The Touch

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Not since "The Thorn Birds" has Colleen McCullough crafted a novel with such broad appeal about family and the Australian experience. Central to the story is Alexander Kinross, once a shiftless boilermaker's apprentice in Scotland, who later strikes it rich in Australia’s gold fields. When he summons his bride, Elizabeth Drummond, she arrives in Sydney only to find him frightening and repulsive. Despite her reservations, she marries him and is taken to his isolated town, Kinross, named after him, where she faces the stark reality of her new life. Alexander's secrets loom large; he has a mistress, Ruby Costevan, a tough and outspoken woman who is also a partner in his expanding business. Ruby’s son, Lee, becomes dear to Alexander, who hopes to foster him as an heir. Elizabeth, meanwhile, bears two daughters: the brilliant Nell and the haunting Anna, who will challenge Alexander in ways he never anticipated. As the intertwined lives of these characters unfold, their stories lead to a shocking climax. McCullough’s novel is a rich tapestry of love, tragedy, and the quest for identity in a foreign land, capturing the deep yearning of her characters to forge new beginnings amidst their struggles.