Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone: A Novel (Outlander)

After a 2,723 day wait (nearly 7 1/2 years), Go Tell the Bees I Am Gone is finally here. I've never wanted to finish a book and also not finish a book so much, since Book 10 will surely take another half a dozen years. I savored Bees as long as possible and spread it out over 10 days, with the bulk of my reading happening over the past few days. It was hard for me to put down toward the end. In interviews, Diana has described the shape of Bees (all of her Outlander books have a shape in her mind) as a snake. I could see it and feel it as I read; the plot is sinuous and curving with the head of the snake at the end. Diana also gave some hints as to the events in Bees in interviews. I wouldn't go so far as to call them spoilers, but I was correct in my predictions as to some of the events based on her comments. It was probably a good thing that I had a hint as to what was coming, because my anxiety was high enough while reading parts of this! Here is the Prologue: "You know that something is coming. Something--a specific, dire, and awful something--will happen. You envision it, you push it away. It rolls slowly, inexorably, back into your mind. You make what preparation you can. Or you think you do, though your bones the truth--there isn't any way to sidestep, accommodate, lessen the impact. It will come, and you will be helpless before it. You know these things. And yet, somehow, you never think it will be today." Is it referencing death? The war? Both? This prologue has stuck with me more so than the prologues from other books in the series. My grandma whom I loved dearly passed away this year. Maybe that's why these words resonate so much with me. Bees has a sentimental tone to it with a sense of reflection to lives well lived and many roads traveled. It feels like a book for Outlander book fans; there are so many nods toward events from past books, events that only someone who has read the books recently or multiple times may remember. (If that makes me sound like a book purist, then so be it.) It isn't essential that you re-read the series before reading Bees, but I think it would be much less touching and evocative if you don't remember past events well enough to pick up on all the nuances. Reading Bees is much like reading Echo: Echo was enhanced through reading the Lord John books/novellas prior, and I think Bees is best served by a past knowledge of both the LJ and Outlander books. Jamie and Claire are 60ish in Bees, and Diana's writing reflects that. They don't rise as easily as they used nor do they think about life as they did when they were younger. Diana talks about how she writes what she knows; she will be 70 on her next birthday (God willing), so she knows what it's like to live to Jamie and Claire's ages. Not being of that age myself, I can only imagine that once you've lived three-quarters of your life you reflect back on choices you've made and the events you've lived through, good and bad. There is a peace in Bees about what's to come. Jamie and Claire won't live forever (there are certainly elements of science fiction to the series, but it's not THAT far-fetched), and the word inexorable (from the prologue) is fitting. I said it before in my review of An Echo in the Bone that I think it's nothing short of amazing that Diana can write about the same characters over and over again and still make them grow and evolve as people. As a reader, I feel like I've lived with the characters and gotten to know and understand them on a level that no other author has ever reached. You can start reading a chapter and typically know right off who is speaking, because Diana's character's voices are that distinct. I love them all, but I'll always have a soft spot for Young Ian. I've never gotten tear-eyed so many times reading a book before. Bees isn't sad per say, but it does evoke strong feelings of nostalgia for past events in the series. My favorite part of Bees is the Outlander 'lore' if you will--the dreams, Claire's healing light, and ghosts just to name a few. I can't even imagine the tissues I'll go through reading Book 10. For now, I'll content myself with my continual leisurely re-read of the series (I'm in Fiery Cross right now). I'll always love these books.

