Written in My Own Heart's Blood

Can this book be considered part of the romance genre? In what ways does it differ from typical romance novels? How does it conform?

Claire, Ian, Jamie, and Brianna suffer trauma from rape in their past. In what ways does the resolution or lack thereof of their trauma reflect the gender culture of the time they live in?

Jane’s character illustrates the common fate of young girls who do not have family to protect them. Is this fate specific to the socio-historical culture that she grew up in or is it a modern problem as well?

Jane’s character illustrates the common fate of young girls who do not have family to protect them. Is this fate specific to the socio-historical culture that she grew up in or is it a modern problem as well?

Claire, Jamie, Rachel, and Roger all adhere to their duty to their God, their career, their family, and their country. How does the dichotomy between their duty and their purpose in life create conflict in the novel?

Gabaldon often uses comedic interludes in otherwise fraught situations, especially in the cases of Germain, Hal, and Lord John Grey. What effect does humor have on plot pacing and tension in this novel?

A motif in this novel is the vulnerability of certain populations to predation during war time. Why are certain groups more vulnerable than others? Is there any group that is invulnerable?

In a Wired essay, Gabaldon was quoted as saying that Outlander is not feminist fiction, explaining, “Feminism enters into it when you don’t feel strong and you feel like you need […] an ideology to hide behind. If you’re confident in yourself you don’t do that” (Hudson, 2014). Is Written in My Own Heart’s Blood a feminist novel? Why or why not?