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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
This is the last of Auel's books that I truly enjoyed. There was a lot more human interaction in this one than in the previous novel, and had enough happening in it to keep the plot moving at a decent pace. The characters in this book are some of my favourites, as Ayla finds her own people and learns about all the different cultures that have sprung up out in such a relatively small group of people.
There were definitely some parts that were really good, but I had to skim through a lot of boring descriptions, which usually start out interesting but then just go on too long for me to stay interested. Also, the "will they or won't they" and "who will she choose" was too drawn out and got a little annoying in parts. It took me a long time to get through this book, which means I wasn't all that drawn in and I don't think I'll continue with this series.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Always nostalgic to reread these books. This will never be my favorite installment but it's still cozy to revisit.
http://fantastiskfiktion.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/grottbjornens-folk/
my audible edition is actually read by Rowena Cooper
This book was, overall, fascinating and informative. I love Auel's descriptions of how things were made, how people interacted, and how they traveled, traded, and held their ceremonies. She presents the information in such a way that it doesn't feel like you are reading a textbook- and yet you still learn a great deal about prehistoric peoples. At times, it does drag on a bit too long, and I'm noticing that she references quite often things that happened in the previous two books. It makes me wonder who is jumping into a massive series like this in the middle that Auel feels the need to catch everyone else up to speed on the important happenings of the first two books.
I loved the characters in this book, from Ranec to Frebec, and everyone in between. They all had their own distinct personalities, so that even though there were 20 plus people to keep track of, you never had trouble remembering who was who.
Wolf was an amazing addition, and I enjoyed the short appearance of Baby near the end.
Here is what drove me a little nuts though- the angst between Ayla and Jondalar. Why, oh why, did it need to go on for 300 pages? There's no reason, at all- and it just made that part of the story ridiculously frustrating. If you want to throw in a fight, or a minor misunderstanding, sure, 100 pages will do you. 150 maybe, but that's pushing it. Anything beyond that is getting to the point of insanity. Two characters who obviously love each other could fix the situation with a simple conversation- which is eventually what happens. (Sorry, you should know that if you've even picked up one of the next 3 books and looked at the back cover.) It was unnecessary, and just added bulk to this 700 plus page book. I hope we get to see some of the characters from Lion Camp again- I really enjoyed getting to know all of them.
I loved the characters in this book, from Ranec to Frebec, and everyone in between. They all had their own distinct personalities, so that even though there were 20 plus people to keep track of, you never had trouble remembering who was who.
Wolf was an amazing addition, and I enjoyed the short appearance of Baby near the end.
Here is what drove me a little nuts though- the angst between Ayla and Jondalar. Why, oh why, did it need to go on for 300 pages? There's no reason, at all- and it just made that part of the story ridiculously frustrating. If you want to throw in a fight, or a minor misunderstanding, sure, 100 pages will do you. 150 maybe, but that's pushing it. Anything beyond that is getting to the point of insanity. Two characters who obviously love each other could fix the situation with a simple conversation- which is eventually what happens. (Sorry, you should know that if you've even picked up one of the next 3 books and looked at the back cover.) It was unnecessary, and just added bulk to this 700 plus page book. I hope we get to see some of the characters from Lion Camp again- I really enjoyed getting to know all of them.
Ranec deserves better and I was much angrier at Jondalar this time reading it than I was when I first read the series as a teenager. But I still loved the book and love Ayla.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Frustrating AF, but I still love these books, can’t help it
This book aged terribly in so many ways ( racism, transphobia, homophobia... ). Jondalar is still really boring and I HATE miscommunication tropes. It's also really slow for really long while, so I definitely would not have finished it if it weren't for some of the Mamutoi being endearing.