Loved it. After such a long wait, "Bees" arrived on my kindle. With a trans-Atlantic flight ahead of me, I waited to start until I was on the plane. I've never had a flight pass so quickly as that one did. Of course, I came nowhere near finishing the book, and in a great test of willpower, spread the reading over the next week. This allowed me to savor what I'd read before moving on to the following chapters. The book never disappointed me, though I admit to a few bouts of frustration while reading. One of the biggest things I noticed about this book is that it doesn't move from one crisis to another as many earlier books did. It is more character-driven, with time spent watching those characters grow, change, adjust, and generally deal with day-to-day life and life-changing situations. The story picks up where the previous book left off, with the return of the MacKenzies to Fraser's Ridge. Claire and Jamie's happiness is evident, but so is their concern over what the future holds. Though Jamie resigned his commission in the Continental Army after Claire's injury in MOBY, they know that the war will eventually spread to their area. Jamie already sees the writing on the wall, as residents of the Ridge are split between Rebels and Loyalists. One particular resident, Captain Cunningham, will prove to be especially troublesome. It falls to Jamie to ensure the protection of his people, and he forms a militia company to do so. I loved the descriptions of his efforts to train them, including a hilarious riding lesson. I've seen complaints from other readers that the relationship between Jamie and Claire is lacking in this book. I'm afraid I have to disagree. It is perhaps a little quieter but no less intense. Claire knows him well enough to understand when she needs to worry about him and when she can write his actions off as business as usual. At the same time, Jamie knows when to stay out of the way of Claire's medical work and when he can offer a bit of guidance. Jamie certainly knows that leaving her behind when he goes to fight is not an option. Both are haunted by the ghost of Frank Randall, thanks to his book that Brianna brought with her from the future. Knowledge of the upcoming battle at King's Mountain hangs over their heads. Other happenings involving friends and family: With the return of the MacKenzies, Brianna, Roger, Jem, and Mandy must readjust to life in the 18th century. Roger found his calling with the ministry and finally pursued his ordination as a Presbyterian minister. Religious life on the Ridge is as much entertainment as spiritual, and nearly everyone attends all services, including the Quaker meeting led by Ian's wife. Some of those scenes are pretty funny and go a long way toward encouraging tolerance of others' views. Brianna continues her work as an engineer helping her father and as an artist. Thanks to Lord John, she receives a commission to do a portrait in Savannah. I enjoyed the descriptions of her subject and the challenges she faced. It also put Brianna in the right place for an unexpected and frankly somewhat creepy portrait request. The descriptions of that event were so vivid that I felt as though I was there. While in Savannah, Brianna had the opportunity to spend time with her half-brother, William. I liked his protectiveness toward his sister and his support during that weird portrait session. Brianna is aware of the strain between William and Jamie and uses the time to talk about Jamie. I laughed out loud when she told William about that particular sound he makes ("mmphm"). William matures a fair amount in this book. While he still hasn't quite come to terms with the truth about his parentage, he is getting closer. He is still just as determined to renounce his title and corrects anyone who refers to him by it. Since resigning from the British army, he's been at loose ends, so he takes on the investigation into his cousin Ben's reported death. This includes dealing with Ben's widow, Amaranthus. I freely admit that I do not like her or her hold on William. The shocking information he discovers about Ben could destroy the family, and her part in it made me dislike her even more. I liked William's friendship with John Cinnamon, the half-Indian, half-white man he met while visiting the family's Virginia property. John was an interesting character, and his connection to Lord John made for some tense moments until the whole story came out. I