A review by pujadev
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

1.0

I really really wanted to like this book, I even liked it until I realised that Ralph basically wanted to have it all. He lusts after a child(9 year old Meggie), confuses her terribly with his outpourings of love (seen as protection) which for a man of 'God' is in itself very dubious. The child grows up to idolise him, even falling for a version of him and wrecking her entire life. Then Ralph, who has, mind you, taken his inheritance, ditched her family and gone on to become a big-shot in the Vatican, comes back to her while she is TRYING to get over him and impregnates her. I wonder how the story would have turned out if Meggie confronted him and demanded he own up to his responsibilities - what would Ralph's God want him to do? Here it is just swept under the carpet as mistakes all men make, even the most splendid of them (aka Ralph the hottie). Also, Dane (hottie's son) is a apparently a spitting image of him, which by a very convenient twist in the story is explained away. I can see why its such a popular book, it has all the right mix of drama, scandal and love but for me it's just not enough.