The character of Justine O’Neill in The Thorn Birds is the daughter of Luke O’Neill and his wife Meggie (formerly Cleary). While her mother and grandmother, Fiona Cleary, are both strong women, Justine sees that the rural Australian life and the patriarchal society have taken a toll on them. Her father is far more interested in work and money than his family and is an uncaring father to the girl. Determined to live independently and not be dominated by a man, the ambitious Justine leaves and pursues a career as an actress. A headstrong girl, she is contrasted to her kindly, almost saintlike brother, Dane. In the end, Justine finds a male partner who matches her personality, and she does get married.

Justine resembles Soraya in The Kite Runner. Soraya’s father, General Taheri, is uncaring toward his daughter, like Luke is. The domineering general upholds the restrictions on female education and social involvement. Similarly to Justine, Soraya is rebellious against the narrow social strictures and her father. She pursues her personal and professional goals, in this case to become a teacher. She also finds a happy marriage with Amir.

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, the closest parallel seems to be Aziza. The daughter of Rasheed and Laila, she suffers from her father’s unfeeling attitude toward her and hid generally misogynistic outlook. However, his behavior is far more harsh than that of the other fathers, as he places his daughter in an orphanage when the family falls on hard times. Aziza is also a minor character. Another similarity would be to Laila, who is bold and curious but must accommodate her husband’s brutality. The scope of her role is more like that of Justine, and she too ultimately finds a happy marriage.

Who is Justine in The Thorn Birds most similar to in The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Justine O'Neill in The Thorn Birds is a strong, intelligent character with a forceful personality. Despite her unfortunate family background, with a miserly, tyrannical father and an unhappy, distant mother, Justine is optimistic and determined. When her mother points out that she is not attractive enough for her chosen career as an actress, Justine boldly replies that she intends to find success through her skill in acting, not by being good-looking. This attitude is typical of her approach to life. She is also strongly motivated by her love for and protectiveness of her brother, Dane.

The character who most resembles Justine in The Kite Runner is Soraya. Like Justine, she is strong-willed and intelligent, unafraid to follow her instincts. Although Amir, her husband, is the protagonist of the novel and a more major character, she has a stronger personality than he has and is willing to confront her past and take responsibility for her actions in a way that he is not.

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, the closest character to Justine is Mariam. She shares Justine's difficult start in life: an illegitimate daughter who grows up without the support of her parents and who is always starved of love. Mariam is a darker, more tragic character than Justine, but she shares her strength and determination and is also motivated by love.