The Thorn Birds by Coleen McCullough

The book starts with the legend of the thornbird - a bird who searches all his life for a thorn bush and once he finds it, impales himself on the thorn and while doing so sings the most beautiful song, even better that that of a lark or a nightingale and the song is so beautiful that even God smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain. This single sentence seems to sum up the common element binding the entire book. The Thornbirds is the story of the Cleary family, and their journey from their unpretentious roots in New Zealand where they worked as sheep shearers, to the huge Australian sheep farm Drogheda, owned by Paddy Clearys autocratic sister. The family being Irish, the land is in their blood and from the time that they arrive on Drogheda the land plays a unmistakeable part in their fortunes and destinies. The story spans 3 generations from Paddy Cleary and his wife Fiona, their sons and only daughter Meggie and the Catholic priest Ralph De Bricassart, to Meggies children - the exotic actress Justine and priest Dane. The story while concerned with almost all the Cleary family mainly dwells on Meggie and her relationships with her parents, brothers, Father Ralph and children. Paddy, immigrated from Ireland, Fiona, daughter of a New Zealand aristocrat, and the children live in New Zealand when the book begins. It's a hard life but Paddy and Fee work hard for the family. Paddy and Frank, the oldest son, argue all the time. At seventeen, Frank is not old enough to leave home without his parents' approval. Fee is disconnected from most of the family. Frank is her obvious favorite. As a girl, Meggie gets the least of her attention except for how the little girl can help with chores to make Fee's life somewhat easier. Paddy's sister, Mary Carson, is a wealthy land owner in north western Australia. Her husband left her one of the largest ranches in the country. He, then she, also invested well and handled their money wisely. After going through numerous head stockmen, Mary contacts her brother after years of silence and offers him the position on Drogheda, the ranch. Since he and his family are her heirs, it makes sense that he should move there while she is still alive and run the ranch. When the Clearys arrive, the local priest, Father Ralph, meets them. He is instantly taken with the family and sees how Meggie appears to be the odd person out. Then, when her beloved brother Frank leaves home, Ralph becomes Meggie's closest friend. The Clearys rarely leave Drogheda. Mary Carson is a tartan and miser, but treats the family fairly. She sends Meggie and her brother Stuart to private school for a year or two, but most of the children's education comes either from practical application or through correspondence courses. The boys all become stock men as they grow older. Mary is intrigued and attracted to the young priest. But he appears to be devoted to his job and the Church. He laughs off her machinations and wiles trying to control him. She sees his affection for the Cleary family and especially Meggie. When she dies, she finally finds the best way to corrupt Father Ralph. He knows he shouldn't, yet he allows himself to be corrupted. He is able to justify that the Cleary family will not be hurt and the bequest can further his career in the way he had hoped for years. He then leaves for Sydney, then later Rome. He always comes back to visit at Drogheda and the Clearys.

Meggie's childish affection for Father Ralph becomes a crush. She rarely leaves Drogheda so meets few men outside of the ranch. As she gets older and Father Ralph is gone the local men start courting her. Meggie marries a man who looks like Father Ralph. Unfortunately, Luke doesn't act like the priest. Luke turns out to be a gold-digging miser, ensuring he strips Meggie of her every penny and saving it for the future. He takes her far away from her family and very soon Meggie is wearing a mask which covers far more pain than her mother's ever hid. She manipulates her way into getting pregnant (Luke doesn't want babies) but almosts hates the Justine when she is born. Fate brings Fr. Ralph into her life again, and this time she gets pregnant for him. She goes back to her husband so no one would know who the real faher is and names her son Dane. Then she leaves her husband and returns to her family in Drogheda. Meggie's daughter Justine is a strange child, determined not to live the same life as her matriachs. She adores her brother Dane and allows only him into herself encompassing world. When Dane decides to go to Rome to be a Priest she decides to go to London to further her career as a actress. Dane goes to Rome to be with Fr Ralph who doesn't know the young man is his son. All too soon however, Meggie's joy is cut short. Just like his grandfather Paddy and his brother Stuart had broken their mothers' heart by dying, he did same when he drowned to death. Only after his death did Fr Ralph discover he once had a son. The three women however, survived their losses, and out of the ashes of their pain came the joy that Justine would be living a life much different from theirs, for Justine was marrying the man she loved. The first half of The Thorn Birds is as much about the Outback as it is about the characters involved. You get a feel for the open spaces, the loneliness, the rugged beauty, and the dangers of the region. There are vivid descriptions of sheep herding and shearing. It's easy to picture the grass withering during droughts, blazing during fires, and rushing back to life after the rains. The second half, while retaining some of the description, focuses more on the characters. The minor characters are kept in enough to flesh out the novel, keeping it feeling real. Unfortunately, the novel gets rushed for the last quarter or so. After Meggie's children are born the rest of the story is glossed over more quickly. It has its poignant moments and still surprises but isn't as intricate as the first part The author Colleen McCullough has a wonderful descriptive style of writing. From the the dry dust, heat and flies of the Australian Outback, the relentless forces of nature like storms, drought, wildfires, to the power-hungry corridors of the Vatican all are brought to life in the pages of this book. The element of pain and love is dealt with finely. We have Fiona who has suffered disappointments in love, has lost the one child she loves over all the others and who realises too late, after Paddys death that she loves him dearly. But the novel is basically balanced on the love story between Meggie Cleary and Father Ralph de Bricassart, Father Bricassart's Love for Meggie is strong but his vows to the church and his professed love of God is stronger. Meggie must cope with her deep devoted love for him and the hope that one day he might commit himself to her completely. Their story forms the main theme of this powerful but difficult and unreconciled love. This theme is advanced and varied in a wonderful story that spans 55 years.

Now, 25 years after it first took the world by storm, Colleen McCullough's sweeping family saga of dreams, titanic struggles, dark passions, and forbidden love in the Australian Outback returns to enthrall a new generation. As powerful, moving, and unforgettable as when it originally appeared, it remains a monumental literary achievementa landmark novel to be read . . . and read again! About the author Biography Colleen McCullough was born in Australia. A neurophysiologist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, then worked as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. Her writing career began with Tim, followed by The Thorn Birds, a record-breaking international best-seller. The author of nine other novels, McCullough has also written lyrics for musical theater. She lives on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific with her husband, Ric Robinson. Hometown: Norfolk Island, 1,000 miles off the Australian coast Date of Birth: June 1, 1937 Place of Birth: Wellington, New South Wales, Australia Education: Attended University of Sydney

Publication details Author: Country: Language: Genre: Publisher: Colleen McCullough Australia English Family saga novel HarperCollins April 1977

Publication date: Media type: Pages: 692 ISBN:

Print (Hardback & Paperback)

ISBN 0-06-012956-5 (first edition, hardback)