loved Brianna's part in John's story and its effect on him. During Roger and Brianna's trip to Savannah, they stopped briefly in Charles Town, South Carolina. The visit served a dual purpose. First, they returned Germaine to his parents, Fergus and Marsali. He lived on the Ridge while they all recovered from Henri-Christian's death. Fergus and Marsali run a successful printing business, working solidly on the side of the Americans. Fergus's connections make him the perfect person to help Roger and Bree acquire rifles for Jamie's militia. The descriptions of everything involved in this undertaking were, at times, scary and hilarious. There were some intense moments when Loyalists made their unhappiness with Fergus and his views plain. The danger motivates Fergus and family to relocate. Fergus also has another encounter with someone claiming to know the truth of his birth. Other residents of the Ridge also have their challenges. Frances (Fanny), the girl William rescued in the previous book, lives with Jamie and Claire. It takes a long time for her to believe that she is safe with them and doesn't have to worry about her future. Her grief for her sister profoundly affects her life, and I ached for everything she experienced in her short life. She is an interesting mixture of innocence and experience, and some of the things she says are both funny and heartbreaking. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for her. Life in the backwoods can be hazardous, and tragedy can strike without warning. The gruesome death of a young woman brought that danger home in a memorable scene. I ached for Bobby over the loss of his wife. In another scene, attending a difficult birth brings Claire closer to the manifestation of her full healing powers. It also brings another girl to the attention and guardianship of the Frasers. Young Ian and Rachel have settled on the Ridge, along with Ian's mother, Jenny. Their love was as surprising as it was intense, and I enjoyed seeing their continuing adjustments to life together as Mohawk and Quaker. When Ian receives word that his first wife is now a widow and could be in danger, nothing will stop him from checking up on her. I loved that Rachel insisted on going with him, along with their baby and Jenny. I wasn't sure how that encounter would go, and I admit to being pleasantly surprised. The scene between Emily and Rachel was incredibly emotional, and I loved every moment of it. There was an interesting twist involving Jenny, and I look forward to seeing where it goes. I also enjoyed seeing some minor characters from previous books make appearances. The Quaker woman and her daughters who helped Jamie in the last book are on his mind when Ian heads north. When Jamie asks Ian to check on her during his trip, Ian is shocked by what he finds. I loved his honor-fueled protectiveness and the actions it led to. It did somewhat complicate his life and journey. An unexpected twist ended with Mrs. Hardiman and her daughters traveling back to the Ridge. Ulysses (from River Run) was a less welcome visitor in a British uniform and bearing ill intentions toward Jamie. Lord John and his brother Hal, Duke of Pardloe, have several appearances in this book. Hal's seniority in the army put him at the center of the action. His views on the war don't necessarily match those of his compatriots. I liked his devotion to his family and ached over the effect of Ben's actions on him. John's relationship with William continues to be strained over the revelations of his parenthood. The same goes for his friendship with Jamie, thanks to John's brief marriage to Claire. Strained or not, John is there for William when he's needed, and there is never a doubt about how much he cares for William. John's past comes back to bite him when he's kidnapped in an attempt to influence Hal's plans for a trip to England. Double agent (but for whom?) Richardson makes another appearance. This time he has an agenda of his own that he will do anything to advance. William is especially disturbed by Richardson's statement that he knows Brianna and the hint of an underlying threat. A rough sketch done by William and shown to Brianna makes the unthinkable not only possible but terrifyingly real. The book ended in a cliffhanger with Lord John still a captive and William searching for help to save him. I hope that the next book doesn't take as long as this one did. I need to know what happens!

