Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely stupid
Review: I am sorry to say I think this book is absolutely STUPID!
I didn't know Ms Mc Cullough...I bought this book because I knew she was the author of the Thorn Birds, so I expected to find some great adventure and romance.
But no...! This book is unbelievably stupid! I mean, I can never believe that a 19th century virgin bride could spend her first wedding day speaking of mines and minerals!!! And what about Ruby, the "[...]", who could speak about some rare disease better than a doctor?? And the child Nell who spoke as a university senior student at age 2...!!!!
Come on!!!
This book is NO adventure and NO romance...this is an essay about minerals in the first part, and an essay about medicine in the second. And all difficult speeches about these subjects are spoken by simple, not educated 19th century women (or baby girls!!!)...Oh please!!!!!!
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
I did the mistake, but I'm telling all my friends never to buy it!
PS - I love Australia...I know it...and I say it doesn't deserve to be described in such a stupid book!
Rating: 
Summary: The Touch
Review: I enjoyed The Touch by Colleen McCullough just as I had enjoyed The Thornbirds many years ago. Although a bit wordy at times and goes off into tangents on subjects such as mining, as in the case of the Touch. It is a good novel for winter time reading in PA and whiling away those long evenings.
It held my interest, although I was able to guess the next sequence of events at times. Will be looking for her next offering.
Rating:
Summary: Missing the McCullough Touch
Review: I had anticipated an exciting and engrossing novel that is patently Colleen McCullough. The Touch was neither, very disappointingly so. The premise sounds promising, something akin to The Thorn Birds, full of strength, tragedy, and Australia. If that's what you are looking for, you won't find it here.The tale has the makings of an epic. Thwarted desires, steely ambition, distinctive characters, a kinetic period of history. McCullough creates the elements, but fails to produce anything magical. She sets the story out fairly well in the beginning, but appears to have lost her passion for the plot as it treads the emotional depths lightly but sinks into every predictable hole imaginable. The main characters, Alex and Elizabeth, are so cliche and monotoned, I lost interest in them halfway through. As one-dimensional as they are, even they don't keep to their personalities by the conclusion, acting so out of tune and all rationality, they lose the shape of their characters entirely. Many of the characters felt like strangers to me by the end. The supporting players, like Ruby, Nell, and Bede, were much livelier and even thoughtful creations, but McCullough isn't very consistent with their storylines (they pop out when you want more and pop in just when you're forgetting they exist) and doesn't follow through just when you feel she is digging deeper. The historical aspect of The Touch is important and it is here that McCullough shines more steadily. The gold rush and the technology boom of the Industrial Revolution are interesting and researched. That one man, Alexander Kinross, literally conquers the world over in all these areas is where she loses contact with reality. Considering the remarkable skill McCullough has shown in capturing subtle layers in people and places, this sort of half-heartedness is indicative of the whole book. She sets it up and then lacks the focus to bring it to life. All in all, the sheer predictability of the action is what turned me off this novel. It is entertaining as a novel well-written and if that was all I was expecting I wouldn't have anything to say. The author is what makes the difference. This is the epic queen Colleen McCullough and her audience deserves better. Read this if you're looking for a well-written book to pass the time.
Rating:
Summary: Missing the McCullough Touch
Review: I had anticipated an exciting and engrossing novel that is patently Colleen McCullough. The Touch was neither, very disappointingly so. The premise sounds promising, something akin to The Thorn Birds, full of strength, tragedy, and Australia. If that's what you are looking for, you won't find it here. The tale has the makings of an epic. Thwarted desires, steely ambition, distinctive characters, a kinetic period of history. McCullough creates the elements, but fails to produce anything magical. She sets the story out fairly well in the beginning, but appears to have lost her passion for the plot as it treads the emotional depths lightly but sinks into every predictable hole imaginable. The main characters, Alex and Elizabeth, are so cliche and monotoned, I lost interest in them halfway through. As one-dimensional as they are, even they don't keep to their personalities by the conclusion, acting so out of tune and all rationality, they lose the shape of their characters entirely. Many of the characters felt like strangers to me by the end. The supporting players, like Ruby, Nell, and Bede, were much livelier and even thoughtful creations, but McCullough isn't very consistent with their storylines (they pop out when you want more and pop in just when you're forgetting they exist) and doesn't follow through just when you feel she is digging deeper. The historical aspect of The Touch is important and it is here that McCullough shines more steadily. The gold rush and the technology boom of the Industrial Revolution are interesting and researched. That one man, Alexander Kinross, literally conquers the world over in all these areas is where she loses contact with reality. Considering the remarkable skill McCullough has shown in capturing subtle layers in people and places, this sort of half-heartedness is indicative of the whole book. She sets it up and then lacks the focus to bring it to life. All in all, the sheer predictability of the action is what turned me off this novel. It is entertaining as a novel well-written and if that was all I was expecting I wouldn't have anything to say. The author is what makes the difference. This is the epic queen Colleen McCullough and her audience deserves better. Read this if you're looking for a well-written book to pass the time.
Rating:
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: I had read (and loved) the Thorn Birds years ago, so I had great expectations for this book. Although the story starts out with an interesting premise, I could not relate to one character in the story. They all seemed unbelievable, more like cartoon characters than real people, with a story as boring as a bad soap opera. It was very tough to finish it, I kept hoping for some clever or surprising development, but it was a disappointment right to the end.
Rating:
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: I had read (and loved) the Thorn Birds years ago, so I had great expectations for this book. Although the story starts out with an interesting premise, I could not relate to one character in the story. They all seemed unbelievable, more like cartoon characters than real people, with a story as boring as a bad soap opera. It was very tough to finish it, I kept hoping for some clever or surprising development, but it was a disappointment right to the end.
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: !
Review: I loved this book! I listened to it abriged on audio cassette, but I plan to go back and read the book. I loved the story, the characters, the whole thing was completely engrossing!
Rating:
Summary: Please!
Review: I picked up this book in Nice hoping it would get me through the last week of my vacation. But no, only 2 days! I think the author's name was listed incorrectly on the front of the book. It should have read Danielle Steele instead of Colleen McCullough. Being a huge fan of Thorn Birds, this novel was thoroughly disappointing. Where the main character in Thorn Birds grew up and learned a thing or two along the way, the main character in The Touch just seemed to ride the tide of the other character's opinions. Overall, I think she gave women a bad rep! Won't even take the book as a "pass around book" for my book club!
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