Catharina

Author: Colleen McCullough
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-07-01
Features: Hardcover edition of "Gone with the Wind" from Australia. Printed over eight million copies, listed by Time magazine as one of the top ten modern classics alongside "The Godfather," "Love Story," and "The Bonfire of the Vanities." This book made me believe in love. This is an Australian family saga novel, with the romantic entanglement between the female protagonist Meggie and Father Ralph as its main thread, depicting the story of the Cleary family across three generations, spanning over half a century. The strong and energetic priest yearned for the power of the Roman Catholic Church, but he fell in love with the beautiful and captivating daughter of the sheep farmer, Meggie, from the Cleary family, placing him in a deep conflict between power and love, thus triggering a series of heartwarming stories. Centered around the two main characters, the lives of over ten members of the Cleary family unfold, each with their own joys and sorrows. Especially, the time span of the novel happens to cross World War II, making the conflicts arising from the completely different life philosophies of two generations particularly striking. Meggie's family lives in New Zealand, where her father earns a living by shearing sheep for others. However, this year, her father loses his job. Just as the family is in a bind, they receive a letter from their aunt in Australia. It turns out that their aunt, now elderly, is preparing to inherit a legacy for them. After some hardships, Meggie's family sets foot on the Australian continent and arrives at Drogheda. As soon as she appears, Meggie catches the attention of Father Ralph, who is deeply moved by the girl. Father Ralph is Irish, sent by the Catholic Church to Drogheda as a priest. He is a tall, handsome man, elegant, kind, and ambitious, very eager to rise in the church hierarchy. However, due to his lack of background, he remains a regular priest until his thirties. Because Meggie's aunt is the wealthy widow of Drogheda, he has to interact with her frequently, though he actually despises her very much.