Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
If ever a novel cried out for an explanatory author's note, it's this one. Give Claire Cameron credit for spinning an imaginative tale of Neanderthal life, but I was constantly distracted by wondering how much of the story was "real" (that is, how much is supported by current science and how much of the Neanderthal mode of living is the author's invention). The edition I read provided no explanation.
I found the modern parts of the story dry. The archaeologist, Rose, was not a particularly likable character, driven but very self-absorbed and too ready to use people around her. When she ran into trouble it was hard to feel sympathy; her problems are mostly of her own making.
The prehistoric part of the story was more compelling, but again, it was hard to know how much credence to give it. The ending, to my mind, left too many questions unanswered.
I found the modern parts of the story dry. The archaeologist, Rose, was not a particularly likable character, driven but very self-absorbed and too ready to use people around her. When she ran into trouble it was hard to feel sympathy; her problems are mostly of her own making.
The prehistoric part of the story was more compelling, but again, it was hard to know how much credence to give it. The ending, to my mind, left too many questions unanswered.
I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this book, but it definitely surprised me with what was within its pages. Oh and warning, there may be a few spoilers in this review.
The story focuses mainly on Girl, a Neanderthal within a family of 5, and the extinction of her race as her family starts dying off on her as well as those around her. Another perspective was surprisingly thrown in there too: an archeologist who found the remains of a female Neanderthal and a human boy, evidence of the two coexisting at the same time. As the story continues, you realize the Neanderthal is Girl, but always try to figure out where the human comes into the story. I didn't mind the present day perspective so much, but it wore out its welcome at times because I just wanted to read more from Girl.
Three things bugged me about this story though. First, was the incest. It was just awkward to read about siblings having sex, even though I'm sure it did happen. Second wasn't as bad, but as a guy, I find it hard to read about a girl giving birth and everything she goes through. Ok, it might've been fine if it was just once, but when both MCs were giving birth back to back, it just got weird, even though I knew why the author did it. And lastly, was the ending. Cause the story builds up making you believe you'll find out the answers to the Neanderthal extinction, or even more about the bones they find. But you find out nothing, you can only guess who the human may be and why the Neanderthals were wiped out. So it kinda bugged me.
But, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the way the author separated the MCs frames of mind when their thinking patterns would've been totally different over the span of thousands of years. So props to her for that. And if none of the above stuff bothers you, give it a read, cause it was worth it.
Thanks for letting me read this beautiful book for my honest review! It was a joy to get to finally read it!!!
The story focuses mainly on Girl, a Neanderthal within a family of 5, and the extinction of her race as her family starts dying off on her as well as those around her. Another perspective was surprisingly thrown in there too: an archeologist who found the remains of a female Neanderthal and a human boy, evidence of the two coexisting at the same time. As the story continues, you realize the Neanderthal is Girl, but always try to figure out where the human comes into the story. I didn't mind the present day perspective so much, but it wore out its welcome at times because I just wanted to read more from Girl.
Three things bugged me about this story though. First, was the incest. It was just awkward to read about siblings having sex, even though I'm sure it did happen. Second wasn't as bad, but as a guy, I find it hard to read about a girl giving birth and everything she goes through. Ok, it might've been fine if it was just once, but when both MCs were giving birth back to back, it just got weird, even though I knew why the author did it. And lastly, was the ending. Cause the story builds up making you believe you'll find out the answers to the Neanderthal extinction, or even more about the bones they find. But you find out nothing, you can only guess who the human may be and why the Neanderthals were wiped out. So it kinda bugged me.
But, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the way the author separated the MCs frames of mind when their thinking patterns would've been totally different over the span of thousands of years. So props to her for that. And if none of the above stuff bothers you, give it a read, cause it was worth it.
Thanks for letting me read this beautiful book for my honest review! It was a joy to get to finally read it!!!
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
I read the Clan of the Cavebear series when I was inappropriately young, so I was quite intrigued to read The Last Neanderthal by Claire Cameron, the author of the emotional novel The Bear, which I really enjoyed. The Last Neanderthal takes place 40,000 years ago and tells the story of Girl, the oldest daughter in a family living in a harsh landscape, and in the modern day, as Rose, an archaeologist, works to excavate two newly discovered bodies.
Like last time, I really loved Cameron's writing in The Last Neanderthal: it was intense and emotional at the same time. Both stories were compelling in their own way, while there was a clear connection between them, I struggled with having both in the same book. One story was always left on a cliffhanger before switching to the other, and I found it really distracting. The cliffhangers were the worst for the modern day portion, so I ended up skipping ahead to find out what happened, but by the end of the book I ended up wishing Cameron had just focused on the past. I though her exploration of the Neanderthal life was really intriguing and well-written, and I wish she had stuck to that so I could stay immersed in that world. Still, The Last Neanderthal definitely reconfirmed my commitment to read any future novels by Claire Cameron, and I will be curious to see what unusual world she explores next.