Diana Gabldon is the most entertaining author I've ever read. I think it is mandatory to read all 9 of her Outlander books in order. Her books have everything -drama, war, romance , mystery and left me gasping at her machinations of her characters. I have re-read the series at least 5 times and find new things each time. I would recommend this series to those who love to be totally engrossed by a novel. I can't wait for the final book (#10) to come out.

The characters are complex and fascinating. The plot is an illuminating glimpse of the Revolutionary War. As someone with Scottish heritage, I learned so much about what that heritage means. My only wish is that all the Gaelic phrases would have been translated.

The author fleshes out the characters skillfully. The growth is well-planned—middle-aged Jamie and Claire have real depth. The ending is a cliff hanger.

Love outlander

Like this ending better than the tv show, can’t wait for the next one! Claire and Jamie’s story continues. Hurrah

This is easily the best of these books since at least "The Drums of Autumn" if not "Voyager". There's so much going on and all of it is worthwhile. Some of it is rather sudden and I don't understand those that say that nothing much happened in the first half. It is true that there are a lot of characters to keep track of in this series. It's true that many of them needed updates in the first half of this book. I found it fun. The process of reconnecting Roger and Brianna's family to the Revolution era family is important, and I thought was well handled. The story line involving the American portions of the remainder of the Murray family were excellent and engaged me thoroughly. The Sachem is easily one of my favorite new characters. I also loved getting more properly acquainted with the Hardman family. No more details here: you can read for those. Just some general commentary. With a long series, some things will happen over time. Fact: the focus of a series is going to change. Fact: 20% of readers will go with this without thought spontaneously giving 5 star reviews to everything without thought or variation. Fact: 20% of readers will become completely disenfranchised and spew hatred for anything that doesn't look exactly like what they wanted. Fact: It's the 60% in the middle that will make or break a series. Most of us in that group seem to be OK with the direction things are going. If you're in the first 20%, I'm happy you're happy. If you're in the bottom 20%, I get it...but it's time to move on if it's making you ranting and raving unhappy to continue. I'm sorry. There are lots of books. We now can see where the last book is going to start, at minimum, and we have a pretty good idea of what's coming at the end. So, I'm on board. Looking forward to what's next!

Love outlander series. Can read them again and again and never get bored. Bees is the same. After waiting for so long She is still able to capture the attention and keep you at the edge of your seats.

This is just as good as all the Outlander books🥰 I really liked it, smooth reading, I recommend it

This book was such a gift. I loved the Rachel and Ian storyline, I just wished there was more about them. I am so glad Ian got another dog. This was a big read, not complaining, but definitely not a quick one day book. I liked all the day to day scenes, especially with Francis, she is such a great character. I hope we find out more about her backstory eventually. I also hope there is more of Denny and Dorothea in the next book. I liked that this book was all in the same time/year, much easier to read than the last one. This is probably one of the best books in the series. Diana Gabaldon is really the best historical fiction author. I love Sara Donati as well, they are in another league and I am always grateful when a new book is released! My only frustration is with William. Why would he be interested in Amaranthus? She was truly obnoxious, and impossible to like.

This is the kind of book that makes you swear out loud when it finishes! Damn! Not now!!! Well, it’s great! The whole series is great! Just looking forward to the next one!!! When is it coming out by the way???

