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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-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
When I read other reviews of this book before I started it, I got a little nervous. Most of them seemed negative, and a lot of that negativity seemed to center on the entire middle chunk of the book! Well, after reading it, I understand the negative feelings but have to disagree with them.
As has already been said, Ayla and Jondalar meet the Mamutoi and when Ranec, a member of this camp, takes interest in Ayla, Jondalar and Ayla start on this path of miscommunication, misunderstanding and uncertainty that is very frustrating for us readers. The frustrating part is because we get such clear insight into their heads thanks to Auel, what is so difficult to understand for them is completely obvious to us. But none of us can say we would have acted or behaved any differently if confronted by the apparent loss of interest by someone we care about-we become defensive, proud, isolated, and angry-human nature has not evolved much since the caveman days! It can be hard to bridge those gaps of custom and social rituals anyway, especially when they are confused and turned upside down by love. I really felt for Ayla and Jondalar! They have no precedent for their relationship, and very few commonalities to draw from and to bridge their misunderstandings. Each of them can only see the other from the perspective of their former lives, which just don't apply anymore. Hard lessons have to be learned, but Reader, have a little patience and a little compassion to our two heroes, and this book is really a very rich read.
As has already been said, Ayla and Jondalar meet the Mamutoi and when Ranec, a member of this camp, takes interest in Ayla, Jondalar and Ayla start on this path of miscommunication, misunderstanding and uncertainty that is very frustrating for us readers. The frustrating part is because we get such clear insight into their heads thanks to Auel, what is so difficult to understand for them is completely obvious to us. But none of us can say we would have acted or behaved any differently if confronted by the apparent loss of interest by someone we care about-we become defensive, proud, isolated, and angry-human nature has not evolved much since the caveman days! It can be hard to bridge those gaps of custom and social rituals anyway, especially when they are confused and turned upside down by love. I really felt for Ayla and Jondalar! They have no precedent for their relationship, and very few commonalities to draw from and to bridge their misunderstandings. Each of them can only see the other from the perspective of their former lives, which just don't apply anymore. Hard lessons have to be learned, but Reader, have a little patience and a little compassion to our two heroes, and this book is really a very rich read.
I’ve rated all three of the books I’ve read so far in the Earth’s Children series four stars, though that’s not to say they’re equally good; or actually, maybe they are but they each have their own particular strengths. Even so, I’d still say that THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS is probably my favorite so far. It’s not perfect by any means—Auel’s tendency of repeating the same information ad nauseum is on display to an extreme degree here, and Jondalar (who was already the weakest part of the previous book) is turned into a petulant sad sack—but the story is consistently engaging nonetheless and the overall tenor of the book is one of *hope*.
As I am writing this review, one of the most popular television shows of the moment is ‘Ted Lasso’, and the reason it connects with people is the fundamental *goodness* at its heart. Every character, even those who seem to be villainous at first, is revealed to be or is able to become decent, loving, kind. I get the same sense from THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS. Although Ayla was accepted by Creb and Iza in CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, there was always a tension about how she differed from the Clan and whether each new difference would be the breaking point in her relationship with them. This book is almost the opposite: over and over again the Mamutoi as a whole show her how welcome and wanted she is. It’s incredibly sweet.
Though this book didn’t bring me to tears exactly, it certainly brought me right to the edge on multiple occasions. One of the most shocking causes of those near-tears, and this is getting into SPOILER territory here, was Frebec. He’s introduced as a Broud-like holdout who despises Ayla on principle because of her past with the “flatheads”, but by the end he’s one of the first to come to her defense. It’s so lovely. And where the previous book introduced Whinney and Baby, this time we’ve got Racer and Wolf - both of whom are adorable additions to Ayla’s family. Aside from the dumb drama with Jondalar and Ranec (truly the Edward and Jacob of the series), the book is just instance after instance of Ayla wowing the Mamutoi or being wowed by them.
