So, I read this book in high school, and it was SO GOOD. It's about this little girl (Ayla) who is left orphaned and alone during prehistoric times, then picked up and raised by Neanderthals. They think she's ugly and weird, but in reality she is a stunningly beautiful, tall blonde leggy woman. She just is living with a bunch of under-evolved people who don't see it. (I think I loved this book because I imagined it was the same way in my life. I am way hotter than people give me credit for, probably.)

So anyways, she grows up, leaves them, meets up with her own people, and falls in love with a hot tall blonde guy named Jondalar. They have adventures. There is a lot more to it in there, and I found the book fascinating. I would really like to read all the rest of the books in the series. I have no idea why I never found time over the years. I have read at least part of the second in the series, maybe all of it. Oh, if only the internet had existed in high school and I'd had this website, I would remember!

K, here is an embarassing story about this book: I went to Enrichment (a church women's meeting) about 3-4 years ago, and they were having a book sharing activity. Everyone brought good books, and we shared ideas about what to read. It was my turn to share a book I really liked, and I named this one. Another (totally nice) girl at the table then said, "That book actually has a lot of really passionate parts in it, I believe." (Read: that book has some really torrid love scenes.) I said, "Oh, really? Ummmm. well...I read it a long time ago, I guess I forgot about those." (Interpretation: "Crap, I shouldn't have mentioned a book with R rated parts at a church activity.") The girl said, "Well, you were a teenager when you read it. You probably didn't understand what they were talking about." Me: "Yep." (Actually, it would be darn near impossible not to have known what they were talking about.)

So anyways, I was totally embarassed. Then about a year ago it occurred to me: WAIT A MINUTE. If she knows there were "passionate parts" in it, then SHE READ THE BOOK TOO. And obviously she didn't stop at the first sign of a "passionate part", or she wouldn't have know that there were passionate parts (plural). Right? RIGHT!

So basically, she indicted herself right along with me. If she was smart, she would've just pretended never to have heard of the book.

As a(nother) side note, I believe I mentioned on here in a recent book review that I have never belonged to a real life book club, I just talk about books on here. Well, that's because the girl I mentioned in the paragraphs preceding has been in charge of the book club in my ward for years. I am afraid she'll ask for book suggestions and I will suggest one with swear words in it or something.

My #7 Favorite read of 2013

A Unique and Entrancing 5 Stars

When I am rating a book, I am internally comparing that book to other similar books in the genre and asking myself if it is on par with the best I have read. For me, when it comes to rating what I deem to be Historical Fiction, 5 stars are a rarity. It is my favorite genre and there is always a masterpiece to which it can be compared. That said, The Clan of the Cave Bear has no peers. For me, this story explores a time that I have never explored or read and I have basis for comparison. In general, as historical fiction, it meets all my requirements. There is a sense of realism, the sense the author has researched the time period, a sense that the characters belong in the time period and ability of the author to help of live history instead of reciting it.

As far as historical fiction in concerned, The Clan of the Cave Bear is likely far more Fiction than historical. The setting is prehistoric times and what we know or claim to know of these early days is no more than our best guesses. Regardless, Jean Auel clearly researched the available material and provide and interesting look into prehistoric life.




Plot summary

After an earthquake kills the family of Ayla, a "Cro-Magnon" girl, she is adopted into the clan of Neanderthals. The child is different from her adoptive clan. She does not have the shared memories and the instinctual ways of the life as the Neanderthals. She is an inquisitive, logical tall and blond while her new family is survival oriented, ingrained, short and squat. She struggles to be considered part of a clan in which she should not be accepted. The story watches this outsider come of age and explores how her logical and creative mind allows her to integrate herself with a different people

The Good

The book contains a minimal amount of dialogue. The Clan vocalized little more than names and communication is a series of the complicated hand signals. While this may seems like a recipe for disaster, the author integrates it seamlessly. The minimal dialogue feels natural and comfortable. The story does an amazing job of integrating theories of early man. The ideas of the shared and instinctual memory was fascinating as it gave the Neanderthals both a human and animalistic feel. While both race of people considered themselves human it was interesting to see people separated by something other than race, color or language but separated by fundamental difference in biological construction.

