The Thorn Birds

I had been reading this book for quite awhile during my breaks at work when I finally finished it.  I must say that I felt like something was missing in my life when the journey did come to a close. 

The Thorn Birds is written by Colleen McCullough and encompasses three generations of the Cleary family.  The story is predominantly placed in Australia during the depression.  Speaking of
depressing, this book is seriously depressing and kind of a downer for about the first half and almost 3/4 of the story.  Not to say that it isn't a good read, but it left me wondering if any one in the family was ever going to catch a break.  The historical fiction was brilliant and the characters were really brought to life. 

I really connected with Meggie as a little girl and as she got older.  She spent her life striving for happiness in her own surrounding and life really knocked her down, but she never gave up hope and never let go of the love she felt in her heart. 

There is so much heart break from every realm that a heart can be touched within this story.  I found myself crying at work on several occasions.  I just wanted so much for so many of the characters to find happiness.  Yet they were not fully miserable.  They accepted their lives as they were and went on with life.  None of these characters looked at life with defeat and gave up.  They were all hard working and persevered. 

As a reader you follow Meggie from the time that she is a little girl.  You get to see her grow up and then have her own family and watch her grow old.  The main love of the story is between Meggie Cleary and a forbidden man to her Ralph di Bricassart.  Ralph is a priest in the Catholic church and therefor has sworn off women in his love of God and the church.

Justine is Meggie's daughter and I was not a big fan of her until the last part of the book and then I must say that I absolutely loved her.  Her spunk and zest for life in comparison to the rest of the Cleary clan was a nice relief and a splash of color in their gray world. 

The closing of the book spoke volumes.  There were so many (dare I say) epic lessons within this classic story.  This book was not written lightly and was not meant to merely entertain, it was meant to SPEAK to the reader.  That it did for me.  I still feel like something it missing after saying goodbye to these characters.  I give it a 5 out of 5 stars and high recommend this historical fiction book. 

Side Effects Movie Review

As an avid Jude Law lover I was definitely interested in a movie with him and Catherine Zeta Jones, not to mention Rooney Mara & Channing Tatum.  So needless to say I was really looking forward to this movie.  I can admit that I didn't really know what it was going to be about, but I can't think of a single Jude Law movie that I hate, so I wasn't really worried. 

I try to do my reviews with as little spoilers as possible, so I will try to keep with that in this review as this isn't as old as most of the movies I review and so the likelihood that someone reading it hasn't yet watched the film is much higher.  So here goes.

Side Effects definitely falls into the thriller/suspense genre.  It is a very intriguing movie which opens
with some blood which could be a possible murder or struggle scene and no body or anything else to let you know what happened and then jumps back to 3 months earlier in the life of the movie.  It is directed by Steven Soderbergh and I must say that he did quite an amazing job.  I also feel like it was cast very well.

Jude Law is actually looking a little bit older in this movie.  I think this is the first movie I have seen with him where you really didn't feel that he had a connection with any woman in the film, although after having seen the whole thing, that may have been an intentional feeling to go across..

 The main theme of the movie is that the main character Emily (played by Rooney Mara) has serious depression issues and goes through a series of drugs to try to find some sort of semblance of a normal life without thinking of suicide.  She ends up with one that seems to have horrendous side effects for her.  Jude Law plays her therapist.  Throughout the movie it definitely has you thinking about all of the crazy side effects of drugs and how they have to happen to at least some people and how awful it would be if you were one of those people.

I have to say that it had some very excellent twists and turns within the story.  Initially I was thinking it was going to be a movie that was along the lines of Limitless with Bradley Cooper, but it was something entirely different.  Very great and I highly recommend it.  I don't want to give any of it away, but let's just say that there is no way you can guess all of what will happen!  I loved it!    Check it out and let me know what you thought as well!

Here is the official movie website Side Effects May Vary

Here is the excellent trailer for the movie :)