So, my second time reading this book, it became apparent to me why I had to read the next one to get officially hooked on this series: while she's an obviously gifted storyteller, Gabaldon hadn't yet hit her "writing stride" with her first book. A few scenes were started or ended much too abruptly and were a bit confusing as a result, and there were some editing errors that I hate to hold against the book but kind of do anyway. For instance, Geillis Duncan was described as having gray eyes a few times, when they are clearly supposed to be green (as noted in the later books). 
 But nevertheless, it was a wonderful story as I remembered, and I constantly marvel at the fact that this was not written by a Scottish or English woman but an American from freaking Arizona! Which just blows my mind since I don't understand how she so precisely conjured the Scottish Highlands when she lives in the desert. And I'm again struggling not to start the second one (I have a new bestseller on hold at the library and have to finish that one first). 
 P.S. Weirdly, I was having trouble thinking of Jamie as a young man again. He makes more sense to me as a middle-aged guy, what with his learned-ness and wisdom and such.