The Bad

I have very little to say that is negative. From time to time the conversation felt too modern. Given that the author was using words to express non verbal communication, I can't hold it against her. Generally, I am not at a loss when it comes to finding fault. The majority of the issues that I may have had with the book were petty and not worth mentioning.


Content Advisories

It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.

Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest

Sex - 2.5

There is discussion of the sexual intercourse. Family lived in caves without wall or rooms and sex was not hidden and was a daily and open reality. This is discussed on several occasions. Over the course of one chapter there is discussion of a series of rapes. The descriptions are not graphic but some readers will be disturbed by the portrayal.

Language - 1

There was not use of adult language.

Violence - 3

There is violence as noted under "sex". Some readers may find the depictions of woman to be disturbing and several character engaging in physical assaults on women. There is one serious assault and several instance of single punches or hits. Again, the depictions are not graphic. There is some minor gore in hunting scene and one results in the death or a clan member. There is an instance of cannibalism that some readers will find disturbing.

This was a fantastic book. I read it in 7th grade, and was absolutely obsessed with it (which is nothing less than stunning, because at that age most books that lacked dragons weren't worth my time...). In a way its perfect for around that age, because its all about struggling for acceptance and trying to learn the social norms of a society. But really, everybody has dealt with those issues, and will be able to empathize with the characters. And the setting is so unique, the writing so vibrant, that I imagine most people will find themselves engaged.

The rest of the series isn't nearly as good. Valley of the Horses is fun but lacking the depth. I stopped reading them after the third book in the series.

Muy entretenido, me sirvió para entender mas la vida de los humanos en la prehistoria que todas las clases de historia en el colegio. Había leído este libro hace ya muchos años y aunque me gustó no seguí con la serie porque me dio pereza por su larga extensión pero justo ahora recibí sin esperarlo todos los libros de regalo y decidí volverlo a leer para refrescar la memoria antes de leer el resto y me sigue pareciendo una gran forma de entender como vivían nuestros antecesores en el planeta de una forma muy amena. Le subo la nota a 4.

What an epic read and the setting is so unique. I don't know how this book escaped my clutches for so long!

No, this book is not perfect, and perhaps it might seem a bit immature in places to some readers, but in the long run, this will turn out to be one of the books that you may end up thinking of as a classic.

There are 6 books in the series:

☛The Clan of the Cave Bear, 1980
☛The Valley of Horses, 1982
☛The Mammoth Hunters, 1985
☛The Plains of Passage, 1990
☛The Shelters of Stone, 2002
☛The Land of Painted Caves, 2011

While every book seems to go a bit downhill from this first one (at least the last 3 books seem to, in my opinion), they actually provide a platform in which Ayla, our main character, grows.

This first book truly shows how the author had researched the Ice Age ( Europe during the Upper Paleolithic Age) to write this, and you can tell that she did her own physical research too.

The story is an interesting one, beginning with an earthquake that finds our main character, a Cro-Magnon child lost at about 5 years old. After being mauled by a cave lion, she is found by a group of Neanderthals, and her life is saved.

She now grows up in a very difficult situation which ends up sort of - modern man vs. prehistoric man. If you read this book, toward the end, you will see why I say it like that.

The growth of the character Ayla shows very dramatically in this first novel, especially if you consider she was only about 11 or so when she had her first child. Throughout the series, you will see her growing more and more as she goes off to find "her own people".

Most people felt that the last book n  nwas a cop-out, but I happened to find it a gentle conclusion after so many long years of waiting. I hadn't been happy with the last several books, so the last one did not surprise me at all.

I am now off to re-read the entire series!

Happy Reading

Fui apanhado completamente de surpresa, não conhecia “O Clã do Urso das Cavernas” (1980) de Jean M. Auel, descobri-o porque procurava obras de ficção histórica, mas acabei descobrindo algo mais porque esta é uma obra de ficção científica, não num sentido futurista ou espacial, mas no de ficcionar o conhecimento científico sobre um passado muito distante. O livro que inaugurou a série “Filhos da Terra”, constituída por 6 livros que venderam mais de 45 milhões de volumes, foca-se na vida quotidiana de duas espécies humanas, o Neandertal e o Sapiens, há cerca de 30.000 anos, altura em que os neandertais se aproximavam da extinção e o Sapiens iniciava a conquista da Europa e do mundo. Apesar de ser um livro de ficção, o trabalho é extensivamente fundamentado em conhecimento, existente nos anos 1970, das áreas da Arqueologia, Paleontologia e Antropologia. Como se não bastasse, muitas das ideias de Auel aqui apresentadas têm-se mantido relevantes em face das novas descobertas arqueológicas ao longo dos últimos 50 anos.

continua no blog:
https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...

