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The Thorn Birds (平装)
by Colleen McCullough
| Category:
Classics, Fiction, Australian literature, Family saga |
| Market price: ¥ 108.00
MSL price:
¥ 98.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
A heart-rending, elegant, thrilling and enthralling story that would span the lives of a family over three generations. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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Meggie Rose (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-02 00:00>
The Thorn Birds, written by Colleen McCullough, in my opinion is the greatest romance novel of all time. The character of Meggie Cleary is my favorite character in all of literature. Her strength, beauty, passion and love makes her a timeless heroine. Meggie and Father Ralph share a love story that spans many years and many heartbreaks. Even though they are not together, the book always has a undercurrent where you can feel their longing and endless love for each other, even though they are not together. In their hearts, they will be together forever.Meggie and Ralph are the Romeo and Juliet of the Australian outback- just as tortured and tragic. The miniseries was also fabulous - Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward make me speechless every time I see it. It is spectacular. Read The Thorn Birds and watch the series, if you are lucky enough to have the chance. You will never be the same - it's not just a book or a movie, it's an experience. Thank you Colleen McCullough, for such a wonderful story.
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Roger Buffington (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-02 00:00>
This is a truly a great and classic novel. I do not bestow these oft-overused adjectives lightly. This is a story of deep, rich, and forbidden love, betrayal, tragedy, and ambition. This is a truly wonderful story set primarily in Australia, circa 1915 and then spanning several generations to the post World War II era. McCullough writes a sprawling story which primarily centers on the forbidden love between an extraordinary woman and a good but ambitious priest.
This is the story of the Cleary family, originally from Ireland, who emigrate first to New Zealand, and early on, to Australia. The young Cleary daughter, Meggie, falls in love with the local Catholic priest, Ralph de Briccasart, who is a good and ambitious man who certainly does nothing to encourage this love, but who certainly returns it as he regards Meggie as the daughter he can never have. As Meggie matures, he comes to regard her in a more romantic way. A great struggle arises between this love on the one hand ("the forbidden rose") and his ambition to become a Cardinal or perhaps more, on the other.
There is much, much, more to the story than this, however. The novel transports the reader to Australia, and makes that country a real place to those of us who have never been there. This is also the story of the struggles of the Cleary family, as they battle with, and come to love, the rich outback country of Australia. This is an extraordinarily authentic and moving story that any review (or at least this one) can only fail to do justice.
McCullough's prose is simply outstanding, and her characters crackle with realism--they become utterly real people and the reader will become swept away with this wonderful story. The storyline never drags, and at no point does this novel ever fail to completely capture the reader's attention. This novel is not only a classic; it is a ripping good read! If you have not yet enjoyed this novel, you are in for a wonderful reading experience.
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Kristi Ahlers (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-02 00:00>
This is one of those books that you read and think "yes, I will read this one again one day." This story is epic in detail and spans three generations of the Cleary family.
This is really Meggie's story. She is one of the main characters that we follow as she finds love where it is least likely to grow but is unstoppable. She falls in love with Father Ralph and the feelings despite being wrong are returned. This is really a story that will have you laughing and crying. Set in Australia in 1915 Ms. McCullough writes vividly and eloquently and you will find this a hard to put down read. This is truly a classic in every sense of the word and one that I highly recommend.
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Beth (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-05 00:00>
The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough, begins in 1915 and spans three generations long. It is a complex story about the Cleary family that leave their home in New Zealand to live and work on a relative's extensive, Australian sheep ranch. At the ranch, the family experiences many tragedies and hardships including fires, floods, droughts, and devastating deaths of loved ones. The main character, Meggie, falls madly in love with a handsome man named Ralph. Unfortunately, Meggie is not able to marry Ralph because he is a priest. Ralph loves Meggie dearly, but has devoted his entire life to God. Throughout the novel, they experience great love and sorrow together. Meggie has children who become the third generation of the novel. The children bring her much happiness, but she still has a deep passion for Ralph in her heart. This forbidden love for Ralph will stay burning inside her soul throughout her entire life.
I truly enjoyed how the author used a lot of description and detail in the novel. This description enabled me to paint vivid pictures of the beautiful, Australian land in my mind, as well as clear pictures of the many different characters' inner and outer appearances.
This extraordinary love story was like an emotional rollercoaster. It twisted and turned leaving me feeling many different emotions including love, humor, sadness, anger, hate, and malice. I often found myself crying as well as laughing while I eagerly devoured every word on the page. It kept me reading and reading until the very interesting ending. I would recommend this captivating novel to anyone who is looking for a great story about life and love! I'm sure you will enjoy it just as much as I did!