A couple of other things I want to say: throughout the series, my wife and I have commented on how similar it is to the OUTLANDER series which we read last year and earlier this year. I mentioned it again when Mamut reveals he knows Creb—that “small world” vibe where everyone is connected somehow shows up a lot in OUTLANDER. Then, just a few pages later, Ayla found a frickin’ DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. Okay, so it was only identified as a “winged insect”, but come on. We know what it was. The second thing I want to say is that when Ayla was transporting meat on her travois near the end of the book I was shocked that she has not yet invented the wheel. I assume that’s coming, though, right?
But yes. You know, I recently read THE GOLD BUG VARIATIONS by Richard Powers, which like this book is +600 pages. When I read Powers’ book, I was anxious to complete it and bothered by how long it was taking. This book also took longer than I had anticipated, in part because I am back at work after having previously been off on FMLA paternity leave. But unlike when I read Powers’ book, I never felt annoyed by how long it was taking. I enjoyed reading it; I enjoyed spending time in this world with these characters. I don’t know that I want to jump right into the next one, but maybe sooner than later. I’m excited to continue journeying with them.
As I am writing this review, one of the most popular television shows of the moment is ‘Ted Lasso’, and the reason it connects with people is the fundamental *goodness* at its heart. Every character, even those who seem to be villainous at first, is revealed to be or is able to become decent, loving, kind. I get the same sense from THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS. Although Ayla was accepted by Creb and Iza in CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, there was always a tension about how she differed from the Clan and whether each new difference would be the breaking point in her relationship with them. This book is almost the opposite: over and over again the Mamutoi as a whole show her how welcome and wanted she is. It’s incredibly sweet.
Though this book didn’t bring me to tears exactly, it certainly brought me right to the edge on multiple occasions. One of the most shocking causes of those near-tears, and this is getting into SPOILER territory here, was Frebec. He’s introduced as a Broud-like holdout who despises Ayla on principle because of her past with the “flatheads”, but by the end he’s one of the first to come to her defense. It’s so lovely. And where the previous book introduced Whinney and Baby, this time we’ve got Racer and Wolf - both of whom are adorable additions to Ayla’s family. Aside from the dumb drama with Jondalar and Ranec (truly the Edward and Jacob of the series), the book is just instance after instance of Ayla wowing the Mamutoi or being wowed by them.
A couple of other things I want to say: throughout the series, my wife and I have commented on how similar it is to the OUTLANDER series which we read last year and earlier this year. I mentioned it again when Mamut reveals he knows Creb—that “small world” vibe where everyone is connected somehow shows up a lot in OUTLANDER. Then, just a few pages later, Ayla found a frickin’ DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. Okay, so it was only identified as a “winged insect”, but come on. We know what it was. The second thing I want to say is that when Ayla was transporting meat on her travois near the end of the book I was shocked that she has not yet invented the wheel. I assume that’s coming, though, right?
But yes. You know, I recently read THE GOLD BUG VARIATIONS by Richard Powers, which like this book is +600 pages. When I read Powers’ book, I was anxious to complete it and bothered by how long it was taking. This book also took longer than I had anticipated, in part because I am back at work after having previously been off on FMLA paternity leave. But unlike when I read Powers’ book, I never felt annoyed by how long it was taking. I enjoyed reading it; I enjoyed spending time in this world with these characters. I don’t know that I want to jump right into the next one, but maybe sooner than later. I’m excited to continue journeying with them.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well. I started this book with high hopes. It was full of interesting survival lore and descriptions of neolithic tools and social customs, just like the first. There were entire houses made of mammoth bones, and tamed wolf cubs, and inventions of various tools. I was starting to think the second book was just a small slump in Auel's writing. And then...once again...freaking Jondalar existed...
There might literally be nothing more boring in the entire history of literature than Jondalar. Seriously. Every other part of this book and it's predecessor is reasonably interesting and entertaining, and then out of nowhere, the narrative is sidetracked to make us watch Jondalar ponderously overthink his own feelings while Ayla is passionately obsessed with him for no reason. Two thirds of the whole book were just Ayla sadly mooning over the human equivalent of a Fabio portrait burnt into a piece of dry toast while Jondalar's tiny little brain clumsily tries to grasp whether his girlfriend knows she's his girlfriend or not.