Esta es una de esas historias amplias en cuanto a número de personajes, espacios y tiempo. El nivel de detalle que alcanza lo hace un libro pausado y muy envolvente. Nos regala una mirada, aunque ficticia, bastante desarrollada y justificada, de los que pudo ser la vida de nuestros primeros antepasados más directos, siempre a través de una perspectiva familiar y cercana.

Ayla, la protagonista, nos ofrece una visión genial de las limitaciones del cerebro de los Neandertales con respecto al suyo propio, más avanzado. Esta perspectiva nos brinda escenas curiosas como esa en que el mago de la tribu le explica el concepto de número -uno, dos y más de dos-, y ella inmediatamente entiende que está hablando de una serie continua que se prolonga mucho más allá y con la que se pueden hacer operaciones sencillas. Estas reflexiones, pronunciadas de manera tan ágil, dejan al anciano totalmente desconcertado e incluso temeroso.

Reseña completa y diseño de portada en http://sidumbledorefueralibrero.com/2...

She was one of the Others; a newer, younger breed, more vital, more dynamic, not controlled by hidebound traditions from a brain that was nearly all memory. Her brain followed different paths, her full, high forehead that housed forward-thinking frontal lobes gave her an understanding from a different point of view. She could accept the new, shape it to her will, forge it into ideas undreamed of by the Clan, and, in nature's way, her kind was destined to supplant the ancient, dying race.

This book has been on my TBR list for years, and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. I so enjoyed learning more about this period in time (somewhere between 28,000 to 25,000 years before present). I thought the author did a brilliant job showing us about their day to day lives. I was especially impressed with all the information on herbs and how Iza, the medicine woman, used them. When historical fiction starts going this far back in time I realize that there must be quite a bit of fiction/fantasy involved, but according to most sources the author's work is quite accurate and authentic, especially with regards to anthropology. It has, however, been found that Neanderthals had a hyoid bone and may thus have been capable of using vocal language and not as dependent on sign language as portrayed in the series. I never realized that the Cro-Magnons and the Neanderthals co-existed at some point in time, and found this part of the story very intriguing. I recommend this book to all lovers of historical fantasy.

The Story: Leave the modern world and go back to Ice Age Europe. Follow Ayla, a Cro-Magnon child who loses her parents in an earthquake and is adopted by a tribe of Neanderthal, the Clan. See how the Clan's wary suspicion is gradually transformed into acceptance of this girl, so different from them, under the guidance of its medicine woman Iza and its wise holy man Creb.

Re-read July 2020. Still a 5 star read, this series will never get old.

I read this for the first time years ago and although there's absolutely zero romance at all, not even a hero (that comes in the next book .... Jondalar, be still my beating heart!), sometimes the story is just that good romance doesn't need to feature, this is one of those.

I adored this book, and still do after re-reads. A truly amazing, captivating and fascinating series that will stay at the very top of my all time favourites list.

Not even 10 stars is enough for this book.

Endlich habe ich mich an diese Reihe gewagt und es war kein leichtes Kennenlernen. Der Schreibstil ist wirklich extrem eigen, unterstreicht aber sehr gut die Atmosphäre, denn wir reisen hier 30.000 Jahre in die Vergangenheit. Aber nicht nur an die etwas umständliche Sprache der Autorin muss man sich gewöhnen, auch an das gemächliche Tempo, in dem die Lebensweise und der Schauplatz zur damaligen Zeit beschrieben wird wie auch an das völlige Fehlen der Sprache bei den Neandertalern.
Sie konnten wohl Laute bilden, haben sich aber hauptsächlich mit Gebärden verständigt, was für die 5jährige Ayla, die aus den Clans der "anderen" stammt, nicht leicht zu durchschauen war.

