The Outlander by Gil Adamson

All I have to say is (but not really because there is a full blog post)… Wow! Excellent book!

I really enjoyed The Outlander by Gil Adamson. Right from the beginning I was locked in to the story of Mary Boulton. She is a young woman who has just killed her husband and is now on the run from his brothers; a pair of vengeful twins with flaming red hair and cold dispositions who will stop at nothing until they find her.

Mary snapped and killed her abusive husband after the death of their newborn baby. It can be presumed that the baby died due to the violent rapes and constant abuse her husband committed against her, even during her pregnancy. She shot him in the leg with his own gun and let him bleed to death slowly on the floor of their cabin in the woods. She buried him behind their little cabin in the woods and after the discovery of what she had done, she runs away knowing what fate awaits if she is caught.

Part of the driving force for Mary’s initial madness is the discovery that her husband is not only abusive, but also unfaithful. The life in which Mary ended up was far from what she expected, having grown up in a middle class home as an only child. Her family had its difficulties, but nothing compared to what she faced with her new husband after their marriage. Mary running away after killing her husband ends up being her pathway to true freedom and independence.

Along her travels Mary meets some excellent characters, including the Reverend, the dwarf, the cat-skinning giant, and last but not least, William Moreland (a.k.a. the Ridgerunner).

This wild tale is set in the beginning of the 20th century, when it’s shocking for a woman to wear pants and stand up against her husband no matter how abusive. The book takes the reader into the mountains of western Canada to enjoy the view of the land and explore the madness of a broken woman on the run as she struggles to find food, shelter, refuge, and her sanity.

I grew really attached to Mary as I read this story because she is a strong woman who makes you feel for her, but not pity her.

Gil Adamson’s talent is well proven in this great Canadian story. I am looking forward to reading her short stories as well. I recommend this book to anyone looking for adventure, love, and strong women who wear pants.


Book Information

Title: The Outlander
Author: Gil Adamson
Year of publication: 2008
Publisher: House of Anansi
Pages: 400 pages
Awards: Canada Reads Nominee 2009, Amazon.ca Books in Canada First Novel Award 2008
Purchased at: Chapters
Rating: 5/5