BOOK REVIEW: "The Clan of the Cave Bear"

The Clan of the Cave Bear

By Jean M. Auel
Copyright 1980

Crown Publishers

Adult Fiction

5 Bookmarks Exceptional!

Okay, let me just preface this review with the fact that Earth's Children is my favorite, favorite, favorite series of books. However, Ms. Auel is a bit of a, shall we say, methodical writer. Book 6 of the series, Shelters of Stone, came out in 2002 when I was at home with my few-months old baby. And just this month, March 2011, book 7 has been released (Nine years to write a book? Really?) And as much as I loathe the fact that I had to wait so long, I am greatly, greatly, greatly looking forward to The Land of Painted Caves. Of course, I am number 494 in the library queue of 643 readers waiting for this book so it will probably be awhile before it reaches my excited little hands. So in the meantime, I decided to refresh my memories of the rest of the series. And, of course, I started with Book 1, The Clan of the Cave Bear.

This series of books is an historical fiction about a history that we really are making a whole lot of guesses about: the time before history began. The main character, Ayla, is a Cro-Magnon human girl who loses her family in an earthquake and wanders aimlessly until she is found by a band of Neanderthals, who call themselves 'the Clan'. Despite her differences, the Clan take her into their fold. Ayla does what she can to fit in with this new family, but she is hindered by the advanced evolutionary changes that make her so different.

Ayla struggles with submitting to the male authoritarianism of the Clan. She loses her language as she learns to speak with her hands in the way of the Clan. She develops close bonds with the woman and man who care for her, but fights constant battles with those in the Clan who don't want her there.

Auel employs wonderful writing skills to describe the plight of Ayla in this foreign environment. She also emphasizes the plight of the Neanderthals as the reader realizes some of the reasons why that race of humanity disappeared. Auel truly makes an effort to research her material and includes as much "fact" with the fiction as she can (maybe that's why it takes 9 years to write a book!) I took an Anthropology class last year and was reminded just how much Auel takes from actual history and incorporates within the stories. Everything from clothing worn to tools used to the way the cave they called home was organized.

There was a movie made in 1986 based on this first book (and starring Daryl Hannah).
The movie wasn't very good, but it did prompt me years later to start reading the series and I am so glad I did! I even borrowed a bit of the tone from the title when naming my blog.

There is a mystical quality to the story, even though the tale itself is so historically based. There is some adult content in this series, so grown-ups only. But, as you can tell by the fact that this is my favorite book series, I do highly recommend it.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Oscar Wilde

Copyright 2003

Barnes & Noble Classics Publishers Classical Fiction

3.5 Bookmarks

I had seen this book listed on those "100 Books Every Person Should Read" lists, but had never really known much about it. When I read the synopsis, I thought it sounded interesting so I decided to add it to my own "Books I Have Read" list.

The Picture of Dorian Gray begins with an artist painting a portrait of a wonderfully handsome young man. So wonderfully handsome, in fact, that the artist seems to have become completely and utterly enamored with him, putting his whole soul into the painting. Shortly thereafter, when the painting is complete and Dorian himself sees how stunning the portrait is, he makes a wish that he could always be as young, inspiring and handsome as he is in the portrait and that the portrait instead should be the one who ages. A wish that, surprisingly, takes place.

As Dorian's activities shift into something sinister and forbidden, the selfishness that dominates his life begins to show on the face in the portrait while his own face remains as serene and beautiful as it always was. One of my favorite lines from the entire book was, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about," a comment on the degree of narcissism into which Dorian would soon slip.

A few random comments about the story:

1. It was interesting to me that Dorian's friends and acquaintances who were aging around him only commented in passing about his unchanged appearance.

2. Dorian seemed quite fascinated with the phenomenon that was occurring, observed it almost like someone would watch a science project, and yet continually maintained a level of indifference at his own actions.

3. I was sorry that the love story ended the way that it did.

4. Many in literary circles over the years have commented about the sexual undertones in this book (mostly due, I think, to Wilde's own scandalous life at the time). However, I didn't feel like it was unnecessarily sordid. Nor did I feel like it took away from the power of the story.

