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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

Chapters 17, 18 and 19. We are at the final section and it is about Dane and Justine. Justine tells Meggie she is going to be an actress. She wants to be a stage actress and declares she does not want to live on Drogheda, get married and have children. She heads of to Culloden in Sydney. We see that Dane has a deep connection with the church. He even tells Justine he doesn't think he will get married. Back at Drogheda Dane tells Meggie of his..

TheSpineView ...intention to become a priest. He declares it is all he has ever wanted. Meggie sees it as the biggest joke God can play on her. The only two men she has truly loved given over to God and the church. Meggie sends Dane to Rome to be under the wing of Cardinal Ralph. She says she still does not intend to tell Ralph that Dane is his son. When Dane arrives in Rome Cardinal Vittorio knows immediately that Dane is Ralph's son. 3y

Lcsmcat This part struck my as Greek tragedy. Like Oedipus, the attempt to deny the fates just makes the outcome more certain. 3y

TheSpineView Justine follows Dane to Europe and settles in London which is a short trip to Rome. She visits Dane as often as she can. She meets Rainer Hartheim a friend of both Vittorio and Ralph ever since the chance meeting of Ralph during the war. Rainer is taken with Justine. Both Justine and Dane both flourish away from Australia. Dane excels at seminary and Justine does well on stage in London. Rainier goes to London often in his political capacity... 3y

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TheSpineView And visits with Justine and they become close friends. Rainer if anything is patient. She knows that he must treat Justine like a startled deer. He waits until she is ready to go beyond friendship. Dane is accepted into the church. Then tradegy strikes again and Dane drowns saving the lives of two people. Justine blames herself and breaks it off with Rainer. After more 3y

TheSpineView Meggie goes to Rome to see Ralph and enlist his help in getting Dane body back to to Drogheda to be buried. She finally relents and tells him Dane is his son 3y

TheSpineView With Ralph's help Dane is buried on Drogheda. He then dies himself and is also buried on Drogheda. Justine can't seem to escape her grief and guilt over Dane's death. Rainer visits Meggie on Drogheda and they reach an understanding. Just thinks she wants to quit the stage and go home to Drogheda. A letter arrives from Meggie and she finally realizes she loves Rainer. 3y

TheSpineView @Lcsmcat Yes! Great way to but it because it did feel like a Greek Tragedy. 3y

TheSpineView @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover #ThornBirdsReadAlong Any final thoughts on this epic story? Do you agree with @Lcsmcat and feel this is a Greek Tragedy? Do you feel Meggie was just being spiteful by never telling Ralph that Dane was his son? Do you agree with Cardinal Vittorio that Ralph always suffered? 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures @TheSpineView I agree with @Lcsmcat real heavy Oedipus vibes. I struggled with this book. Her mother/daughter father/son carrying the stories was a bit to blatant for me. And yes I think most of what Meggie did in life was out of spite. If I could get past the priest is a pedophile part, I think that for the most part Ralph did what was right, leaving Meggie who he always saw as a child and letting her live her life. Leaving everyone miserable 3y

Hooked_on_books I definitely see the Greek tragedy parallels. I don‘t think Meggie was being spiteful. I actually think she was trying to protect Ralph. She loved him and didn‘t want to cause him a crisis of faith that could well happen if he knew. He made it clear to her that he was staying with the church, so having his son was her only way to hang onto him. And he didn‘t want to see that he was Dane‘s father, so he didn‘t. 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

TheSpineView @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

Chapters 14, 15 and 16. #ThornBirdsReadAlong
Meggie makes it back to Drogheda and tells her Mum she has left Luke and is pregnant again. They all welcome her back. There is a major drought and she is enlisted to ride the paddocks until she is too far along in her pregnancy. Meggie has a boy she names Dane. She resolves to never tell Father Ralph that Dane is his. Meanwhile Ralph confesses his sins to the Cardinal. WWII comes to Australia and ⬇️

TheSpineView ...the twins, Jims and Patsy, enlist. The rest of the Cleary men are needed to run Drogheda. The wool the ranch provides is a must for the war effort. Every one pitches in to keep things running as the drought worsens. After basic the twins are sent to Africa. The Australian bushmen make a name for themselves and the heat of the desert seems not to bother them. Father Ralph is able to secure a promise from the Germans that Rome will be spared..⬇️ 3y

