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The guilty pleasure of reading a forbidden book clings to your senses forever.

'The Thorn Birds' is not a book adults would usually recommend young teenagers. At age twelve, I literally had to sneak this book in and out from under my mom's pillow with a thumping heart to read. It lay there for around two weeks before it was locked up. It is the first big book I read and cried over, though I read it too young to understand the underlying meaning of the title itself.

Years later, my second reading of this Australian classic was not as much thrilling. But I still love this book!

Collen Mccullough weaves three generations of the Cleary family in this story. The central character, Meggie Cleary is celebrating her fourth birthday as the story unfolds. She is the beautiful daughter of laboring Irishman, Paddy Cleary and Fee Armstrong Cleary, an aristocratic woman who has seen hard times. Meggie has six brothers.

The big family sets sail from Newzealand to Australia at an invitation by Paddy's wealthy sister, Mary Elizabeth Carson who owns the vast state of Drogheda. I instantly fell in love with the sheep farm along with the Cleary's in spite of the flies, the scorching heat, the endless dust and the fire. Meggie is destined to meet an ambitious handsome Irishman there, Father Ralph de Bricassart, a catholic priest.

I can totally relate to Meggie though I don't share as many brothers as hers. Growing up as the only daughter in a family of sons can leave you pretty forlorn at times. At the first sign of any indulgence shown, young Meggie makes Ralph her everything and confides in him. Later stages, they are in love! That was something inevitable I saw coming all along.

Ralph, a man torn between his commitment to God and his strong desires for Meggie, I pitied him at times and detested the choices he had to make. I hated malicious Mary Carson and cringed when Ralph accepted her will. The plots are interesting! With little chances to pursue her love interest, Meggie marries Luke which I felt was sacrificial on her part but at the same time a blunder.

You'll have to read up to find out what happens to the love that was nurtured at the early stages of the story. There is pain in the story that is undeniable. But it is caused by the situation the characters they themselves put in. Thus, the title 'The Thorn Birds' is apt. It refers to the thorn bird which flies in search of a thorn from the day it leaves its nest. When it finds the thorn, it pierces its breast on it as it sings a sweet song and dies.

I recommend it if you are in for a classic love story.I would mark the book 4 out of 4 rating.

This is one of those books that left me depressed and unsatisfied.

I have read the book in my childhood and loved it. It was a touching story.

I originally saw this book televised on television in the 1980s and decided I had to read the story. I was not disappointed. A lovely touching story of a family and the love affair between a priest and a young girl.

I sometimes think that the measure of a good book is that you can remember when you read it and that there is some small thing about it that sticks in your memory. I first read 'The Thorn Birds' in September of 1977. I had just graduated from college and moved to Richmond, VA to start working. Shortly before I started the book I had purchased a Mason Pearson brush on a friend's recommendation. The book starts with Meggie being treated for hair lice using a Mason Pearson brush. It was the best brush I ever owned and I will never forget that Meggie had one too.

I first succeeded in reading this book all the way through when I was eighteen, I think. (Prior to that, it was just a tad too difficult for me. I made it halfway at fifteen but got horrified by the events that occur in the middle.) Oh, what a wonderful book. I have an association like JKClark above me does: I will always associate the book with the Don Henley song Everything is Different Now, which is a pretty cool song, from the album Inside Job.

What an epic love story! I remember reading this book when I was much younger and I couldn't put it down and the short TV series is phenomenal. I think Rachel Ward was the right choice to play Maggie because there is an aspect of vulnerability and a bit of a naive nature to her and yet she can also be strong, when she needs to. I especially loved Maggie because she doesn't lose her goodhearted nature, even after years of turmoil and heartbreak. I love that she stays true to herself. Also, she is another one of my favorite heroines even though she has a huge contrast to Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind.

Ralph De Bricassart, now I have differing views of him. I think he is a good person but I could never forgive the way he almost toyed with Maggie's heart her whole life. I mean why couldn't he choose? Was he of such high opinion of himself that he thought he deserved to be more than just the ordinary person who's main goal in life is to love and be loved? I don't know but I found his indecisiveness a little annoying at times. And then I always wondered how he didn't get that Dean was his? I mean, how could she have gone back to Luke after being with him? If he loved her truly, he would have known right away. But I guess it makes sense because we hurt those we love most of all.

This will forever be my favorite quote from this book and just in general, "Poor, little Maggie. You still think love can save us. It’s more killing than hate. Hate is so clean, so simple. Like being in the ring. With hate, you just keep hitting. You hit until they stop hitting back. With love they never stop."

It has been a long time since I read the Thorn Birds, but I do remember it well. I found it to be a book that brought about a lot of contemplation. We all have our inner side of turmoil which we try very hard to keep private. Our outer selves are vulnerable and can easily be misunderstood. How we try so hard to change things that can't be changed and over look the aspects that can be changed. Some times it is easier to hate...love is hard. I always recommend this book.

The Thorn Birds is one of the greatest and saddest stories that I have ever read. Torn between the priesthood, love and God. It's sad because we all have choices to make. Our choices are our destiny and we shouldn't obligate ourselves to something that we have problems with. The priest had made a vow but he broke it when he fell in love. There is much pain and heart break in this story. Someone will lose and someone will win. What goes on in the dark will come to the light. I give this book 4 stars.

Thank you for your post and excellent review! I was wondering if anyone was going to put The Thorn Birds on the classics list. I found it to be a captivating read. I found it fascinating to follow the main character through her life and to see what she overcame. No matter what she experienced, nothing truly overcame her. This is one of few books that brought me to ugly tears!

Definitely a product of the Seventies and needs to be taken occasionally in that context when read today, but a solid, sprawling epic. The writing is detailed and yet easy to follow. The saga carries out over many years of a large family and the hard times they endure living and working the land. Years of drought, losses of lives. Pretty decent book.

I remember watching the mini-series from the '80s then I read the cut Readers Digest book version. Later I read the full book, which included all the saucy bits. I was a teenager at the time so probably I didn't appreciate the full generation drama of those women who keep on falling in love with man who give them their beloved children but also bring them so much pain.