A few random comments about the writing:

1. I rather enjoyed the descriptive nature of each passage within the book. Wilde uses lovely phrases to express his thoughts (and the thoughts of his characters).

2. I also rather enjoyed the witty Victorian-style banter perfectly placed within the story.

3. Wonderfully sickening suspense at the end of the story, just waiting for Dorian to make the realization of what he had done.

This story is definitely not for everyone. There is a noticeable level of debauchery throughout most of the book, certain events with a definite "ick" factor, and just the mere incomprehensibility of the nonchalance shown by the main character for the choices he makes. But I did enjoy reading the story and am glad to check it off my list.

BOOK REVIEW: "Moon Over Tokyo"

Moon Over Tokyo
By Siri L. Mitchell
Copyright 2007
Harvest House Publishers
Adult Fiction
4 Bookmarks

Yay! A book I liked! The main character, Allie O’Conner, lives and works in Japan. Even though she’s been there for a long time, she still feels like she doesn’t quite belong. When her only real friend in this foreign land moves away, Allie prays for a new friend. What she doesn’t expect is to run into her old high school nemesis, Erik Larsen. And what is even more unexpected, is that she finds herself (albeit reluctantly) calling him friend. Will he become more?

I won’t go into a more detailed synopsis because this is a book you ought to read yourself. But I will tell you that I really enjoyed the character development of this novel (after some of the recent books I’ve read, it was really refreshing!) The author also focused on description of the setting, really bringing Japan into view, including many unknown landmarks as well as more expected Japanese sites (including Sumo wrestlers and cherry blossoms).

I loved the flow of the story, from Allie’s torn connection to the novel she’s never quite gotten around to writing, to Allie’s trouble with finding her way around a local shopping mall, to the recurring dream Allie can’t quite wrap her head around.

Lots of symbolism, beautiful description, plus a cute story. What more could you ask for?

COMMENTARY: Kindles, Nooks and Other Literary Crooks

If you check out my little “About Me” on the sidebar, you will know how much I love holding a good, old and dusty book in my hands. I love the way the pages feel, that old book smell, the crinkle of the dust jacket. I just love books!

So now the new reading rage is e-book readers. There are a variety of readers, the most popular of which seem to be the Kindle and the Nook (both costing roughly $150 retail). There are quite a few versions of each, offering a variety of different features. But the basic premise is, you have this nice little device you hold in your hands that you’ve paid a gob of cash for, then you pay another chunk of cash (not as much as a hardcover book, but more than many paperbacks) every time you download a book to your reader. The reader stores the book for you and allows you to access it at any time. You can hold thousands of books in your hands at any one time!

But wait. Don’t you ever read a book and think it’s so great that you want to loan it to a friend? I love my friends, but I’m not sure I’d be willing to loan my $150 electronic device to a friend for a long enough period of time for them to read it (especially when there are children and dripping sippy cups to contend with). Apparently, however, there is a feature offered that allows you to share your library if you have a friend or family member with the same e-book reader. They just have to register it to your e-book reader. Sounds a little complicated, probably not worth the trouble, and just not as nice as handing them the book in person so you can gush on about how good it was.

And of course, neither the Kindle nor the Nook will allow you stare lovingly at a bookshelf, tracing your fingers along the spines of these stories you love as you decide which one you want to read again. Nor do they allow you to flip through the pages as you reminisce about how much you enjoyed the story held therein. No. They merely keep the story in an electronic database forever. So these stories, whether you loved them or not, will most likely be relegated to the same fate as those thousands and thousands of digital photos you’ve taken and stored away on the hard drive of your computer, never to be viewed again.

And what about the kiddos? Are we going to get to a point where we sit down and cuddle together on the couch to read our bedtime stories from an electronic screen? I think not. I want my child to turn the page. I want her to see the pictures. I want her to learn to love holding books in her hand just as much as I do.

So consider this my official declaration that I will NOT succumb to this little fad. Any errant gift-givers out there beware; if a Kindle shows up on my door, I will return it…….and use the proceeds to buy about eight beautiful hardcover books for my shelf.