The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (December 18, 2004 - January 12, 2005)
This is an epic tale of the Cleary family, headed by Padraic “Paddy” Cleary, who move from New Zealand to work at his elder sister’s sheering ranch, Drogheda, in Australia. Paddy’s sister Mary Carson, is very rich, and tempts Father Ralph de Bricassart with the possibility of inheriting her wealth. When Paddy’s large family arrives, Ralph prospects of inheriting the land look bleak. Meanwhile, Ralph befriends Meggie Cleary, Paddy’s youngest child and only daughter. In a family filled with male children, Meggie is ignored, particularly by her mother, Fee. Fee instead focuses all of her attention on her eldest son Frank. The reader learns later that Frank is a child from a previous relationship. Fee has never gotten over her love for Frank’s father and loves him more than her other children, and her husband. Frank eventually leaves home because of conflicts with his father, and ends up in prison. Meanwhile, Meggie grows up and falls impossibly in love with Father Ralph.
The night Mary Carson dies, she gives Father Ralph a new will, which leaves her estate to the Catholic Church. Ralph leaves for Rome with new ambitions and guilt over “selling” Meggie and her family to get the estate. In the meantime, Meggie marries Luke, a sheerer who reminds her in part of Ralph. He’s an extremely hard worker, and has no time or care for a family. He and Meggie move, and she works as a housekeeper while he is always working away. Meggie bears a daughter Justine on a day Ralph finds and visits her. Meggie cares for her daughter but struggles to feel anything for her. Her employers see her unhappiness and send her to relax on an island to avoid the harsh weather and recover her health. Meanwhile Ralph visits again and gives into his temptation for Meggie.
When Ralph departs for Rome, and Meggie never tells him that she is pregnant with his child, Dane. Left unable to marry the priest she loves, Meggie takes satisfaction in stealing Dane from God. Warned that loving Dane too much is unhealthy, Meggie shuns all advice, and much like her mother, devotes herself to one child over the other. Dane grows to be a young version of Ralph, even with the priestly ambitions. He and Justine are extremely close, and she turns to acting. Both leave Drogheda for Europe. When tragedy befalls the family once more, will everyone learn from their mistakes?
The story was made into the second most-viewed miniseries of all time. The story is fast moving and with a broad appeal. There is romance, betrayal, secrets, ulterior motivations, and action – all of the material of a good long story.