TheSpineView ...blundering. The Australian 9th is sent to start moping up the Japanese. Patsy is wounded and learns he will never be able to have children. Patsy is sent back to Australia and is in the hospital for 3 months. The war finally ends as does the drought. Many of the neighboring ranches have lost sons and all come home with wounds some visible, some not. Fee tells Meggie she knows Dane is Father Ralph's son because he looks so like him. 3y

TheSpineView Father Ralph visits Drogheda. He meets Dane and does not realize he is his son and Meggie doesn't tell him. Father Ralph arranged for Frank to be released from jail and he comes home to Drogheda a changed man. 3y

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TheSpineView Why do you think none of the Cleary men ever marry? Do you think deep down Father Ralph may suspect Dane is his? Do you think Meggie wad predestined to make the same mistakes as her mother? Do you think Meggie is right in not telling Ralph about Dane? Do you think Frank paid for his crime? 3y

Hooked_on_books I‘m not sure why the Cleary men never marry. Maybe simply because this book really isn‘t their story. Other than some brief dives into the lives of a couple of the brothers, this is mainly Meggie‘s and Ralph‘s stories and a bit of Fee‘s. I find that focus interesting. I don‘t think Ralph will allow himself to suspect about Dane. He prefers to keep his blinders on. 3y

TheSpineView @Hooked_on_books I agree with the blinders. That is a good way to describe Ralph 3y

Reecaspieces Well! I didn‘t finish! But I will continue to read it. I may not finish it till Christmas 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ 3y

TheSpineView @Reecaspieces No worries! Take your time. 3y

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Nebklvr

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

pick

Atmospheric. Complex characters. Wonderful storyline.

40 likes

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

so-so

Thank you @TheSpineView for #thrornbirdsreadalong it was interesting to see others thoughts throughout the month! I think I am going to be a minority, and mostly from my own prejudice against the Catholic church. I found Ralph gross. The women intolerable and the rest of the characters flat. I did enjoy her writing, and her obvious love of Australia. I really struggled at the end and wish it was about 100 pgs shorter.

TheSpineView You're welcome. I also thought the ending was almost an anticlimax and was unnecessary. The book could have ended with Dane's death. 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures @TheSpineView yes! It just kept going for no real reason. I honestly lost interest, and started struggling, when the kids became adults. My aunt sawi was reading it and started laughing about why was I reading "that soap opera of a book" ?. It definitely initiated a lot of conversation. 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures I forgot! This was my #bookspin #doublespin such a happy coincidence for the read along.
@thearomaofbooks
3y

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! 3y

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Lcsmcat

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

pick

I got to a certain point and I had to keep reading. Sorry @TheSpineView and fellow buddy readers! No spoilers, but Wow! How much one family goes through. The sins of the fathers (or the mothers!) unto the seventh generation, indeed. But what a ride! I‘m glad #thornbirdsreadalong got me to finally read this.

TheSpineView IKR! It was an awesome story. I finished last weekend and what a ride! 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

Chapters 11, 12 and 13. Luke and Meggie get married. Luke takes Meggie to North Queensland for their honeymoon because he wants to work the sugarcane fields. He lays out his plan to work for a few years and save money for their own place. He finds Meggie a job working as domestic help for a wealthy family while he travels cutting cane. Meggie is really sees him. She is lonely, hates the hot humid weather and misses Drogheda.

TheSpineView Meggie finally managed to get pregnant. However she nearly dies giving birth. A girl she names Justine. Luke doesn't come but Father Ralph makes an appearance. She does not recover well so the family she works for sends her on a holiday to recuperate. She finds the isolation of Matlock Island just what she needs. Father Ralph visits here there and they become lovers and she becbecomes pregnant again. 3y

TheSpineView She decides to leave Luke. But in order for her child to not be a bastard she meets Luke and forces herself to sleep with him. Then she promptly informs him she is going home to Drogheda. 3y

TheSpineView What do you think of Luke now? Do you think Meggie could have loved him if he had treated her the way Paddy treated Fee? How do you feel about Father Ralph? Did Meggie conspire to have Ralph's child or do you think it was a coincidence? @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

