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flagstaff's review against another edition
5.0
emmabjones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
hmgelo02's review against another edition
5.0
What I got, however, was a book that seemed like more of a repetition of her previous four books than something that was entirely new. It is repetitive at times, enough that even on my first reading I found myself skimming through to scenes that held my interest more. However, as repetitive as this book was, I liked it far better than the one immediately preceding it. I wish that Auel had chosen to devote equal amounts of time to the timeline, which spanned about a year; rather, she chose to spend the first several hundred pages on the first 48 hours, and the next hundred on the first month. The remainder of the year is given the remaining 200 pages; it's not even, and had I not been so very curious as to how Auel would end this novel, I may not have plowed through so enthusiastically.
I've been trying to find out when her next installation will be published; if history tells us anything, it will be several more years before I'm able to find out what happens next in Ayla's life. I read rumors that what she had originally planned to be a six-book series may end up being a seven-book series. I can only hope that her next two novels finish the series on as high a note as she began it.
Note: although I began reading this series at what now seems to be a very young age, this book, as well as those that came before it, contains very graphic details of sexual acts. I would recommend this to any adult who wants to learn more about the emerging world of humans in the ice age, and who wants to read a really well-written story.
A further note: although each of these novels can be read on their own, the experience is far greater when reading them sequentially. Each novel builds upon the details on its predecessors; in this case, the sum is far greater than its parts.
cpriley401's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lcoverosey's review against another edition
2.0
afarre01's review against another edition
4.0
twstdtink's review against another edition
3.0
jennilynft's review against another edition
3.0
bmg20's review against another edition
3.0
Ayla and Jondalar have finally made it back to his homeland in order to settle down and start their lives together. Ayla is pregnant and worried about whether she will be accepted by his people. Ayla shocks and amazes Jondalar's people/family with her talents as a healer, animal tamer, and her ability to create fire and she is accepted almost immediately.
As with all Jean M. Auel books, 'The Shelters of Stone' is heavy on the detail and history of the land and people inhabiting it. The story doesn't build up to much in the end and I was a bit disappointed, especially since the ending was a tad expected. I waited almost a decade to read this because the size definitely frightened me and unfortunately her books can be a bit boring at times. I will probably be waiting at least another decade before deciding to delve into the last and final chapter in the Earth's Children series.