#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The eighth book in Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.
With its unpredictable twists-and-turns, endless heartache, and characters we’ve grown to love so much we could cry over them, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood is another showstopping addition to the unbeatable Outlander series. We’ll follow Claire and Jamie once again as they traverse grief, hardship, and war in America. It comes as no surprise that this novel was named one of the best books of the year by Booklist. Want to know more? We’ll take you through everything you need to know.
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Written In My Own Heart’s Blood
It is June 1778, and the world seems to be turning upside-down. The British Army is withdrawing from Philadelphia, with George Washington in pursuit, and for the first time, it looks as if the rebels might actually win. But for Claire Fraser and her family, there are even more tumultuous revolutions that have to be accommodated.Her former husband, Jamie, has returned from the dead, demanding to know why in his absence she married his best friend, Lord John Grey. Lord John’s son, the ninth Earl of Ellesmere, is no less shocked to discover that his real father is actually the newly resurrected Jamie Fraser, and Jamie’s nephew Ian Murray discovers that his new-found cousin has an eye for the woman who has just agreed to marry him.
And while Claire is terrified that one of her husbands may be about to murder the other, in the 20th century her descendants face even more desperate turns of events. Her daughter Brianna is trying to protect her son from a vicious criminal with murder on his mind, while her husband Roger has disappeared into the past . . .
“Thy life’s journey lies along its own path, Ian,” she said, “and I cannot share thy journey—but I can walk beside thee. And I will.”
Diana Gabaldon, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood
Our Overview (Spoilers!)
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood begins with Jamie confronting Lord John for marrying his wife when there was no concrete for his death.
Meanwhile, Lord John’s adopted son William, after discovering that he is Jamie’s biological son, becomes resentful of both of the men for keeping such a huge secret from him. Young Ian finally successfully marries his love, Rachel Hunter, who is the daughter of a well-known Quaker family. They have a joint wedding ceremony with that of Denzell Hunter (Rachel’s brother) and Dorothea (Lord John’s niece). The Hunters are notorious for their alienation from the Quaker community due to their support for the Continental Army.
During a terrible attack on a settlement in New Jersey, Claire is badly wounded. Jamie quickly drops out of the battles to take care of her while she recovers. They reside for a short amount of time in Savannah, Georgia before moving to Fraser’s Ridge.
Tragically, Jamie’s adopted son loses his home and the famous printmaking shop in a fire. To make matters worse, Fergus’ son, Henri-Christian (who Claire helped nurse back to health in the previous novel), dies in the fire.
Meanwhile, in the 20th century, the family are trying to retrieve the kidnapped Jeremiah. Roger then meets Jamie’s father for the first time, further bridging their family across the centuries. Jeremiah is thankfully reunited with his family safely, prompting the entire Randall family to move back to the 18th century as the 20th century is not as safe as once thought. They move back and live harmoniously with Claire and Jamie.
Our Review
We follow Claire, Jamie, Roger, Brianna, Ian, William, and John throughout this novel. That’s not even forgetting the secondary cast! With the last novel ending on so many cliffhangers, we were beside ourselves with excitement to get stuck into this one!
Expect joy, sadness, and an uncountable amount of twists-and-turns!
What we love most about the Gabaldon magic is how she is driven by characters first and foremost, which only makes it more heartbreaking when things go wrong, or more enthralling when things (albeit rarely) take a turn for the better. We’re feeling closer and more wired to Claire than ever – with our connections to Brianna and her family only growing stronger by the book. Written In My Own Heart’s Blood definitely propelled our feelings for the younger generational family!
Our rating: ★★★★☆
Frequently Asked Questions
What is after Written in My Own Heart’s Blood?
Here are all the books in the Outlander series in order:
- Outlander (Cross Stitch in UK, NZ, and AUS)
- Dragonfly in Amber
- Voyager
- Drums of Autumn
- The Fiery Cross
- A Breath of Snow and Ashes
- An Echo in the Bone
- Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
- Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone
- [UNTITLED]
As you can see, the last book is still underway with no working title.
How long is Written in My Own Heart’s Blood?
The book is 825 pages, or 45 hours if you’re listening to the audiobook!
How old is Claire in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood?
Claire is around 61 years old, and Jamie is around 57.
Who dies in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood?
Henri-Christian dies in the fire of the printshop.