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TheSpineView I think things would have turned out so differently if Meggie had not let her pride get in the way. At the beginning of Chapter 12 we find out that though she writes home she never reveals the truth of her situation. I also see her making a lot of the same mistakes her mother made. Like mother, like daughter. 3y

TheSpineView I also think that Talph sometimes still sees Meggie as this sweet Innocent girl. I loved how Meggie tells Ralph that he is just like Luke. She describes it as a moth chasing a flame. That men don't see that what they really need is right in front of them but instead, "It's back to the flame again, beating yourselves senseless until you burn yourself dead!" 3y

Lcsmcat I don‘t think Luke could treat Meggie as well as Paddy treated Fee because he didn‘t have the character. I don‘t think there was ever a chance of happiness in that marriage. That said, Father Ralph could have left the priesthood and married her and also not made her happy. Neither man saw her - just their own version of her. 3y

Lcsmcat And I really am angry with Fee for neglecting her daughter all her life! She might not have fallen into the trap if she‘d had more attention from her mother. 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures @TheSpineView the like mother like daughter gets more and more pronounced throughout the book. She leaned hard into that. That Luke. I don't know what he wanted besides her money, because he sure didn't want her. 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures @Lcsmcat agree the men saw her just how they wanted. Like - someone who would just take whatever he dished out under wifely duty. And Ralph. I have huge issues with how Ralph only sees her as a small child. I find it so creepy. He "holds her as a baby" in romantic scenes and is constantly comparing her to 10 year old her. I cannot get past that. Not sure how people see that as romantic. 3y

TheSpineView @ChaoticMissAdventures It was all about the money. I don't think he was even very attracted to her. She was just the means to an end. 3y

TheSpineView @ChaoticMissAdventures I think Ralph is delusional. He can't get outside of his own head. 3y

TheSpineView @Lcsmcat I agree. It was never in Luke's nature to treat a woman as she should be treated. If he had been capable of loving Meggie I think she could have eventually been happy. 3y

TheSpineView @Lcsmcat Yes it all seems to have its roots there. 3y

TheSpineView I think both Luke and Ralph will always be tormented and never truly happy because they can't allow themselves to be happy. Ralph thinks it is his pain and sacrifice that brings him closer to God. Yet I think it does the opposite. Luke will never be satisfied no matter how much money he has. He has not learned to let his past go so he can move forward. The years of having nothing will always drive him. 3y

Hooked_on_books Luke, ugh! 🙄 He‘s so selfish! What a sad thing for the two of them to have been married. And Ralph should have made an actual choice instead of trying to have it both ways. His behavior was cowardly. I‘m totally with you, @Lcsmcat , they each saw what they wanted in Meggie and shame on Fee for all the neglect! That made me angry, too. 3y

TheSpineView @Hooked_on_books Yes, Ralph should have lived his life differently. 3y

15 likes16 comments

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

The last week is here. We will be wrapping up this epic journey soon. I hope you are enjoying. Any thoughts you would like to share?

@Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover

Hooked_on_books I finished early and really enjoyed the book! It holds up really well. I‘d never read it before and I‘m glad you had this read along to prompt me to read it. 3y

TheBookHippie I just have to say I‘ve loved your posts . Great reminiscing 🤍 3y

TheSpineView @Hooked_on_books so glad you enjoyed! 🌞 3y

TheSpineView @TheBookHippie 😊🤩👍 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

pick

I can certainly see why this book has stood the test of time. It‘s such a satisfying, sweeping family saga. My only quibble is that it wasn‘t always clear to me how much time was passing. I‘m so glad the #ThornBirdsReadAlong got me to read it!

TheSpineView Glad you enjoyed! It is an awesome story! 🧡 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

#weeklyforcast
Also going to try and get so much sun because I cannot believe it is almost August!

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

"On December 8th, 1915, Meggie Cleary had her fourth birthday."

Colleen McCullough
The Thorn Birds

BookDadGirlDad “The wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world.“

Eragon = Eragon

TheSpineView @BookDadGirlDad 👍 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

Chapters 8, 9 and 10. The payments from Father Ralph start coming. Fee redecorated the main house and the family moves in. They are not even settled in when Fee reads in the newspaper that Frank has been sentenced to life in prison for murder. Tragedy strikes again in the form of a fire and Paddy and Stu are killed. Father Ralph rushes out to Drogheda to console the family and perform the funeral. Father Ralph is made a Bishop and heads to Rome.

TheSpineView Luke O'Neill comes to Dro6and starts courting Meggie. He is hard working and seems to fit in nicely with the family. It is no surprise when Luke asks Meg6to marry him. Meggie refuses to write to Bishop Ralph about her impending marriage and she makes her mother promise not to tell Bishop Ralph. #ThornBirdsReadAlong @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 3y

TheSpineView @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

TheSpineView Are you surprised at that Frank murdered someone? What do you think is the root of his anger? Are you surprised by Fee's admission to herself that she loved Paddy? How do you think the deaths will affect the family? What do you think of Luke? 3y

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TheBookHippie Have you seen the miniseries? I hope you can watch it when you‘re done reading 🤍 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures @TheSpineView I wasn't surprised about Frank. This book is filled with so many tragic turns. It is like she sat down each chapter and thought "What is the worst this character could do?" And then wrote that. Paddy seems like a good guy, and Fee no matter how much a robot like a solid thing, so she finds she loves him, too late of course. I do not like Luke. He seems to only want her $ so gross... 3y

Lcsmcat I had worries about Frank early on, so not surprised. I think he always felt like an outsider in the family and that made him angry.. 3y

Lcsmcat @ChaoticMissAdventures It does seem that way! And yet she makes it work. At least so far. 3y

TheSpineView @TheBookHippie Yes, I saw it years ago. 3y

Reecaspieces I am off this weekend. I am going to try and get caught up!! Sorry @TheSpineView I have failed at the read along 😆😆 3y

TheSpineView @Reecaspieces No worries! I am a touch behind also. 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

Week 4 starts tomorrow! How is everyone doing so far? I am two chapters behind because of unforeseen circumstances. I plan to caught up in the next couple of days. I am deeply invested with the characters and the story is compelling and tragic. I am wondering what else the author can put the characters through.
#ThornBirdsReadAlong
@Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures

TheSpineView @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

Hooked_on_books I‘m quite a bit ahead. I‘m saddened how mothers treat/see their daughters in this book. The daughters persevere despite it (so far anyway), but it would be nice to see a more supportive relationship. 3y

TheSpineView @Hooked_on_books It is tragic, sad and so unnecessary. The author does use their relationship to explore family dynamics. 3y

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bthegood I'm still a few chapters behind due to life getting in the way of reading! Paddy was really the only unselfish man in Meggies life - 3y

BeckyWithTheGoodBooks I set this aside because I was way ahead, so now am one chapter behind (I‘ve read through Chapter 13). I‘ll be picking it up again once I finish my LMPBC book and get it in the mail. I have been missing this book, so am eager to dive back in! 3y

TheSpineView @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks I got behind also. I plan on getting caught up over the weekend. 3y

47 likes6 comments

Thorn Birds (Anniversary) | Colleen McCullough

#weeklyforecast
I didn't get to Still Life last week because I got distracted by Turtles All The Way Down, and Pet which I am hoping to finish today. Half through Hummingbirds Daughter so will wrap that up this week and I have fallen behind on Thorn Birds so need to pick that up!
#somanybookssolittletime

BookishMarginalia Pretty pic! 3y

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Lcsmcat

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

So much angst in this section that I practically wore the cover off and had to tape it back. How much more can the author put poor Meggie through! #thornbirdsreadalong @TheSpineView

TheSpineView IKR! 3y

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bthegood

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs thx for tag @TheSpineView
1. Family
2. First vacation with 11 month old grandson
3. See #2. In Chautauqua NY

Tagging all who read this😊

Eggs How lovely ❣️❣️ 3y

bthegood @Eggs thx😊 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

I had a library-related scare! My due date for The Thorn Birds was tomorrow, so I had every intention of renewing it. Then my library app would let me renew other books but not this one! 😱 So I read like crazy yesterday and was ready to do the same today, but then I went to pick up a hold and they were able to renew it for me! 🥳 Librarians for the win! 👯‍♀️ And now I‘m a week ahead in #ThornBirdsReadAlong

monalyisha We are very powerful & benevolent, indeed. 😜 3y

TheBookHippie Oh I have good memories of reading this with friends in 1980 ? musta been. Enjoy. The movie was scandalous at the time 😂🤯😅 3y

Texreader Whew! Nice save! 3y

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Texreader @TheBookHippie Ditto! I probably read it as a junior or senior In high school in the‘80s. Loved it. 3y

LeahBergen Thank goodness! 3y

TheSpineView Go librarians! 👍📖📚 3y

GingerAntics Yaaaaay for the librarians!!! 3y

Lcsmcat Go librarians!! 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

Week 3 starts tomorrow! We are reading chapters 10 to 14 this week. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Does anyone have in thoughts they would like to share?

