WritersofbookssuchasLeMis，GonewiththeWindandTheThornBirdsseemedtohaveallthetimeintheworld，nothingtodobuttellyouastory，fromthemoralofthetale，thefateofthecharacterstodetailssuchasthecolorofone’shairwhenthemorninglightstrikes.

“Sitdown，child.Letmetellyouastoryofalifetime.Listentome，notjustforaday，amonth，butayear.KeepmecompanyandIwilltellyouallthewisdomIknow，justlistentomystory.”Thebookseemstosay.

SomesayTheThornBirdsistheGonewiththeWindofAustralia.Itdoesremindyouofit，thesmallprint，thelengthofthebook，theexpanseofthestoryandthefinenessofthedetails.ButIdon’tseetheresemblanceinthesoulsofthetwobooks.MeggielivedforanothermanwhileScarlettlivedforherself.Onesosoftyoupityher，theothersoheadstrongyoucan’tbotherfeelingsorryforher.Onecan’tholdontothemansheloves，theotherthrewasideheronetruelove.

Inspirit，it’smorelikeTheScarletLetter.Forbiddenloveisalwaysmoretantalizingthanromanceofplainnature，alwaysmoreintensewithalifetimeofbittersweetaftertaste.Let’snotenvisionwhatwouldhavehappenedifthefallenpriestdoesmarrythewomanheloves.Realityneverfailstorubtheshineoffanygreatpassion.It’sthebestcuretolove-sickness.

Ralph，thehandsomepriest，socharmingandperfectthatfromanoldwomanofseventytoachildoften，nowomancanescapefromhispull，whetherornothedoesanyintentionalpulling.Hewasmadefortrouble，tallandattractive，butcloakedinthesoutaneofapriest.Andaboveallhisfaith，hisloveforthechurchandforGod，isthereanythingmorefrustratingthanaperfectlysculpturedman，trainedwiththeeleganceofagentlemanandthepurenessofasaint，butthrownintothelaycrowd，tobelovedandadored，butnottouched.

OurlittleMeggiestealsthereaders’heartsrightfromthestart.Withitsnearly600pagesofflowingwordsandunrollingscenes，Irememberthefirstscenethebest.It’stheonethattouchesmethemost.Ittellsyourightawaywhoisthegentlevictimofthewholeepic.

LittleMeggie，dressedinherSundaybest，wassquattingdownbehindthegorsebush，holdingherveryfirstgiftonherfourthbirthday.Itwasalittledoll，boughtfromastoreintownwithmoney，withmoney！Meggiesawthedollinthestoreonheronlytriptotownandfellinlovewithit.TheirlivesontherawlandinruralNewZealandintheearlytwentiethcenturydidn’tinvolvemuchbuying，nottomentionwastingmoneyonbuyingagiftforalittlegirl，evenaverygoodlittlegirl.

SheheldAgnes，thenameshegavethedollthemomentshesawit.Shemarveledatthedoll’sgoldenhair，hercreamlacedressandhereyesthatclosewhenyoulieherdownandthenopenwhenyoustandherup.AgneswasallthedesirethatMeggieknewandshesattheretakingitallin.

It’sasweetpictureuntiltheboyscameintothescene.Meggie’selderbrotherssawtheirbabysistersoengrossedthattheyhadtopoketheirnosesin.IknewitsmeltoftroubleandIwishIhadthepowertopushthestopbuttonanderasetheboysorturntheircrudemindselsewhere.Butthat’snottobe.LittleMeggiewillbehurtbylittleboys，justliketheolderMeggiewillbehurtbygrownmen.Noonecanpushthestopbuttonandrewritethescene.

TheboystookthedollthatwasbarelywarminMeggie’shands，withtheirroughanddirtypawspulledthedollapart，likedissectinganythingthattheydidn’tunderstand.It’salljustsomeplastictothem，nofeelings.

MyheartachesforlittleMeggie，sohelpless，soyoungandsoweak.Shecriedandbeggedbutshecouldn’tgetherdollback.Tearswasheddownherface，blurringherentireworld.Onherfourthbirthday，shelearnedwhatitmeanttohaveherheartbroken.Andshewastoknowmore.

