BOOK REVIEW: "The Land of Painted Caves"

The Land of Painted Caves
By Jean M. Auel
Copyright 2011
Crown Publishers
Adult Fiction
4 Bookmarks

Well here it is! The last in the Earth's Children series. It was published back in, I think, March of this year and I finally got around to reading it (after making my way back through the series again). I think this may be the thickest of the books. With 757 pages, it was certainly daunting.

Okay, first let me point out what annoyed me about this book. After writing five other books in this series, for some reason, the author still feels like she has to write the book as if it's a stand-alone book. Meaning, that in each of these books, she feels she has to re-cap all the important events of all the previous books in the series. A great number of those 757 pages were reminders of what I just got done reading in the previous six books, which was unbelievably tedious!

I was ready for some new material! Some new characters, some new subject matter. Instead, the recaps just went on for page after page after page. I'm guessing that 99% of the people who will read this book are addicts of the series (as I am), and already know the history of the characters. The recaps were totally overdone.

The other thing I didn't like was the basic plot of the book. The main character, Ayla, has become something of a spiritual leader of the group. Because of that, she is taken on a tour of the sacred sites of the people. Much of the book is the travel from one sacred site to another, from one painted cave to another. Not much variety in the storyline.

Whew! Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way, let me just say I still love this series. I still really enjoyed the characters and the situations they found themselves in. I enjoyed being able to picture the landscapes and the surroundings. I enjoyed the descriptions of the different medicines and rituals observed by the people. I imagine I would have made a great cavegirl!

Normally when I read a book and have more negative things to say than positive, it's going to get a low rating. But hard for me to give anything by this author a low ranking when I really enjoy these books so much. Even with the 757 pages, I made it through the whole book in less than a week. Snatching a paragraph here or a paragraph there between other things going on in my life.

My frustrations really have more to do with it not quite fulfilling my expectations and not with any lack on the quality of the writing. Do read this one!

BOOK REVIEW: "The Plains of Passage"

The Plains of Passage
By Jean M. Auel
Copyright 1990
Crown Publishers, Inc.
Adult Fiction
5 Bookmarks

Book four of the Earth's Children Series by Jean M. Auel, follows Ayla and Jondalar's journey from the end of the Great Mother River back to his homeland far to the west. It takes them nearly one year to complete the journey and they have many adventures along the way.

With two horses and a wolf for companions, the travelers are not welcomed easily anywhere they encounter other humans. The groups they meet are very wary of the newcomers and some even hide. But the pair do visit with some groups that remember Jondalar from his trip to the east.

With dangerous river crossings and changing weather chasing them down, the two face a perilous journey. They survive some near misses that leave your heart pounding! Some of the groups they encounter appreciate Ayla's skill as a medicine woman and she puts those skills to use frequently. A few places along the way are tempting to Ayla, who is tired of traveling. But she knows that Jondalar wants to go home and so they keep moving.

I suppose the most notable section of this book deals with Jondalar being captured by a group called the Wolf Women. He is held captive in a society where women run the show and the men are mere prisoners (I wish!) With Ayla's help, Jondalar finally escapes and the two work together to help free the other men who have been held captive by the Wolf Women.

As usual, I loved this book (who wouldn't love a book about a man, a woman, two horses and a wolf traveling together during caveman times?) I really am enjoying re-reading this series, despite the over-the-top "adult" scenes (again, don't let your kiddos read these!)

I'm getting close to the end! One more book to go before the new one in the series! I've only read Shelters of Stone (book five) once, so I'm looking forward to re-reading it! Review for that one coming soon!

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.