ATENÇÃO! SE VOCÊ NÃO GOSTA DE SPOILER NÃO LEIA ESSA REVIEW! Tem muitos spoilers na minha review, então se você não quer perder a surpresa ao ler o livro, não leia a minha review! . . Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone foi uma leitura completamente envolvente e cativante por um todo. É um livro tão grande quanto o Livro 5, mas que você nem nota o tanto que leu até perceber que faltam poucas páginas para acabá-lo. Há tantos momentos maravilhosos entre o Jaime e a Claire! Não só românticos, como DRs maravilhosas! hahahaha Eu amo quando eles brigam, pois é um barato como eles não baixam a bola um com o outro, e quando fazem as pazes é a coisa mais fofa do mundo hahaha Temos alguns mistérios resolvidos nesse livro (pontos soltos do Livro 7 e 8), e novos mistérios ainda a serem resolvidos no último livro (que segundo o site oficial da Diana, o livro 10 será o último livro focado no Jaime e na Claire, ela vai fechar o ciclo). Primeiramente, vamos começar com a volta de Bree, Roger e as crianças a Fraser's Ridge. - Bree conta sobre Rob Cameron para o pai e ao primo Ian; - Roger conta ao Jaime sobre ter conhecido Brian Fraser e Janet Fraser em 1739, além de seu sentimento de culpa por não ter matado Black Jack Randall na oportunidade que teve, e também de não ter salvo o sogro de ser açoitado, alegando medo de impedir a existência de Brianna (e se ele mudasse algo que impedisse Jaime de conhecer Claire em 1743?). - Jane também sabe que conheceu Roger quando jovem, pois ela atualmente mora em Fraser's Ridge, e Jaime contou para ela que ela conheceu anos atrás seu genro (e o garoto que ele procurava era seu neto, Jemmy). Segundamente, vamos para mistérios envolvendo a novela dos Grey. - Ben forjou a própria morte pois ele está do lado dos Patriotas e se passa por um General chamado Bleeker (Dottie e Denzel estão do lado dele); - Richardson tem provas que Lord John é sodomita e quer usar isso contra ele para seus fins próprios (e William sabe do boato do pai ser sodomita); - Richardson na verdade é Michael Callahan (o arqueologista que estava junto de Rob Cameron no século XX, e sequestrou Jemmy). Ele fez uma cirurgia plástica para mudar de rosto. - Richardson (Mike) tem interesse de impedir que os Patriotas ganhem a guerra para impedir a Guerra Civil americana de 1861. Ele quer proteger os negros de passarem mais anos em escravidão (que acontece porquê os patriotas vencem a guerra contra os legalistas em 1781). Para isso, fez chantagem com John Grey, pois Hal era uma peça chave para o final da Guerra e o lado vencedor. Ou Hal protege John (de ser morto por ser um sodomita) ou proteger Ben (de ser um traidor da coroa). No fim, esse é o verdadeiro motivo de Richardson fazer tudo o que fez. - Richardson sequestra John, pois ele quer que John convença o irmão de ser a favor da Guerra contra as colônias continuar (John sem dúvida irá salvar o sobrinho Ben de ser enforcado por traição, então acredito que ele não irá convencer o irmão do que Richardson quer). - Percy conta para William que é meio-irmão do John. - Percy diz que ama John para o próprio, antes do mesmo ser liberto por Richardson do cárcere (que está com a custódia de John, pois pelo jeito, ele está determinado a enganar Richardson, e não vai convencer o irmão Hal a ficar do lado dos Legalistas, algo que Richardson quer). John quer proteger Ben. Acho que ele vai se sacrificar. - Amaranthus não ama William (William a pediu em casamento, mas foi negado). Ela ainda ama Ben. - Bree faz um retrato de Cinnamon, para que Lord John mande para seu verdadeiro pai. O pai de Cinnamon quando recebe o retrato pede ao filho que vá para a Inglaterra, pede perdão e quer conhecê-lo e reconhecê-lo. - Bree e William ficam muuuuuuito próximos nesse livro, o amor fraterno entre eles foi natural e instantâneo (Bree só soube que Richardson é Mike porquê Richardson ameaça William ao falar da Bree, e William temendo pela irmã, manda uma carta para ela com um retrato desenhado por ele do rosto de Richardson, e então Bree reconhece ele por uns detalhes, vendo que se tratava de Michael do futuro). Terceiramente, vamos a outras informações ainda importantes: - Brianna trás ao passado um livro que Frank publicou antes de sua morte, chamado "As raízes escocesas na Guerra de Independência Americana". Nesse livro, há um Jaime Fraser que morre em uma das guerrilhas; - Jaime finalmente vê o rosto de Frank na contra capa do livro, e se