Review: The Thorn Birds

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I expected to get bored with this one, but it was completely absorbing.

From the very first pages about Meggie and her new doll, my heart was clenching and unclenching. So many ups and downs!

I ended up really loving it, though parts of it nearly broke me.

The story describes three generations of the same family, though predominantly surrounding Meggie - daughter of Fee and Paddy - and a priest named Ralph. The sweeping saga tells of life on the property Drogheda in outback Australia, covering life from 1915 til 1969.

I'm not really one for rural romances, but this hardly sat in that category like I'd expected it to. Rather, it brings to life the Australian outback, life in the early 20th century, and the limitations of expectation.

There is a stark reality to the story that still manages to complement the tale of familial love and dedication, enhancing our awareness of the conditions. Life on an isolated property isn't easy, and this story covers all the highs and lows of such a life. The writing is brilliantly eloquent in detailing the environment in both its brutality and its beauty.

The same can be said for the characters - some are hard to love, but we can empathise easily and feel all the colours of emotion along with the family. I wasn't expecting to feel such visceral reactions to some of the scenes, and partway through there was a point I thought I might stop reading altogether because of how some of it made me feel. But there were too many loose threads for me to leave unbound, and I'm glad I finished it. It was well worth it.

Overall, this was a brutal, beautiful saga that reflected its setting well. We witness the change of times and lifestyles as the eras progress, and the impact it has on the changing narrative within the family. The thread is strong and there is some beautiful symbolism to sit and ponder long after reading concludes.

Highly recommend to all, particularly those wanting to feel a full range of emotions, and/or looking for characters they want to be absorbed by.

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