Like last time, I really loved Cameron's writing in The Last Neanderthal: it was intense and emotional at the same time. Both stories were compelling in their own way, while there was a clear connection between them, I struggled with having both in the same book. One story was always left on a cliffhanger before switching to the other, and I found it really distracting. The cliffhangers were the worst for the modern day portion, so I ended up skipping ahead to find out what happened, but by the end of the book I ended up wishing Cameron had just focused on the past. I though her exploration of the Neanderthal life was really intriguing and well-written, and I wish she had stuck to that so I could stay immersed in that world. Still, The Last Neanderthal definitely reconfirmed my commitment to read any future novels by Claire Cameron, and I will be curious to see what unusual world she explores next.
This book is most enjoyable if you *don't* have a broad understanding of the subject material. Otherwise, the glaring oversights will bother you.
Pros:
* The Neanderthal chapters were truly well-written. Raw and unabashed, they were definitely the stronger chapters in the novel. The descriptions of the family's day-to-day life were fascinating (albeit, embellished) and I found myself caring for every character
* The premise is unique and I enjoy the thematic parallels made between the Neanderthal protagonist and the modern one
* The exploration of competition in academia, particularly the issues women in academia face, was compelling and I'm glad the author made it a central theme
Cons:
* They seriously dumbed down the science. I mean, seriously, it breaks immersion how "middle school" an approach an evolutionary biology academic takes in describing her research
* Rose is not likeable. I don't need my protagonists to be my best friends, but it made me feel like I was slogging through her chapters just to get to the good Neanderthal stuff
* This might be nit-picky considering that this is a work of fiction, but the entire plot rests on the foundation that Neanderthals could 100% do anything AMH's can do, which is a bold assumption since our current understanding of it is "there's some compelling evidence, so there's no reason to doubt they couldn't"
Pros:
* The Neanderthal chapters were truly well-written. Raw and unabashed, they were definitely the stronger chapters in the novel. The descriptions of the family's day-to-day life were fascinating (albeit, embellished) and I found myself caring for every character
* The premise is unique and I enjoy the thematic parallels made between the Neanderthal protagonist and the modern one
* The exploration of competition in academia, particularly the issues women in academia face, was compelling and I'm glad the author made it a central theme
Cons:
* They seriously dumbed down the science. I mean, seriously, it breaks immersion how "middle school" an approach an evolutionary biology academic takes in describing her research
* Rose is not likeable. I don't need my protagonists to be my best friends, but it made me feel like I was slogging through her chapters just to get to the good Neanderthal stuff
* This might be nit-picky considering that this is a work of fiction, but the entire plot rests on the foundation that Neanderthals could 100% do anything AMH's can do, which is a bold assumption since our current understanding of it is "there's some compelling evidence, so there's no reason to doubt they couldn't"
Rating: 3.5
Have you seen movie The Quest For Fire (1981)? It features a group of prehistoric humans trying to re-acquire fire after they lost it in a battle. Their language is rudimentary and they mostly act like beasts. Although the movie claimed—not without some controversy—to reflect the research of the time, it was based on a novel written by J.-H. Rosny in… 1909! By and large, the perception of archaic humans had barely changed in seventeen years.
Maybe this helps to put in perspective the progress historians have made in the past decades: we discovered ourselves several cousins, such as the Denisovans, and we discovered that most modern humans carry a small amount of Neanthertalian DNA. The sad part is that very little of all of those exciting and stunning findings made it to public knowledge.
This is why I appreciate so much this new book by Claire Cameron. Setting a story during the Paleolithic Period and imagining a Neanderthal as a main character was a daring, risky, and fabulous idea which I really want to salute here.
In a nutshell, The Last Neanderthal relates two parallel stories: one imagines the life of a female Neanderthal, called Girl, who has seen the population of her kind dwindle over the years and whose family is facing life-threatening challenges.
The other is about a pregnant archaeologist in modern time who just excavated the remains of this same Neanderthal woman.
To be honest, I wish this book had just been about Girl, the Neanderthal. It was very original and refreshing, and by far the best-executed part of the book. Cameron pulls you in this ancient world where Nature defines and dominates everything, and where humans had no choice but to fully be part of it. You feel right there, beside Girl, sniffing the wind for threat or food, gazing at the sky for information, and appreciating the warmth and safety provided by her small family. I also particularly enjoyed how Girl was trying to make sense of the dynamics within her family with her limited intellect but acute instincts.
