The Thorn Birds

“There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to outcarol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain… Or so says the legend.”
― Colleen McCullough

Meghann (Meggie) Cleary, a four-year-old girl living in New Zealand in the early twentieth century, the only daughter (in a large family of sons) of Paddy, an Irish farm labourer, and Fee (a woman who is mystery herself) is the main protagonist. The story is about her struggles and choices.

Meggie's life changes when her poor dad is invited to live and work in the estate of his wealthy sister, Mary Carson in Australia. There is no looking back after that. The whole family happily travels west to Australia. Here Meggie meets Ralph de Bricassart, a young ambitious priest who had befriended old Mary to escalate his position in the church. Mary who had fallen for the young priest detests Meggie at first sight seeing how her innocent beauty as already encaptured Ralph's attention.

Time passes by as Meggie grows up into a beautiful young woman of seventeen. Till this point Meggie had already witnessed a lot of family drama, especially between her favorite brother Frank and Paddy. She is ignorant and vulnerable. The tragedies of her life and Ralph's support throughout compels her to trust him more than any one else.

The turning point is Mary Carson's death and the whole aftermath of Ralph discovering the details of Mary's will, which she had artfully conspired in a desperate attempt to keep Ralph and Meggie away.
Now it is Ralph, who has choose between Meggie and his ambitions...

His decision has solely shaped the course, the story then takes.

The book is a thrilling breath-taking experience. It makes you laugh, cry and sulk at the same time. You end up hating the character you loved and loving the character who had hated so far. You almost feel justified about so many unjustified and unreasonable acts when you finally put the book down. Even if somethings remain unjustified, accept them as they were meant to be so.

And be sure when you're through it, you are set to encounter a void in your mind which will be difficult to fill in the coming days without thinking about this book.

Yes. This books gives you a very serious hangover...

Caution: Thinking too much is not advisable as it can seriously get you tagged as a MAD person by the people around you...

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