And all the "drama" between them was only remarkable for it's utter stupidity. Do straight people not know how to communicate with each other? About 300 pages of this book could've been replaced with a 30 second conversation where they said, "Hey babe, you're still into our previously agreed upon plan of wandering the earth while shagging nonstop, right? Okay, cool."
Honestly, there should be a lot of literary and thematic things for me to complain about, like Auel's weird sexualization of young teens, the awkward pacing of the plot, the casual racism, or the ridiculous metaphors (at one point during sex, Jondalar's tongue is described as a bee drinking honey). But I can't bother to appropriately rant about those valid criticisms because Ayla and Jondalar's relationship was just that annoying.
I think I'm giving up on this series now.
There might literally be nothing more boring in the entire history of literature than Jondalar. Seriously. Every other part of this book and it's predecessor is reasonably interesting and entertaining, and then out of nowhere, the narrative is sidetracked to make us watch Jondalar ponderously overthink his own feelings while Ayla is passionately obsessed with him for no reason. Two thirds of the whole book were just Ayla sadly mooning over the human equivalent of a Fabio portrait burnt into a piece of dry toast while Jondalar's tiny little brain clumsily tries to grasp whether his girlfriend knows she's his girlfriend or not.
And all the "drama" between them was only remarkable for it's utter stupidity. Do straight people not know how to communicate with each other? About 300 pages of this book could've been replaced with a 30 second conversation where they said, "Hey babe, you're still into our previously agreed upon plan of wandering the earth while shagging nonstop, right? Okay, cool."
Honestly, there should be a lot of literary and thematic things for me to complain about, like Auel's weird sexualization of young teens, the awkward pacing of the plot, the casual racism, or the ridiculous metaphors (at one point during sex, Jondalar's tongue is described as a bee drinking honey). But I can't bother to appropriately rant about those valid criticisms because Ayla and Jondalar's relationship was just that annoying.
I think I'm giving up on this series now.
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay. So here comes the "getting much worse" part of things. The enormously frustrating thing is that there are so many good elements to this novel. Jondalar and Ayla end up meeting and staying with a group of people called the Mamutoi, and Ayla is adopted by them. Ayla meets Ranec, a handsome man who falls for her and wants to mate her. All of the stuff about Mamutoi customs is quite interesting, even though it is riddled with some of the same problems of the previous two books - namely, Auel uses clinical language to teach us all about the cool research she did to write the book. It totally ruins the tone. But setting that aside, this book might have been okay.
Cue the dreaded "misunderstanding" plot. UGH. Basically, Ayla and Jondalar spend the majority of the novel whining and complaining about each other. Ayla thinks Jondalar doesn't love her anymore, and Jondalar thinks the same of Ayla. The Mamutoi, who are said to be very honest and straight-forward, know exactly what is going on and why the misunderstanding happened, and yet they don't say anything to help their new friends. And so we must endure HUNDREDS OF PAGES of whiny Ayla and whiny Jondalar, two people who are supposed to be awesome and brilliant at everything, failing to actually have a simple conversation that would have erased all of their problems.
I don't even have the energy to rant at this as much as I want to. It's stupid, it detracts from any goodness this book might have provided in the form of rich world-building. From here, I was extra afraid to venture on into the fourth book. And yet...
Cue the dreaded "misunderstanding" plot. UGH. Basically, Ayla and Jondalar spend the majority of the novel whining and complaining about each other. Ayla thinks Jondalar doesn't love her anymore, and Jondalar thinks the same of Ayla. The Mamutoi, who are said to be very honest and straight-forward, know exactly what is going on and why the misunderstanding happened, and yet they don't say anything to help their new friends. And so we must endure HUNDREDS OF PAGES of whiny Ayla and whiny Jondalar, two people who are supposed to be awesome and brilliant at everything, failing to actually have a simple conversation that would have erased all of their problems.
I don't even have the energy to rant at this as much as I want to. It's stupid, it detracts from any goodness this book might have provided in the form of rich world-building. From here, I was extra afraid to venture on into the fourth book. And yet...
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes