荆棘鸟. The Thorn Birds

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The captivating story of "The Thorn Birds" has enchanted millions of readers across generations. Australian author Colleen McCullough, drawing loosely from her own family's history, narrates over half a century in the life of the Cleary farming family. Members of this family, emerging from impoverished beginnings in New Zealand, arrive at a prosperous estate in the Australian outback in the early 1920s. They face relentless struggles against harsh nature and the dramatic twists of their own lives. Among a wide array of characters and storylines that transport readers to the Australian bush, the battlefields of World War II, and the Vatican's ecclesiastical circles, the unforgettable figures of farmer's daughter Meggie and young priest Ralph de Bricassart take center stage. Bound by a hidden love affair, the confident yet fragile Meggie and the ambitious but internally conflicted Ralph are marked for life by their bond, despite years of separation. Like the bird that must pay with its life for its one song, both protagonists ultimately pay a price for their desires.