The Thorn Birds (Virago Modern Classics) Paperback – 2 Aug. 2007

I'd seen most of the tv series before I read the book, so I always have that wonderful theme running through my mind when I read it. Although some of the writing is a bit "clunky" at times, the characters are believable, the sort of people you can imagine meeting. Fiona, the matriarch, is a very closed-in woman who has no time for her only daughter, Megan. Paddy, the father, is a decent hard-working man who married Fi on her father's instruction when she became pregnant with another man's child. Paddy's sister, Mary, married well and became the owner of a vast estate to which Paddy brought his family to help manage the sheep station. Despite the antipathy between Paddy and Frank the eldest son, the family worked hard and settled in to the life. Meggie had little attention from her mother, but adored Frank who protected her from the younger brothers. Into this reasonably comfortable life came a charismatic priest, Father Ralph, who would affect Meggie's life from childhood to womanhood. She was the child he would never have and could not ignore. As Meggie grew up her childhood hero-worship turned into teenage infatuation for a man completely different from the men in her family and very narrow social circle. Father Ralph failed to recognise that Meggie had grown up, and left for Rome after Mary's death, leaving Meggie angry at his apparent rejection of her love. Fiona's negligence of Meggie, and Meggie's obsession with Ralph, culminate in a disastrous marriage, and Meggie becoming a live-in help whilst her husband, who bears a passing resemblance to Ralph, forms a bromance with the leader of a team of sugarcane cutters. A difficult pregnancy and birth brought Ralph to her bedside, where he finally sees Meggie as an adult woman, not a little girl. The love that he can offer is not enough for Meggie, who shows her anger at him and his God. From there this theme of conflicted love runs more forcefully through their loves and the way it plays out affects the next generation as well as causing a crisis for Ralph, which links into the legend of the Thornbird who sings once just before she dies impaled on a thorn. This is a sweeping family saga in which the landscape and weather are almost characters in their own right, such is their importance. It might not be great "Literature", but it is a great story. Read and enjoy.

I read this when it first came out, and also saw the TV series which was a bit of a travesty. Seeing it again and available for less than a pound on Kindle, I thought it would kill a bit of time. I was astonished to rediscover what a good book it is - it's so long since I read it and in my mind it had become a bit of a soapy/ early chick-lit type saga, but it really isn't. Although it's basically a love story, it's not sentimental or romanticised at all. Meggie is not a soft pliable heroine at the mercy of men, she turns out to be strong and resourceful and shapes her own fate where she can. The depiction of life in Australia in the first half of last century, its toughness and the toughness of the people that lived it together with many incredibly vivid descriptions of the natural surroundings, all comes over as truly authentic and believable. As a fifty something with Irish Catholic origins and a family member as a priest I can understand the utter taboo of the subject matter and what a huge thing it would have been. I really recommend this book, it's a great read.

I wanted to love this book, because the concept is fantastic, but it kept "missing" for me, which exasperated me somewhat. If you imagine this is the story of a girl and her love for a priest you are wrong. It's a long-winded saga, and that relationship is only a small part of the story.It's too long by a few hundred pages as there isn't enough in it. It rambles on at the end. I'm not sure why we even needed the Justine/ Dane/ Rainer stuff. It makes an untidy end.I love books with a powerful sense of place, and you certainly get that with the outback parts. I don't think the twins going to war was necessary to document in detail, as it didn't push the story on. There was too much of the Vatican too, I felt, as I get annoyed when a book so centred in place suddenly moves elsewhere. Overall the style is fine and easy to read. There are a few clunky word choices, but you always get those. I found the changes of POV from one paragraph to another were confusing: Towards the end we have a paragraph about Justine in London, and the next is from Meggie's POV in Australia.I thought it was somewhat odd that not one of the Cleary men married. I realise they would not meet many people where they live, but perhaps one of the twins could have met someone while away at war. It seems to be a sexless, rather sterile family (Meggie's generation). I did not take to any of the characters, except perhaps Dane.This sounds a negative review. It's not. I read it quickly and I give it four stars. If it was a dish (I know this is pretentious) I would say it needs seasoning. There was just something missing from what could have been am incredible, powerful story of love, God, morals etc. I would have preferred less of a saga, and more of a shorter love story, kept tighter with more tension. I do realise that styles have changed over the last 30 odd years and maybe that is it: it is simply dated.Having said all this, I reckon I will read it again, and I recommend it. Just don't expect an overwhelming tortured love story.

This is an amazing novel , which lives up to its reputation . All the more remarkable given it was written over 45 years ago . I first read it many years ago but with my mature years enjoyed it this time around more even though I still found parts I didn’t understand or enjoy that much

I am so glad I finally picked this book to read as it was one of my mother's favorites. It was definitely a page turner. I couldn't put it down. An emotionally charged book. Beautifully written.

I think all young finding love, all aged needing to rediscover love, parents tuning themselves to the growing children, all past the youth and entering retrospection must read book.For its complex characters and story, it is a very racy read

Excelente libro!! Me gusto muchísimo! Llegó en tiempo y forma!

Das Buch kam in einem einwadfreien Zustand bei mir an. Vielen Dank

Un peu deçue par son format car j'ai voulue acheter un livre plus grand que celui que j'avais déjà. Finalement il est des mêmes dimensions. Mais ce n'est pas grave, j'adore ce livre et très contente d'en avoir un de plus.