Doyoubelieveinfate？Doyoubelieveindestiny？Youknowhowinsomemoviesyoujustknowtwopeoplewillfallinloveevenbeforetheyhaveachancetospeak.LikeMerylStreepandClientEastwoodinBridgeofMadisonCounty；likeMatthewandMaryinDowntonAbbey.Thereisnootherway.RalphwasboundtoloveMeggie.Meggiewasmadeforthesacrifice.

Butofcoursesuchahugepieceofworkisnotjustalovestory，asforbiddenasitis.Maybepeoplewillclosethebookwithdifferentanswerstothequestionof“What’sthebookabout？”Iwon’tbesurprisedifmanysaythatit’saboutthelovestorybetweenahandsomeCatholicpriestandagentlewomanwhoisusedtosuffering.Itisthemostprominentthemeofthebook.Butit’smuchmorethanthat.It’salsoabouttheharshconditionsofmakingalivinginthenewlandofAustraliaintheearly20thcentury.Itwasaconstantbattlewithdroughtsandsandstormsandendlessflies，withlonelinessandhelplessnessinfacewiththeseverityofnatureatitsrawstate.

Iwillalsorememberitasabookaboutthesufferingofwomen，especiallyinthehandsofmen，allkindsofmen.Meggie’sbrothersdeprivedherofherfirstgiftinlife，butthisgriefwillbeforgotteninfaceofthemanymoretocome.Themanwhothoughtofherastheloveofhislifetradedherfor13millionpounds，whichboughthimhisfuturecareer.Hehaslovedhereversincehesawherasatimidtenyearold，butit’snotenoughtoleadhimastrayfromhispathinservingGod.Forherwholelife，shewouldfeelabandonedbyherRalph.Shelost，evenifit’stoGod.

ThentherewasherhusbandLuke，whomarriedherforhermoneyandtookeverypenny，andthensenthertoworkasahousemaidinexchangeformoremoney.IwonderifMeggiehadn’tfeltsoabandonedbyRalphandgivenuponlove，wouldshehaveacceptedthis？Eventhen，Lukelefthertomakemoremoney.Shewasabeautifulwoman，yetsomehow，notwonderfulenoughtoholdanyman.Butthetruthis，themenwerenotgoodenoughtodeserveher.

Meggie’smotheralsohadherscarinlife.Shewasthedaughterofaprominentfamily.Anaffairwithamarriedmanleftherwithachildandrejectionfromherfamily.Themarriedmanhadtoomuchtoloosetomarryher，oreventorevealwhohewas.Herownfathermarriedherandthechildtooneoftheirfarmhandsinexchangefortakingthemaway.Fromthenon，itwasendlesshousechoresandfarmlabor，thenchildbearingandraisingthechildren.

Isthereahappywomaninthestory？

Eventhericholdwidow，MaryCarson，themostpowerfulfigureintheregionwhoownedallthepropertyandmoney，wasn’thappy.Shewasalsoinlovewiththeperfectpriest，whowasdecadesyoungeranddetestedher.Heronlysatisfactionwasinknowingthattheonewhomshelovedwouldbetortured.Shemadehimchoosebetweenaninheritanceof13millionpoundsandfulfillinghislovewithMeggie.

Theonlyhappywoman，orawomanwhohadachanceofbeinghappy，wasJustine，daughterofMeggieandLuke.Shewasrebelliousanddaredtogoafterwhatshedesired.Shealwaysknewwhatshewantedandalwayswentafterwhatshewanted.Shedespisedmenbutwasluckyenoughtohavemetonethattreasuredherandwaitedforherawakening.

Butaboveallthese，Ithinktheauthorwantstowriteaboutthepoweroffate，theforceofnature，thetendencyforustobewhomwearemeanttobeevenifitleadstosuffering.Ithinkshewantstosaythatallthestruggleandgoingagainstthecurrentarejustpeoplebeingwhattheyaremeanttobe.Meggiewasmeanttobeinlove，forever，evenifitmeantshewouldbeunhappyallherlife，exceptthefewtimesthathisloveforherwasconfirmedandtheirrelationshipfulfilled.Sheknewhewouldleaveher，toseekhisowndestinyofbeingmarriedtothechurch.Shecouldn’tchangeherowndestinyandshecouldn’tchangethatofanotherman.Butshehadhim.SheonlyneededitoncetoknowthatshewasInlove.Shedidn’tjustlove.

Forthatoneconfirmationshewouldsufferfortherestofherdays.Butjustlikethethornbirds，shelivedforthatonesongtosing.