Book 38
Originally posted by 
audrey_e at Book 38
audrey_e at Book 3838 THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR Jean M. Auel (USA, 1980)
This is the first volume in the "Earth's Children" series. Set in prehistoric times, The Clan of the Cave Bear tells the story of Ayla, a Cro-Magnon girl who is adopted by a clan of Neanderthals following a devastating earthquake. While she quickly becomes the beloved child of the clan's medicine woman, she constantly struggles to repress the (genetic) differences that make her an outsider among the dying race.
When I was a kid, prehistory was one of my major interests thanks to the archaeology museum of Saint-Germain-en Laye, France that my family and I used to regularly visit. The interest wore out with time, but I decided to revive it a bit with this series.
I did not expect to enjoy this novel as much as I did. While the writing style is nothing impressive, and even slightly repetitive at times, the plot is nothing short of epic and Ayla's story quickly becomes addictive. Auel successfully manages to blend facts and research with her vivid imagination. It is true that Ayla is one of those incredibly gifted characters that can be annoying in the world of literature, but this time her endless abilities did not get on my nerves. Probably because she is our ancestor and therefore encompasses all the glories of our our race.
I have heard that the following novels are not always as good as this first one. I do not know how far I will eventually go into the series but I have already bought the second volume and cannot wait to know what happens next.
4/5
This is the first volume in the "Earth's Children" series. Set in prehistoric times, The Clan of the Cave Bear tells the story of Ayla, a Cro-Magnon girl who is adopted by a clan of Neanderthals following a devastating earthquake. While she quickly becomes the beloved child of the clan's medicine woman, she constantly struggles to repress the (genetic) differences that make her an outsider among the dying race.
When I was a kid, prehistory was one of my major interests thanks to the archaeology museum of Saint-Germain-en Laye, France that my family and I used to regularly visit. The interest wore out with time, but I decided to revive it a bit with this series.
I did not expect to enjoy this novel as much as I did. While the writing style is nothing impressive, and even slightly repetitive at times, the plot is nothing short of epic and Ayla's story quickly becomes addictive. Auel successfully manages to blend facts and research with her vivid imagination. It is true that Ayla is one of those incredibly gifted characters that can be annoying in the world of literature, but this time her endless abilities did not get on my nerves. Probably because she is our ancestor and therefore encompasses all the glories of our our race.
I have heard that the following novels are not always as good as this first one. I do not know how far I will eventually go into the series but I have already bought the second volume and cannot wait to know what happens next.
4/5
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hopeful
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