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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
adventurous
adventurous
Listened to this as an audiobook.
Fantastic pseudo-anthropological story. Aside from the actual story line, the descriptions of prehistoric neanderthal life and activities are fascinating. I of course didn't take it as an actual scientific account, though it does seem quite well researched, but as an excellent example of world building.
Fantastic pseudo-anthropological story. Aside from the actual story line, the descriptions of prehistoric neanderthal life and activities are fascinating. I of course didn't take it as an actual scientific account, though it does seem quite well researched, but as an excellent example of world building.
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
An earthquake begins and ends this first book in a series of prehistoric stories. Ayla was 5 years old when she loses her family. Walking aimlessly and then attacked by a cave lion, Ayla hides in a small cave the cat cannot reach. Fear stricken, days go by before she stumbles out, half starved and collapses near a river. This is a story of a clan raising Ayla, the girl who looks so different from all the others. A story of spiritual customs, different culture, and a family bond. I can’t wait to read A Valley of Horses to find out what happens to Ayla and Durk.
I'm 28% through this book (thanks Kobo) and I don't think I can go any further with it.
This book came up in recommendations when I was searching for more historical fiction after re-reading "The Historian". I think this may be too far back in time for me to enjoy. The characters are literally too simple too hold my interest, and the language is also too basic for my particular tastes.
Take me back to the future!
This book came up in recommendations when I was searching for more historical fiction after re-reading "The Historian". I think this may be too far back in time for me to enjoy. The characters are literally too simple too hold my interest, and the language is also too basic for my particular tastes.
Take me back to the future!
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars (I think, though I might change my mind).
I enjoyed this story! It was really fascinating to read a speculation on Neanderthal societies and their interactions with early Homo sapiens, because otherwise it is so easy to think about that time period in a very sterile way and about the people as completely removed from us, which isn’t really the case. Still, of course, much is just that, speculation, because there’s only so much we have evidence of. I thought overall that the ideas and speculation were based in creative and logical-enough thinking, and those were fun to read and explore. I especially did enjoy seeing how Clan society and Ayla’s ideas clashed and how they all responded to that, as well as how Ayla established relationships with people in the Clan.
Some of Auel’s ideas, though, were pretty unbelievable or exaggerated. And while I imagine the following came from an idea that Neanderthals had shorter lifespans and therefore may have gone through developmental stages more quickly, I do wish she hadn’t decided that the timeline of childhood to adulthood was so much quicker, because from a modern viewpoint, it was quite uncomfortable reading about the sexual practices of the Clan due to the very young ages at which these began, and it seems to me there isn’t (nor was there when the book was written) enough evidence to make this claim.
I enjoyed this story! It was really fascinating to read a speculation on Neanderthal societies and their interactions with early Homo sapiens, because otherwise it is so easy to think about that time period in a very sterile way and about the people as completely removed from us, which isn’t really the case. Still, of course, much is just that, speculation, because there’s only so much we have evidence of. I thought overall that the ideas and speculation were based in creative and logical-enough thinking, and those were fun to read and explore. I especially did enjoy seeing how Clan society and Ayla’s ideas clashed and how they all responded to that, as well as how Ayla established relationships with people in the Clan.
Some of Auel’s ideas, though, were pretty unbelievable or exaggerated. And while I imagine the following came from an idea that Neanderthals had shorter lifespans and therefore may have gone through developmental stages more quickly, I do wish she hadn’t decided that the timeline of childhood to adulthood was so much quicker, because from a modern viewpoint, it was quite uncomfortable reading about the sexual practices of the Clan due to the very young ages at which these began, and it seems to me there isn’t (nor was there when the book was written) enough evidence to make this claim.