-old girl. As the widow encounters characters of all stripes - wheedling, self-reliant, greedy, generous, lascivious, and occasionally trustworthy - the reader is irresistibly drawn into a brilliant, picaresque tale of one young woman's deliberate journey deep into the wild.

First of all let me begin by saying that it took me a while to get into the story. I truly began to enjoy it halfway through. I loved the suspense of the story, but I found that the flow at times was lacking, it was taking too long to explain certain things...I wanted to scream to "get to point already!", but I kept on reading. I enjoyed the widow's memories because it gave me the character background and the reason for her mental fragility.

I did not like the way the book ended. I actually had to read the last chapter twice, it didn't seem right to me. I wonder if I'm alone with that? Have you read it?

The Outlander by Gil Adamson (3.75/5) Historical Fiction; Published: Anansi (2007); New Author; Canadian Author; Canada Reads (7); Canadian Book Challenge 3 (7); Books 2010 (23);