The Thorn Birds
by Colleen McCullough
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Book Reviews of The Thorn Birds
Book Review: Recommendation for The Thorn Birds
Summary: 4 Stars
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough is a novel that seems to include every genre from romance to historical fiction and even tragedy. The story follows the lives of the members of a family through a full generation. This results in the development of many characters, and there is probably at least one that almost any person can relate to. One thing notable about the book is its amazing attention to detail. This was a cause of both my like and dislike for the novel. The detail is well-written enough to leave an image in the mind of the reader upon completion of a passage, a quality not all books have. On the other hand, the detail can be monotonous and cause the reader to lose interest. The latter is much less common, and the story kept me interested throughout.This novel seems to be directed at women, and I doubt if many male readers would enjoy it. I would recommend it to women high school age and older. However, because the story involves many relationships, I recommend that the reader is not completely opposed to the romance genre. Even readers who would not normally choose a romance novel would still enjoy this book because it includes so much more.
Book Review: A Wonderful Family Saga
Summary: 4 Stars
The Thorn Birds is a wonderful family saga, which is just what I think the author intended it to be. The TV miniseries and the wonderful performances given by Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown have caused many to focus on one aspect of the book and discard many others, although just as important. I do, however, find two problems with the book. The final section is a major letdown, as the character of Justine is simply not strong enough or developed enough to evoke much empathy from readers. The second problem concerns the character of Father Ralph and his motivations. The author lets us know that Ralph is power hungry regarding his status in the Catholic Church, but she never lets us know why. As a result, we can't identify with his conflicts nor understand his choice of the Church over Meggie. Ralph comes across as far more power-mad than religious and I, for one, wanted to know why. I wanted to know more about him and his background, more about what made him who he is. Not letting us know Ralph was McCullough's big mistake and the book suffers greatly for it.Book Review: Life's biggest lessons..
Summary: 5 Stars
Never in my literary life (and it is indeed an extensive and highly varied life) have I ever loved a book quite so much, or in quite so many ways.
I currently own 5 copies of this book and have read it in excess of 30 times. (I stopped counting after that.) Yet, no matter how many times I read it, I still see something new, see a new twist on a thought, action or emotion.
I have found there to be a facet of nearly ever lesson we humans learn in life...the brightest and the ugliest sides of every emotion are all so wonderfully present in this book. Over the years, it has taught me not only how others feel and think, love and hate, live and die..but so much about how I do all of those things myself, some that perhaps I may never have seen in quite such a light without an aid.
I'm certainly not saying this book is the end all, be all for every one, nothing can be...but I certainly think it's time well spent for everyone, even if it's nothing more than to enjoy a sweeping drama that encompasses 3 generations and characters as varied and well written as you could want.
Book Review: A great story, a great novel, a great real life experience
Summary: 4 Stars
This book was really a great book to read. I found it to be so realistic about a family spanning over three generations. The physical conflicts, as well as the emotional turmoil, has touched me. The story about a young women named Megghan, a priest named Ralph. A story about a women who can't marry a man she loves, and then takes the only thing she could of him. The story of a young man being the only precious son of Megghans mother, the only memory of a former lover. This was very appealing to me because it shows the life of heartbreak and romance in cycle after cycle. Family ties being revealed, and broken. The ending was so well written that it started me having to think of the realism and how it applies to my own life.As from other books I've read, it combines the mini-story detail of Ray Salisbury's"The Blue Skin of the Sea" with the deep emotions of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" None, however, can compare with the wellness McCullough mixes the character's internal and external conflicts into such an elaborate novel of emotional affection.Book Review: One of the greats!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this book about 10 years ago. At the time it quickly bounced to my favorite book. Since then I have read it probably a half dozen more times and it is STILL one of my all time favorite books. It is just a great story and I cry every single time I read it. It's wonderfully written.
Poor Meggie has such a difficult life, and yet she becomes a very strong woman and eventually finds peace in just being.
Poor Ralph has to choose between God and everything he holds dear in the world.
Poor Fee wasted her whole life being bitter and when she finally realized this, it was too late.
Poor Justine has to live her life in the shadow of her little brother trying to find acceptance anyway she can, and finally learns it begins with herself.
Poor Dane knows he is absolutely everything to his mother and yet the thing he wants the most is the thing that will hurt her the most.
There are just so many good life lessons, and though it is such a sad story, it leaves you with a feeling of peace.