The story constantly reminds me of how much humans have the capacity to hurt others and to love. Also struck by the tenacity of humans.

@Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn

TheSpineView @Bklover 3y

KristiAhlers I love this story so much. And yes the ones you love the most are the ones who know how to hurt you the best. It‘s sad. 3y

Hooked_on_books It‘s interesting to me that there are relatively few female characters, but they seem to be getting the bulk of the attention in the book. We know far more about Meggie than about the other kids in the family. And I feel we‘ve seen more of Fee than of Paddy. 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

Chapters 5, 6 and 7: Frank has left to become a prize fighter and Meggie is sent home to comfort and help her mother. Stuart goes on a hunger strike so he is sent home too. We find out that Mary Carson is jealous of Meggie because Father Ralph is so fond of her. Meggie becomes a substitute mother for Hal and then Hal dies. However life goes on and the family continues with the hard work of running the farm. Meggie grows up and is now a young...

TheSpineView Woman. Mary Carson throws a lavish part at Drogheda to celebrate her 72nd birthday. She then dies almost before all the guests leave. We find out she has changed her will and left the bulk of her estate to the Catholic church. @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

TheSpineView What does it say about Fee that she seems to have no interest in her children? How do you feel about Father Ralph being the one to explain to Meggie about having a period and becoming a woman? Have you changed your feelings about Mary Carson and/or Father Ralph since the making of the new will? 3y

TheSpineView I have always though of Mary Carson as an evil and nefarious person. She delights in others suffering. We have had hints that Father Ralph was ambitious but the events of the new will suggest something darker in his personality. I suspect he will be like Scrooge and regret much. I predict that the chains of his ambition will way heavy down the road. Fee will also regret much I think. 3y

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Hooked_on_books Mary Carson is an evil, vindictive person. I couldn‘t believe her actions! The more I learn about Father Ralph, the less I like him. He‘s sure showing an ugly side of himself. I was really angry that Fee didn‘t bother to prepare Meggie for the inevitable changes she would undergo. That‘s such a dereliction of duty. Not cool. 3y

Lcsmcat Mary Carson is unbelievably villainous! Her (disgusting, gross) end was deserved. But I have mixed feelings about Father Ralph. I didn‘t feel like the author prepared me enough for his choice. Up until he went to the attorney I thought he was going to destroy the new will. Poor Meggie just keeps having the rug pulled out from under her. It breaks my heart. 3y

bthegood As I get caught up, I realize my movie recollection is all I know of this book, and it recalls Father Ralph and Fee differently. Curren reading perception...Father Ralph not good, Fee harsh, and Mary is just as I remember! 3y

Reecaspieces Ok! I am behind. Very behind. Lol!! Hopefully soon!! 🙃 3y

Bklover I‘m still catching up but this is a reread for me and I sure remember Mary Carson!! I‘m finding my recollections and reactions different than I remember! 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures I agree Mary is awful, at the same time I was glad her scheme got Ralph away from poor Meggie. I know this was in the 80's some sort of romance but it completely grosses me out. Over & over it is repeated that she is a naive child and this priest loves her the moment she arrives at 9? Home being almost 20yrs older & a grown man? I am very uncomfortable. Fee what a selfish robot she is! I do like the writing though! 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

I‘ve read a bit ahead in #ThornBirdsReadAlong and my goodness, how much can one family take?!? 😩 There are so many tragic turns this could easily be melodramatic, but McCullough is deft enough that it isn‘t.

