The Touch : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: AN EPIC NOVEL ADMIRABLY READ
Review: Australian writer Colleen McCullough (author of the memorable "Thorn Birds") has crafted another epic novel sure to win hearts. Her characters are once again compelling drawn, and commendably intriguing. Voice performer Jenny Sterlin gives admirable voice to this century spanning story.

Protagonist Alexander Drummond is a complex individual and larger than life (perfect for the big screen). Never having known his real father he runs away from his home in Scotland to escape his cruel step-father. He was only fifteen, little knowing that the hurts of his childhood would drive him to become one of the wealthiest men in the world.

Just prior to his 30th birthday fate takes him to Sidney, Australia, when that country is experiencing a gold rush. He strikes it rich once again, and builds an opulent mansion atop a mountain. He has begun a torrid affair with the rough but beautiful Ruby Costevan, madam of a local brothel. This is a woman Alexander deeply loves but knows he can never marry.

Instead he dispatches a sum of money to one of his uncles in Scotland, asking that the man send a daughter in return. Enter young, lovely and obedient Elizabeth whom he quickly marries. It's a union bound to fail, bring only unhappiness to both and bearing heavily upon their offspring as well as Ruby's son.

Colleen McCullough once again proves just what an extraordinary writer she is with "The Touch," a story all will be drawn into and few will forget.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: not up to her usual
Review: I have been a huge Colleen McCullough fan since The Thorn Birds was first published and have read all of her books (short of the Caesar series which I have yet to tackle). I particularly enjoyed Morgan's Run and have looked forward to this second in the series. However I found it disappointing. In many ways the writing seemed rushed, almost like there was a publisher's deadline to meet, and I thought many of the characters were two dimensional, particularly Elizabeth (although Ruby is wonderfully written and truly comes to life). McCullough does little to show us or help us to feel the motivations of Alexander and Elizabeth, instead repeating in very simplistic terms why they are the way they are. Anna's situation is described in very simplistic, and totally unrealistic, fashion. And I take particular issue with the way McCullough portrays Alexander's actions at the end, a neat wrap-up that serves her purpose, but totally unbelievable and out of character given his nature and personality.

I don't want to give away any details of the story or the specifics of what I found unrealistic, because even with all these faults, the story is compelling and McCullough has you turning pages to find out what is about to happen next (although it is not hard to guess what's coming). Even at her worst (and I am sorry to say that this book is not up to her usual excellence) McCullough's writing is better and more readable than many lesser authors. I wouldn't say don't read it - just don't expect it to be Morgan's Run, and certainly not The Thorn Birds. And at least for my part, I was hoping for more history intertwined in the story - this is all saga, a la Howard Fast.

Rating:
Summary: Big Disappointment
Review: I love The Thorn Birds and have re-read it many times, but this book is nothing like it. The characters are shallow and unbelievable, their actions incomprehensible. They all seemed like stereotypes recycled from any of dozens of bad romance novels. It was a real chore to finish.

Rating:
Summary: It lacks passion
Review: I read Colleen McCullough's THE THORN BIRDS long before it was a mini-series and thought it was a masterpiece. I haven't changed my mind because McCullough's novel about the universal human condition strikes a chord in most people. The passionate story, spanning three generations, describes the complex Clery family on a sheep ranch in Australia. One of the most memorable parts of the book is the forbidden love of Meggie and Ralph de Briscassart, a priest. McCullough is still a very good author, but THE TOUCH is a notch down from her other works. It simply lacks passion.
In the latter novel Andrew Kinross, after leaving his native Scotland as a youth, made a fortune in Australia in the late 1800s. Years later he wrote to a relative to send for his 16 year-old cousin, Elizabeth, to be his bride. After an arduous journey from Scotland, she arrived in Sydney. Upon seeing Andrew for the first time, she experienced revulsion, a feeling which remained throughout their long, loveless marriage.
At times glimpses of the old McCullough surface, especially when she graphically describes Jade's, the nursemaid, revenge for Anna's murder.
Most of the characters are not outstanding. Of them all, tough-talking, generous, Ruby, stands out. She serves in the unlikely position of Andrew's mistress and Elizabeth's best friend. Also the off-spring of the main characters fail to shine in any particular way.
If you want to be entertained rather than stirred, choose THE TOUCH.

Rating:
Summary: Such a pleasure
Review: I was so excited to hear of this book as I am an enormous fan of Colleen McCullough's Australian epics ("The Thorn Birds", "Morgan's Run") and other non-Caesarean works (although I like historical fiction in general I could just never get excited about the Caesar series). On the rare occasions that McCullough publishes a non-Caesarean book it is very much a book "event" for me. As expected, I really enjoyed this. McCullough continues her tradition of impeccable historical research and gifted storytelling plus the plot is great and well-thought out. Basically the story is about the various rather complicated relationships between a group of highly likable characters that you can really care about, all taking place at a very interesting time in history (late 19th century). I personally don't want to give anymore than that away in case, like me, you don't want to know exactly what to expect as you read (for instance, I usually don't read flyleafs). However, I believe the reviewer immediately below me did a great job of laying it out in a bit more detail if you're interested in knowing more about the plot before you buy the book.

Although this isn't my favorite of her books (I like "The Thorn Birds" and "Morgan's Run" better), I still feel this book stands head and shoulders above the majority of the historical epics out there (well, I also adore "Gone with the Wind" and "Through a Glass Darkly"). So if you enjoyed her previous books, Caesar related or not, or any of the other books I've mentioned, I think you will definitely like this as well.

Of course, if you haven't ever read "The Thorn Birds" or "Morgan's Run" you may want to pick one or both of those up first - they're really fantastic.