assusta com sua semelhança com Black Jack Randall. O mesmo se recusa a acreditar no que está escrito no livro, mesmo sendo de um historiador. (há um momento bem legal, onde ele demanda da Claire o motivo dela nunca ter contado que Frank e Black Jack eram parecidos, e ela diz que o motivo é óbvio... não queria pertubá-lo com a informação que ela fora casada com um homem parecido com o homem que fez as atrocidades que fez ao Jaime, traumatizando-o); - Esse livro 9 é o livro onde há mais surtos de ciúmes do Jaime. Vemos a insegurança do mesmo, achando que Frank era um homem melhor para a Claire do que ele; - Um índio (Sachem) que está próximo de Fraser's Ridge para ver o rumo da guerra, se aproxima de Claire e Jaime (viram amigos), e ele diz para Claire que vê o fantasma de um homem e uma criança sempre a seguindo. Ele está falando de Frank e de Faith. Os fantasmas só querem o bem da Claire. Ah, e o fantasma de Frank também segue o Jaime. - Nunca Faith foi tão citada como ela é nesse livro 9. Há muitos gatilhos. Um deles é que a mãe da Fanny (menina que Jaime e Claire adotam, a que William salvou e trouxe para eles - já que a irmã Jane não estava mais entre eles) se chama Faith. Claire chega a achar que poderia ser a Faith dela, mas não faz sentido, pois ela viu a Faith morta. Outro gatilho é quando Claire faz o parto de uma mulher que tem gêmeos, e a menina nasce morta, e Jaime quando pega a menina no colo (o mesmo está ajudando ela no parto), começa a chorar, pois ele lembra que Faith também nasceu natimorta. A menina no fim volta a respirar, e acredito que seja por conta da "luz azul" da Claire; - Nesse livro, Jaime literalmente morre, porém é salvo pela "luz azul" da Claire. No livro, Roger nota que uma espécie de luz azul emana das mãos de Claire quando a mesma não desiste de salvar Jaime de seus graves ferimentos após a última batalha próxima de Fraser's Ridge. Jaime já esgotou sua cota de 9 vidas, já está fazendo é hora extra; - Jaime diz que uma vidente disse a ele que ele teria que morrer 9 vezes até morrer de verdade (isso aconteceu quando ele estava na França em 1739). Mas pelas contas... ele já passou da cota e tá vivo ainda, ele REALMENTE tá fazendo hora extra rs. - Tem somente uma morte chocante, a da Sra. Higgins (morta por um urso enquanto colhia uvas com a Bree); - Bree e Roger tem mais um bebê, ele se chama David Mackenzie; - Fergus e Marsali tem um casal de gêmeos também; - Mandy diz para Jaime que ela e Jemmy não sentem o irmão caçula Davy (David). Ela diz que o irmão tem a mesma cor do avô, "água/azul". Por conta disso, o Jaime acredita que seu neto mais novo não pode passar pelas pedras (por ser como ele). Se isso for verdade, Brianne e Roger nunca mais voltam ao futuro, pois jamais deixariam o filho mais novo para trás. - Silvia e suas três filhas (que ajudou Jaime no Livro 8, o abrigou, deu comida e ajudou a se recuperar, recebeu ajuda financeira de Jaime através de Ian, atualmente - após saber que o marido Gabriel casou com uma índia e tem outra família- foi para Fraser’s Ridge e mora lá também). No final do livro, ela se casa com Bob Higgins (que ficou viúvo no início do livro). - Emily é viúva, e como Ian soube de um massacre na tribo onde vive, quis saber como estavam as coisas. Ian tem certeza de que o filho mais velho dela é dele. Atualmente, Ian está em Fraser’s Ridge com Rachel, o filho deles (que finalmente tem nome, Hunter James) e também o filho mais velho dele com a Emily. O final do livro termina com William correndo até Fraser's Ridge desesperado pela ajuda de Jaime. Percy contou para ele que John está sob custódia de Richardson, e William quer salvá-lo. O ano é 1781 (Jaime fará 60 anos, e Claire 64). Jaime detalha que o cabelo de Claire está da cor da luz da lua (lembrando que a índia deixou claro que Claire estaria em seus plenos poderes quando seus cabelos estivessem totalmente brancos). E com isso, agora é o desespero em aguardar uns aninhos para o lançamento do Livro 10. Do início ao fim, esse livro foi emocionante. E agora tenho uma atualização da minha lista de favoritos! Ordem dos meus livros favoritos: 1 - Diga as Abelhas que Fui Embora (Livro 9) 2 - Escrito com o Sangue do Meu Coração (Livro 8) 3 - Um Sopro de Neve e Cinzas (Livro 6) 4 - Os Tambores do Outono (Livro 4) 5 - A Viajante do Tempo (Livro 1) 6 - A Cruz de Fogo (Livro 5) 7 - A Libélula no Âmbar (Livro 2) 8 - O Resgate no Mar (Livro 3) 9 - Ecos do Futuro (Livro 7)