Written in my own heart’s blood by Diana Gabaldon

I’ve been a huge Outlander fan ever since I read the first book before watching the first season of the TV series. Unlike some others, I also liked the later books focusing more on John Grey and his family – maybe because I read the full John Grey series in between. The seventh book The echo in the bone is one of my favourite parts in the series, apart from the first four books.

*** Warning: it’s almost impossible to not give away any spoilers about any of the previous books ***

Written in my own heart’s blood is book eight, picking up where Echo ended. With Claire and John in turmoil after discovering Jamie is not dead after all. William has just found out who his real father is and he’s not happy with that. And Brianna, Roger and young Jem have been separated after an attack by Rob Cameron.

The first part of the book focuses on solving the mess created at the end of the previous book. With a big role for The Grey family. I enjoyed this part and I was happy that John’s brother Hal finally gets a bigger role because I already loved him and his wife Minnie (who is sadly absent here) in the John Grey series.

In between, we get Brianna and Roger’s story that I read fast because so much was happening and I found it very engaging. However, there are quite a few holes in the story that – I fear – we will never get a decent answer to. For example: Who is this Rob Cameron? How did that letter from Frank get there and why did he write it down like that? Where has Roger’s dad Jeremiah gone now? Where is Buck at the end? Is the woman in the cabin Geillis? Who is the man she killed then? Who is the other time traveller? Sooooo many questions that have been left unanswered! Will Gabaldon provide answers in the next book(s)?

After that interlude, the American Revolution continues for a long time. The battle of Monmouth is chaotic, as is the whole aftermath to get back on The Ridge. I didn’t like William’s subplot with Jane as much. The other Grey family subplot surrounding his cousin Ben is not concluded at all (for the next book?). Dottie and Denzel get lost in the middle somewhere (and I love Dottie so much). Fortunately, there’s always Ian, Fergus and Marsali are back in the game and we welcome Jenny in the Americas. And also Adso, Rollo and Clarence provide some much-needed animal love. But when are we finally going to know the truth around Percy Wainwright!?

This book is a bit ‘Four weddings and a funeral’ and Claire is again working as a healer and performing some strange and detailed operations. There’s plenty of Lord John (who, like Roger, is always getting himself into trouble again – sigh) so I’m actually happy because he’s my favourite – there I said it.

But still, Written in my own heart’s blood is not like Echo. It isn’t the best book in the series. It’s too unfocused for that. Too much dragging on about a war that’s dragging on. But that ending is so beautiful.❤️ On to ‘Bees’.

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5.