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Ellie Reasoner (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-05 00:00>
Not directly, never met him, but his positive comments in Danse Macabre compelled me to dig up this 1970's mega-hit when otherwise I'd probably never have done so. This novel is among my favorite works of modern fiction. Despite its being set in Australia, it reminds me a lot of the very best in US southern gothic. The tale here is much bigger than the "priest breaks vows with fetching Irish girl" that so many seem to focus on. Sure, that's an inescapable part of the plot, but what really made this story for me was its sweeping scope. The Thorn Birds begins in New Zealand in the early 20th century and concludes, after spanning the world, in Australia in modern times. Between the points of its beginning and its ending, a reader trails along on a ride that covers all that is mighty in the human experience. It is the story of one family's unlikely climb from poverty to social heights, and it is the tale of a gifted cleric whose unique communion with God is not severed by the extremes of his far-from-amoral conduct. There is much to love in The Thorn Birds, and the characters are magnificently created by the brilliant Colleen McCullough. There is passion in this book, and there is the undeniably gruesome. Tragedy is always lurking and appears when it is least expected: or wanted. Above all else there is a statement here, I think I'm correct in defining, regarding the nature of human life, and how in the end not one of us can ever achieve our fullest measure by dwelling strictly in happiness alone. This was the best sort of novel, one like Gone With The Wind, or Lonesome Dove, that took me completely by surprise with the wonders of its heights and its depths.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-08 00:00>
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.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-08 00:00>
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough is my favorite novel. It is in a category by itself and deserves more than five stars. I saw ten minutes of the miniseries on television and knew I had to read the book. I was twelve, and the story of Meggie and Ralph moved me to hysterical tears. I am now 18, and I have read the book so many times I have lost count. Set in the Australian Outback in the years surrounding WWII, it is the story of a girl growing up, learning that "The best is only bought at the cost of great pain... Or so says the legend." The courage and strength of Meggie despite the tremendous hardships of her life inspires me. I must admit I fell in love with Ralph de Bricassart; first with his name, then with the man. (I can only hope to find such a person!) All of the other characters - Fee, Paddy, Frank, Dane, Justine, Rain - are developed clearly throughout the story. McCullough is a genius for combining three generations of the Cleary family into one novel! I still cry when I read the story, for the love, and for the pain. The introductory story of the thornbird is a lesson for life: all sadness will pass, and one day something beautiful will come from that pain. A highly emotional book, The Thorn Birds is the best work of this century. It is worth reading to anyone who enjoys drama and romance, as well as suspense, action, and sadness! The movie based on the novel starring Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward is an excellent interpretation. |
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Melanie (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-08 00:00>
Colleen McCullough's The Thorn Birds is quite honestly the best book that I have ever read and probably will ever read. This novel made me feel every emotion possible. I was clapping, smiling, and jumping up and down whenever Ralph came to Meggie at Matlock Island. I was crying for the last portion of the book, starting with Dane's death and continuing through Justine, Meggie, and Ralph's reaction. I was so angry whenever I read of Luke's mistreatment towards Meggie. I was screaming at Justine to marry Rainer. I weeped for the Cleary family whenever This is the first novel that I came to know and love the characters, and I did not want to end the story because I did not want to lose touch with the characters and their lives. McCullough did an excellent job with her descriptions and development of plot. Though many of the other reviews say McCullough is extremely verbose, she writes no unnecessary words. Every word furthers the plot along of gives us a more vivid description of the characters or their feelings. By the end of the novel, I felt as if I had lived on Drogheda. I felt as though I was in love with Ralph de Bricassart.
I would recommend The Thorn Birds to anyone. Young and old will enjoy this read because of it's array of characters and emotions. Mothers will be able to relate to Fee and Meggie's feelings and anxieties. Young women will be able to be swept off of their feet by the romance of Meggie and Ralph, and later on, Justine and Rainer. My recommendation would extend more to a woman than to a man simply because of the romantic nature of the novel. I, as a young woman, could relate very closely to Meggie. I also feared Meggie's life as my own; not wanting to ever be in such a state of longing and pain or to be tricked into marrying a man, such as Luke O'Neill, to find myself alone, homesick, and confused of the future.
If you would like to read an extraordinary novel which will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and befriend an amazing group of characters, I would suggest reading The Thorn Birds, an emotionally stimulating novel.
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Jack (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-08 00:00>
This was a fascinating look at the result of sacrificing your life for religion. For those of us who believe that living a flourishing life here on earth is not only possible, but profoundly moral - this book reconfirms that sacrifice (giving up a greater value for something of lesser or no value) brings guilt, pain, sadness and an overall sense of loss. Beautifully written, this book follows the lives of people consumed with guilt, remorse and hopelessness. From that, they become strong, but happiness eludes them. Many times during my reading of this book I wanted to shout to the characters "I'm happy! You can also be happy! Stop sacrificing, evading and living for false values! Stop hurting yourself and those around you!"
This book beautifully shows the destruction of lives caused by religion and sacrifice.
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Elizabeth (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-08 00:00>
Many other reviewers have described this book as romantic, and indeed it is. Its pituresque rural settings, clear-cut characters, and impossible situtations make the book ripe for drama. And indeed drama does occur and often, making this rather lengthy book a surprisingly quick read.
Its characters, as mentioned before, have very defining virtures and flaws, chracteristics to which they cling to adamently, as they bring the readers no surprises by their actions. This does not make their actions boring, however, as McCullough exhausts possibilities (mostly sexual) with each character before killing them off and concentrating on the next generation.
This book's tragic ending (I'm not giving anything away her- the introductory poem alludes to this much) has disappointed many expecting their fairytale romance to end happily. I did not think the ending failed for its depressing nature, however, but moreover because it was an attempt to tack a theme on a story at the last possible moment. The theme did interest me, but I would have appreciated it if it had been more religiously applied throughout the work, instead of only in the title, the introductory poem, and the conclusion. This flaw wasn't a major distraction, however, and on the whole, "The Thorn Birds" is definitely worth a read.
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1 2 | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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