Allerdings wurde das anschaulich ausgeführt und die Ausdrucksweise hauptsächlich in den Gedanken der einzelnen wiedergegeben. Man gewöhnt sich daran, wie auch an den langsamen Rhythmus der Erzählung - wobei ich anfangs noch etwas gezweifelt habe, ob mich die Geschichte packen kann. Dann aber kam der Moment, wo es mich gefesselt hat.
Ich kenne mich zu wenig aus, um zu wissen wie authentisch das ganze wohl dargestellt ist, aber ich bin der Meinung, dass man durch die Entdeckungen der Forscher zwar einiges "weiß", die Auslegung davon aber sehr individuell sein kann. Was die Autorin hier wunderbar beschreibt sind die Natur mit all ihren Tieren und Pflanzen zu jener Zeit und wie die Menschen damit zu überleben wussten. Welche Vielfältigkeit in Nahrung und Heilmitteln zur Verfügung standen, wie geschickter Gebrauch von einfachen Werkzeugen schon viele Gebrauchsgegenstände zum Leben geschaffen haben und wie sehr sie mit ihrem naturverbundenen Glauben ihre eigene Mystik geschaffen haben.

Es war ihnen, als seien sie ein Teil allen Lebens auf der Erde; und die Ehrfurcht, die daraus erwuchs, selbst für die Tiere, die sie töteten und von denen sie sich nährten, legte den Grund für die geistige Einheit mit ihren Zeichen.
Zitat Seite 43


Ein bisschen gestoßen hab ich mit mit der patriarchalischen Lebensweise, die sie bei den Neandertalern zugrunde gelegt hat, da ich selbst der Meinung bin, dass die Frauen zu der Zeit eine höhere Stellung hatten, aber im Laufe der Geschichte erfährt man, warum sie das so aufgebaut hat und es ergibt auch einen sinnvollen Weg.

Ayla jedenfalls stößt nach dem Tod ihrer Sippe auf einen Clan der Neandertaler und hat es nur der Medizinfrau Iza zu verdanken, dass sie dort aufgenommen wird. Man erfährt noch recht wenig über die Art von Ayla´s Sippschaft, nur dass sie anders ist. Weißhaarig, hochgewachsen und der Sprache fähig, entgegen dem Clan der sich ihrer annimmt und in dem die Unterdrückung der Frauen für das junge Mädchen einiges an Herausforderungen bringt.
Denn sie ist ein Freigeist und es kostet sie sehr viel Erfahrungen und Durchhaltevermögen, um sich anzupassen. Die Regeln sind sind sehr streng und ihre Missachtung würde Verbannung und damit den Tod bedeuten.

Besonders spannend ist ihr "Gegenspieler" Broud. Der Sohn des Clan-Führers, der von Beginn an eine Konkurrentin in Ayla sieht. Er ist sehr geltungsbedürftig und das besondere Interesse an dieser andersartigen Frau stößt ihm immer wieder auf. Welche Konflikte sich hieraus entwickelt fand ich besonders interessant, auch wie sich der Clan insgesamt durch die Ankunft von Ayla verändert.
Überhaupt die Denkmuster und wie damals (vielleicht) gefühlt wurde und Konsequenzen und ein Umdenken entstand fand ich äußerst spannend.
Vor allem wie viel Zeit man sich genommen hat, um über Probleme erstmal nachzudenken, nachzufragen, alle Möglichkeiten abzuwiegen und dadurch auch auf neue Entscheidungen und ein Umdenken kommen.

Insgesamt ein wirklich außergewöhnliches Buch über eine Zeit, über die wir so gut wie nichts wirklich wissen und die Autorin es geschafft hat, ein lebendiges Bild entstehen zu lassen.
Etwas zu detailliert war es mir allerdings stellenweise und auch die vielen Wiederholungen mancher Gedanken und Gegebenheiten hätte es nicht gebraucht.

Weltenwanderer

I reread this recently and decided to upgrade it to 5 stars. The amount of research in this book is phenomenal and the plot better than I remembered. Not only have I (re)learned loads of stuff about cavemen and "cave ways," I've also rediscovered Ayla, the main character, and found myself really liking her and caring for her. So yeah, great reread!

OLIVIER DELAYE
Author of the SEBASTEN OF ATLANTIS series
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