Customer Reviews
Couldn't Put It Down! - By: Mr. Liam Edward Sharratt, 31 Jul 2008 
Not for a long time have I read a book which I literallly could not put down. However, since picking up this book on a whim, I was enthrallled by the way Auel treats a difficult subject, totallly immersing the reader into the life of the main character, Ayla.
Based in Upper Paleolithic Europe, the story revolves around the adoption of a Cro-Magnon child by a group of Neanderthals, who eventuallly accept her as one of their own. The story develops around Ayla's journey of self-discovery & maturation. This is an excellent book & a must read for just about anybody.
What an adventure - By: Lulu, 04 Jul 2008 What a marvelous book this was. I loved the journey this novel took me on & the prehistoric setting was very beliveable.
Jean M. Auel is a wonderful story teller & it's a colourful & wonderful world she's given us in this novel, setting it in the ice age.
It was gripping, reading about Ayla's journey from a young child to adulthood & the trials she faces living with the Neanderthal tribe who found her.
There is everything one could ask for in a novel, adventure, fun, danger, jealousy & love & romance.
I especiallly liked the extensive research J.M.A. has done, & her detailed knowledge of plants & natural remedies used by the medicine woman & passed down to Ayla, was extremely fascinating.
I have read the entire series & must say, it was riveting.
There are 5 books in alll:
1:The Clan of the Cave Bear
2:The Vallley of Horses
3:The Mammoth Hunters
4:The Plains of Passage
5:The Shelters of Stone
Breathtaking prehistoric saga - By: Dr Jones, 06 Mar 2008 As my review of The Fiery Cross proved, I traditionallly enjoy nothing better than lambasting a badly-written book & mercilessly exposing its shortcomings like some kind of masochistic PE teacher. But in this case, I'm rather stumped. I reallly can't think of much in the way of scathing criticism for The Clan of the Cave Bear, & that leaves me feeling angry & scared.
Well, a change of underwear later & it's on with the review. For the uninitiated, The Clan of the Cave Bear is the first in the long-running Earth's Children series by Jean M Auel. If I was to sum up this series by drawing a paralllel with something else, I'd have to compare it to the Rocky franchise. Yes, later instalments have become progressively more silly, irrelevant & often embarassing, but the title that kicked the whole thing off is pure gold.
Rocky... sorry, Clan of the Cave Bear tells the story of Ayla, a young Cro-Magnon girl living about ten thousand years ago during the last ice age. All is well with her life until an earthquake kills her family & leaves her stranded alone in the middle of a harsh unforgiving wilderness (a little cliched I know, but as a plot device to kick things off I'm prepared to swalllow it). However, it's not long before she's taken in by a new tribe callling themselves the Clan, who decide to raise her as one of their own. The thing is, they're Neanderthals, & their culture is vastly different from the one she grew up in. The book charts Ayla's journey from childhood to maturity, her long quest to find acceptance within the Clan, & her efforts to overcome those intent on destroying her.
Considering the subject matter, it would be very easy for a book like this to stray from Compelling Dramatic Narrative Street & take a walk down Ridiculous Avenue, but somehow it never does. The Neanderthals in this story are not brutish simpletons grunting & banging rocks together - they are articulate & intelligent beings in their own right, with their own hopes & fears. And yet, the alien nature of their society is never far from the surface - they're like us, & yet not quite. To her credit, Auel has done a thorough job of creating a rich & believable culture for her characters to exist in.
This is a well written, wonderfully paced book that features engaging characters, a poignant storyline & a genuinely sympathetic & compelling protagonist (a rare thing these days). This makes it even harder to accept when bad things start happening to her. And believe me, they do - this is an unflinching portrayal of life in a harsh environment, & an even harsher culture. And that's part of the core question that the book poses; which is more dangerous - the wild untamed world or the jealousy & hatred of others? More importantly, you never get the feeling that any scene or conversation is not significant in some way, & the book almost never drags - take note, Diana Gabaldon.
Now, alll this wonderful gushing on my part might give the impression that Clan of the Cave Bear is a sublime story with less imperfections than the monolith from 2001. And although it certainly ticks most of the boxes, it does falll down in a few areas.
For a start, Broud, the antagonist of the story is about as believable as a Scooby Doo villain, & exists purely to be a complete bastard at every opportunity. Second, the descriptions of the landscapes, animal behaviour & hunting techniques tend to drag things down & interfere with the narrative flow. Yes, you've researched the Ice Age, Jean Auel - we know. We don't need to be bombarded with information about it every few pages. Lastly, there are a few none-too-subtle digs at the nature of patriarchal culture & the oppression of women. This is a theme that runs through most of Auel's later work work, & while I can't exactly blame the author for having an axe to grind, it's a bit disconcerting to be constantly beaten over the head by it like an unruly anti-war protestor.
Still, overalll these are minor gripes - a bit like criticising the Great Pyramid for looking a bit rough these days. On that subject though, The Clan of the Cave Bear has weathered the ravages of time rather better than its geometric counterpart. It was written nearly 30 years ago, yet it feels as fresh & interesting today as it was back then.
Heartily recommended.
One of my favourite ever books - By: flingthecow, 04 Jul 2007 I love this series of books! The story is completely involving, & you reallly care for the characters. I love alll the alll the descriptive detail of the prehistoric people's way of life. I never would have thought that long passages about collecting medicinal plants, & preparing food, or making tools would be so interesting!
Because the main character is a young girl, who grows up through the series, I imagine girls & women might possibly be more instantly involved in the story. But particularly in later books, the story centres around male characters aswell, & 'caveman stuff', so I'd recommend these books to men too. Plus there's a surprising amount of explicit sex.
Reallly enjoyable escapist reading, for curious people.
Entertaining yet strangely educational - By: Ms. J. Pearce, 03 Jul 2007 
I watched the film before reading the book - the film piqued my interest & I was pleasantly suprised by how well researched this novel is.
Jean Auel's characterisation of Ayla & her neanderthal counterparts pale in comparison to the rich descriptive & accurate portrayal of life & the physical world. Everytime I read the book I'm amazed by the research she puts into it - perhaps this is why we wait approx 6 years between each novel!!
Accuracy aside, the storyline is entertaining & quite happily, not too predictable. Ayla is a little too perfect, a little too naive, but the book is such a good read you get over it quite quickly.
