The Exile: an Outlander Graphic Novel by Diana Gabaldon and Hoang Nguyen as illustrator
Reviewed by: Diane Soffietti, Reference Assistant
Genre: Historical Fiction, Graphic Novel
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: This is historical fantasy reformatted from a novel to a graphic novel for adults.
Diana Gabaldon has written eight novels in the Outlander series. This is a graphic novel, and a retelling of the beginning of her series from the male lead character, Jamie Fraser. It is set in the Scottish highlands during the 1740’s before the Jacobite rebellion, which later failed to replace the Hanover kings with the Stuart line. The lead female character is Claire Beauchamp Randall, who travels from 1945 by means of a witch’s stone circle while she was visiting the highlands with her husband, Frank Randall, whose ancestor is the garrison leader of Fort William, a British stronghold in the Scottish region. Jamie is an outlaw with a price on his head as he had defied Captain Randall when he escaped after being flogged by the Captain. Politics and family loyalties are part of the challenges of Jamie and Claire when they are married and Claire is accused of being a British spy. Jamie has sworn to protect Claire as they face these challenges.
My Review: I chose this book because I had just watched the DVD from the recent TV series, Outlander. I have only read a few graphic novels, but what I liked the most about this format was that it showed what the characters were thinking. It also has the Gaelic phrases incorporated into the story with a translation on the same page. This story is true to the book, Outlander, but it has added background to Jamie’s godfather and other characters. The artwork from the illustrator is very realistic and captivating. Included in the front and back of the book are notes from Diana that explains the process of transferring her characters and story to this graphic format. I also enjoyed reading more about the history of the era and of the tartan colors. There are many fans of the Outlander series and this book adds to the fan frenzy.
There are some scenes of sexual acts and fantasy dealing with time travel and witchcraft. We have many graphic novels in both the teen space, and the adult fiction section which are separated and located behind the elevator on the second floor. They are organized by the main character or series title, and not by the author or illustrator.
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!