Cinfhen I read this a few years ago and got totally addicted/ I loved it!! 3y

Hooked_on_books @Cinfhen I believe it. It‘s hard to put down! 3y

TheSpineView IKR! I feel so bad for them. 3y

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Lcsmcat

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

McCullough‘s descriptions are so picturesque! I‘ve heard people (particularly women) described as horse-faced before, but this? This is perfect. #thornbirdsreadalong @TheSpineView

TheSpineView I too am loving the descriptive prose! 3y

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bthegood

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

Headed to Chautauqua for family vacation this week - looking forward to exploring the theme (see above) and spending time with family. Also looking forward to the car ride (will get 5 hours of reading in for #AnyWayYouReadathon ) -
Make a great day everyone -

19 likes

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

Weird Question for my #ThornBirdsReadAlong peeps.
I am behind, in chapter 4 there is a lot about weather and temperature talk. I am super curious if different versions of this book are in F or C? I am in the US & have an old used copy which never mentions the unit but talks a lot about 100 so is obviously in F. Curious if British/Aussie/Canadian versions have it listed different? AU didn't start using metric until '74 So F would make sense.

rather_be_reading love your plants! 3y

TheSpineView I have a very old copy and mine is Fahrenheit. 3y

Lcsmcat Mine is an old copy (US) and in Fahrenheit. 3y

ChaoticMissAdventures I know it is a weird thing to recognize, but as someone with many AU friends who would have to calculate I find it interesting. But since the book starts in the 1910's and AU didn't switch until the 1970's it makes sense. These rabbit holes are great useless knowledge for trivia.... 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

Sorry for the dreadful picture, but I‘m loving this description of the Cleary family‘s delight in reading and their influence on the creation of a local bookmobile. 🤓📚

#ThornBirdsReadAlong

TheSpineView 👍📖 3y

32 likes1 comment

bthegood

The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

#Two4Tuesday
Thx for tag @TheSpineView
1. Yes, I like the smell of books😊
2. Right now my choices are a Dark Lord, a priest, a criminal.......a really bad episode of The Dating Game.....so no🤣

Tagging all who see this.

TheSpineView Thanks for playing and happy Wednesday! 🌞 3y

bthegood @TheSpineView 😊 3y

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The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough

This post contains spoilers

Chapter 3 and 4: Now we are introduced to Father Ralph the local parish priest and The Cleary family moves to Australia. They will learn to run the Drogheda ranch owned by Paddy's sister, Mary Carson, who is widowed and childless. Upon her death the Clearys will inherit the ranch. Mrs. Carson does nothing to releave their poverty and they find life just as hard, harder even for the women. Father Ralph takes Meggie under his wing and Frank leaves

TheSpineView To make his own way in life. @Chab256 @Hooked_on_books @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @Lcsmcat @bthegood @Tattooedteacher @ChaoticMissAdventures @Reecaspieces @mrp27 @wanderinglynn @Bklover 3y

TheSpineView It is revealed that Paddy is not Frank's father. Is this the root of Frank's anger? Do you think Father Ralph will be a positive influence on the family? How will Frank's leaving effect Meggie and Fee? 3y

Reecaspieces Frank‘s leaving is for the best for Frank! Meggie and Fee will be immensely hurt. But life goes on. It will be hard! And this book is so well written. I remember reading it about 30 years ago but I have forgotten most of it. So it is ALMOST like reading it for the first time 3y

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TheSpineView @Reecaspieces Same for me. I read it when it first came out and remember very little. I feel most sorry for Meggie. Frank was the only one that showed her loved. 3y

Reecaspieces @TheSpineView so true!! 3y

Hooked_on_books I feel like maybe my book is different from yours, as the events of Frank‘s parentage and departure didn‘t happen until chapter 5. I feel like Frank goes a little overboard in his hatred of Paddy (why would he expect a husband and wife not to have sex and why does he feel it‘s his business?), but the animosity between them is surely fueled by his parentage. I suspect Paddy always treated him differently because of that and may not have been 👇🏼 3y

Hooked_on_books insightful regarding his own behavior. I agree that Frank leaving is the best thing for Frank. Fee and Meggie will pine for him a bit, but they have so much to do that they won‘t get lost in it. Hopefully they‘ll manage to maintain a connection. 3y

Lcsmcat @Hooked_on_books It was chapter 5 in my book too. I feel like Frank was presented to us from the beginning as an outsider with a huge chip on his shoulder. The mention in Chapter 5 of vague memories of living in another place means he was old enough to know Paddy came after him, and to feel those undercurrents that we all try to hide about which child is favored or disfavored. 3y

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