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2.92 AVERAGE
2.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Land of Painted Caves doesn't measure up to Clan of the Cave Bear, but none of Auel's Earth's Children books have. LoPC wasn't measurably better or worse than most of the other sequels of this series. It could be interesting but was never gripping and was sometimes repetitive (especially the detailed descriptions of cave walls, ... there are only so many ways of saying "realistic megaceros with dots on it"). There also wasn't much going on in terms of character development or resolution for the end of a series. Ayla is pretty much the same person, just with a bit more social responsibility. Jondalar also remains the same (extremely overrated, imho). Even some marital troubles don't really cause them to grow or change. The most interesting plot element happens at the very end and disappoints because Auel doesn't explore it more thoroughly. A discovery is made that could potentially shake up the entire social order, and the end of the book just features a few people thinking, "Huh, I bet this will have big repercussions once people have time to process it." Despite the generally unexceptional writing style and plot, I have to give Auel some credit. This book is a 700-page monster, and while I was never riveted, I didn't abandon it, either.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this final book in this series. i have read all of the others so was excited to see this final one.
I'm having a hard time saying anything but "oof" after that ending.
Anyone who's read any of the Earth's Children books is probably aware that none of the other books really measure up to the first, and this one is no exception, but the way it ended really killed it for me. Auel already had established a pattern of not tying up plot threads and letting them become holes, but there's a LOT left unanswered at the end. It really reads like there's supposed to be another book, though there's not much hope of that considering it's been 10 years since this one was published.
My other big beef with this book is that we get a beat for beat repeat of Ayla and Jondalar's relationship problems from The Mammoth Hunters, which is even more frustrating to read a second time, though it's a fairly small part of the book.
I will say that I had fun reading this book, mostly because Ayla can be fun to read about (probably unintentionally, her exploits can come off as a little ridiculous, but I love to see a girlboss winning). Despite that, the whole thing ends up being a disappointment with such a lackluster ending and lots of repetition.
Anyone who's read any of the Earth's Children books is probably aware that none of the other books really measure up to the first, and this one is no exception, but the way it ended really killed it for me. Auel already had established a pattern of not tying up plot threads and letting them become holes, but there's a LOT left unanswered at the end. It really reads like there's supposed to be another book, though there's not much hope of that considering it's been 10 years since this one was published.
My other big beef with this book is that we get a beat for beat repeat of Ayla and Jondalar's relationship problems from The Mammoth Hunters, which is even more frustrating to read a second time, though it's a fairly small part of the book.
I will say that I had fun reading this book, mostly because Ayla can be fun to read about (probably unintentionally, her exploits can come off as a little ridiculous, but I love to see a girlboss winning). Despite that, the whole thing ends up being a disappointment with such a lackluster ending and lots of repetition.
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I truly wanted to give this book a higher rating, but particularly due to the last 200 pages, I can't.
I was ok with the repetitiveness of it all. The traveling, the challenges during traveling, the medicines, the sex, etc. But there was enough new little things to still keep it entertaining. In this book the descriptions of the caves was definitely a new thing, but it felt more like the author visited all these places and wanted to make sure we knew. And yes, a lot of it is invented.
But the end really threw all the love for the characters away. Jondalar and Ayla acted like they would have never done. The mating with other people, the not speaking to each other. It definitely track with the author amount of repetition (this definitely brought me back to the 3rd boo and Ranec). But it all was for nothing, or even worse, to perpetuate the beginning of a much more patriarchal society. The book couldn't even give me some of what I would have enjoy more, like giving a happy ending to the children of Laramar (yes, they sort of get one, but it's deal with in least pages than the shortest description of a cave....It's sad that after all these years, pages and hours reading these books, this ending was so disappointing.
I was ok with the repetitiveness of it all. The traveling, the challenges during traveling, the medicines, the sex, etc. But there was enough new little things to still keep it entertaining. In this book the descriptions of the caves was definitely a new thing, but it felt more like the author visited all these places and wanted to make sure we knew. And yes, a lot of it is invented.
But the end really threw all the love for the characters away. Jondalar and Ayla acted like they would have never done.
So disappointing. I really enjoyed this whole series. Until this book. No story for the first 2/3. Just traveling around looking at caves. In the other novels the repetitiveness didn't bother me because I liked the story. But there was literally nothing happening in the majority of this book, and the repetitiveness grated on my last nerve. Then the jumping ahead several years at a time? That just seemed like laziness on Auel's part. Honestly, to build up Ayla becoming Zelandonii to just skip through it?! And don't even get me started on the character regression of Jondalar. And Ayla for that matter. It ended tidily enough, but a very disappointing end to an otherwise enjoyable series. Wolf gets 5 stars for being a good boy.