A wonderful love story stretching through many years! (The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough)

Member Name: milliemoo

Product:	The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
Date:	22/01/09 (169 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A wonderful story!

Disadvantages: The story doesnt have a sequel

The Thorn Birds- Colleen McCullough- What an 'epic'!

The Thorn Birds is, in my opinion 'The' best book I have ever read, I am a person who loves to read and have read many many books, but The Thorn Birds is an amazingly well put together story of poverty, sadness, happiness, hope, despair, naivity and love, all emotions that are transferred to you the reader as felt by Meggie Cleary the book's main character. The authoress 'Colleen McCullough' really captivates you with the story.

The Story:
Paddy and Fiona Cleary are at the beginning of the book trying to bring up a family mainly of young boys and have one daughter Meggie, in the early chapters it tells of their struggle to keep house and home together on a pittance, so, when word arrives from Paddys sister in Australia that the very wealthy Mary Carson, sister of Paddy- would like to invite the family over to help with the farming business she owns and eventually take over the entire estate and business after she eventually dies, they decide to take her up on the offer.
The book tells of their struggle on the long voyage from Ireland to Australia sometimes in vicious, unrelenting seas.. it tells of illness suffered during the voyage and the way the family suffered as a result of the very long journey.

Once in Australia, they are given a ramshackle cottage as part of the deal.. Meggie Cleary is kept at home to help her mother with the younger children, her older brothers are also expected to work on the massive ranch with their father.

After a short while Meggie is introduced to Father Ralph De Bricassart, the local priest.. this marks the beginning of a 'forbidden love' that is to encompass the hearts of Meggy and Ralph for years to come!

Through the years that follows the Cleary family lose children to premature death to illness, they lose others to a massive bush fire and to wildlife out in the Australian bush. All the while Meggy and Ralph De Bricassart are both feeling a love for each other that should never be!, to add to this further- The very wealthy Mary Carson, aunt of Meggie, sister of and employer of her father, also feels a strong bond of love for the elusive priest.

Years pass by, Meggie and Ralph both want to be together but know that its an 'impossible love' and try to fight their feelings, that is until Meggie meets and marries Luke O'Neil, a sheep shearer who has been employed by Mary Carson for the Summer. Meggie doesnt really love him, but knows that she will never marry the one man who she adores so much..

Meggie and Luke move to another part of Australia, Luke is employed cutting down sugar cane, and meggie is found work by Luke caring for a disabled lady and her husband.. Meggy soon discovers that Luke doesnt really care about his new wife and spends week after week without any contact at all with her. After one of his few visits to see Meggie, she discovers she is pregnant with their first child Justine, thinking that this may change him and coax him into actually buying a home of their own she is overjoyed, then discovers that this leopard will not change his spots.

After a while, Meggie is sent away to an island to recuperate and Justine is left with Meggies employers who by now are really good friends to her.
Whilst she is away, Ralph De Bricassart calls on her very unexpectedly, she hasnt seen him in many years.. he is told where Meggy has gone, he decides to visit her.
She is overjoyed to see him and him to see her, they consumate their 'still' forbidden love for one another.. and as a result, Meggie discovers that she is pregnant again... both Meggie and Ralph decide their romance should remain secret and go their seperate ways for a while!
As a result, Meggie sleeps with husband Luke one last time to cover for the pregnancy, then leaves him and goes back to her parents ranch, Mary Carson has died in the interim and the entire estate now belongs to the Clearys.

There is so much more to tell, but I cant without spoiling the story!, its an amazing read and one I most definately recommend!

Summary: An epic journey concentrating on a forbidden love!