The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

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The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough – A Sweeping Saga or Just... Long?

(Spoiler Warning – Major plot points ahead!)

Let’s talk about The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough’s famously epic, deeply dramatic, and—let’s be honest—sometimes painfully slow novel. First published in 1977, this multi-generational saga is often dubbed “the Australian Gone with the Wind,” and is still one of Australia’s most iconic books of all time. It even spawned a wildly popular 1980s mini-series starring Richard Chamberlain. But does the book itself live up to the hype?

What Is The Thorn Birds About?

At its core, The Thorn Birds follows the Cleary family over several decades, with a special focus on Meggie Cleary, the only daughter in a brood of sons. The story begins when Meggie is a child, and we quickly learn her mother Fiona prefers the boys, while her father Paddy is mostly focused on hard work. Meggie is largely neglected—until she meets Father Ralph de Bricassart, a handsome, ambitious Catholic priest who becomes emotionally attached to her… disturbingly early.

This love triangle-slash-psychological wrestling match kicks off a story full of forbidden love, ambition, family drama, religious duty, tragedy, and more sheep than you can count (it’s rural Australia, after all).

Spoiler Zone: Let’s Dive Into the Drama

Father Ralph is a whole situation. He’s charming, celibate (in theory), and close to Mary Carson, Meggie’s wealthy, powerful, and lonely aunt. Mary is obsessed with Ralph, but he’s got eyes (and feelings?) for little Meggie. After Mary dies, Ralph discovers she changed her will to give most of her estate to the Catholic Church—with the condition that Ralph be promoted. He briefly considers trashing the will for Meggie’s sake… but ambition wins out. He submits the revised will and climbs the ranks. Classic.

Meanwhile, the Clearys inherit the family estate, Drogheda, and get a financial boost anyway—so, yay?

As time goes on, Meggie marries Luke O’Neill, a guy who looks like Ralph but has the personality of wet cardboard. (And not even the recyclable kind.) Luke’s more interested in Meggie’s money than Meggie herself and is emotionally abusive. Still, Meggie wants a child and sticks it out. She eventually has a daughter, Justine, and later a secret son—Dane, who is actually Father Ralph’s child from a single night together on Matlock Island. (Yes, they finally slept together. Yes, it was a whole thing.)

Ralph never knows the truth about Dane… until much later, after Dane becomes a priest himself and tragically dies in Greece while trying to save two women. Meggie finally tells Ralph the truth at the funeral. Ralph promptly has a heart attack and dies. Because symbolism.

So... What’s With the Thorn Bird?

The title refers to a mythical bird that searches for the perfect thorn tree, impales itself on a spike, and sings the most beautiful song as it dies. The metaphor? People sometimes destroy themselves in the pursuit of love or greatness—or in Ralph’s case, both. It's poetic, but here's the kicker: the “thorn bird” myth is entirely made up by the author. Which, in my humble opinion, kind of undercuts the point. It’s like inventing a fable just to support your theme. Feels a bit like stacking the deck.

What I Loved / What Made Me Want to Scream

✅ The good:

  • It's a sweeping, emotionally intense family drama with gorgeous Australian landscapes.

  • Meggie’s strength and resilience, especially in the second half, really shines.

  • A lot of the supporting characters—like the Mueller family—were more likable and grounded than the leads.

❌ The not-so-good:

  • The book drags. Like, truly. Some parts read like a marathon in slow motion.

  • The Ralph-Meggie relationship is super uncomfortable, especially given the age difference and power dynamic. (She’s 10 when he starts to “notice” her. Yikes.)

  • That made-up thorn bird myth? A bit heavy-handed.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐½ (2.5 out of 5)

  • 🕰️ Great for fans of: Epic family sagas, forbidden love stories, historical fiction with religious and romantic tension

  • 🐑 If you liked: Gone with the Wind, East of Eden, Outlander (minus the time travel)

  • ⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Age-gap relationships, grooming undertones, death of a child, emotional manipulation, religious guilt

I can see why The Thorn Birds is a classic—it’s ambitious, dramatic, and spans decades of tangled relationships. But for me, the pacing dragged and the symbolism felt a little forced (looking at you, mythical thorn bird). I appreciated the scope, but I probably wouldn’t read it again.

Have you read The Thorn Birds? Did you love it, hate it, or skim it like I did? Let me know in the comments! 🌿📚


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