This ability of immersing the reader into her world, especially into the wild, is something Cameron had already shown she excels in with her previous novel [b:The Bear|17669036|The Bear|Claire Cameron|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386606575s/17669036.jpg|24570124].
It was incredibly easy to empathize with Girl. Cameron made her very accessible to us and manages to create a sense of connection with this extinct branch of the human family. She made Girl's growing feeling of loneliness terribly easy to relate to, so much that we can even feel sadness and regret that we'll never know what Neanderthals could have developed into. What would the world look like if they had survived to share it with us today?
Unfortunately, the other character in The Last Neanderthal, the archaeologist Rosemund Gale, was a disappointment.
First, I expected a more realistic depiction of pregnancy rather that a series of simplistic clichés: the throwing up, the inconvenience of baby bumps, and the uncontrollable mood swings.
Pregnancy, like sickness, is one of those experiences that reminds us humans are still subjects to Nature: we can't chose how a pregnancy unfolds. However, Gale seems in complete control: in particular, she decides to overwork till the birth, as if it was just a matter of will. This was grating.
Another sore point was the (absence of) relationship between Gale and the little individual growing in her belly. There is much talk (rant?) about the pregnancy, but hardly a thought about the baby. Gale's experience was dry, cold and terribly practical.
Finally, I didn't like how the role of the father was dismissed, if not denied: Gale keeps pushing her boyfriend away, even though she definitely needs help, and the baby a father. She shuts him off their pregnancy and doesn't mind the prospect of giving birth in another country, even though it could easily be otherwise. Contrary to Girl, Gale made herself alone. I just found her obnoxious and selfish.
All this being said, I would recommend The Last Neanderthal for its originality. I wish more books could make me travel like this one. Girl is a fabulous character, her story is frankly epic, and I loved imagining her surrounding, feelings, and way of thinking. I can only commend Cameron for making us feel a connection with such ancient ancestors.
The book wasn't perfect, but it is definitely special and deserves attention.
Discover more Canadian books on MapleBooks.ca
Have you seen movie The Quest For Fire (1981)? It features a group of prehistoric humans trying to re-acquire fire after they lost it in a battle. Their language is rudimentary and they mostly act like beasts. Although the movie claimed—not without some controversy—to reflect the research of the time, it was based on a novel written by J.-H. Rosny in… 1909! By and large, the perception of archaic humans had barely changed in seventeen years.
Maybe this helps to put in perspective the progress historians have made in the past decades: we discovered ourselves several cousins, such as the Denisovans, and we discovered that most modern humans carry a small amount of Neanthertalian DNA. The sad part is that very little of all of those exciting and stunning findings made it to public knowledge.
This is why I appreciate so much this new book by Claire Cameron. Setting a story during the Paleolithic Period and imagining a Neanderthal as a main character was a daring, risky, and fabulous idea which I really want to salute here.
In a nutshell, The Last Neanderthal relates two parallel stories: one imagines the life of a female Neanderthal, called Girl, who has seen the population of her kind dwindle over the years and whose family is facing life-threatening challenges.
The other is about a pregnant archaeologist in modern time who just excavated the remains of this same Neanderthal woman.
To be honest, I wish this book had just been about Girl, the Neanderthal. It was very original and refreshing, and by far the best-executed part of the book. Cameron pulls you in this ancient world where Nature defines and dominates everything, and where humans had no choice but to fully be part of it. You feel right there, beside Girl, sniffing the wind for threat or food, gazing at the sky for information, and appreciating the warmth and safety provided by her small family. I also particularly enjoyed how Girl was trying to make sense of the dynamics within her family with her limited intellect but acute instincts.
This ability of immersing the reader into her world, especially into the wild, is something Cameron had already shown she excels in with her previous novel [b:The Bear|17669036|The Bear|Claire Cameron|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386606575s/17669036.jpg|24570124].
"When Girl peeked her head out of the hut that morning, she could smell the struggle of spring. It was the first day of the hunt and the land had come alive. The sun worked hard to peel the winter ice away from the earth. As it did, it uncovered a deep hunger in the land. The same kind of craving lived in the bellies of all the beasts who roamed the valley of the mountain. Girl watched as the trees below swayed with worry. They could feel the vibrations from the growling bellies through the soil around their roots. Cold air clung to the pine needles and each sprouting cone at the end of each branch quivered in anticipation. The ground shifted in discomfort as the ice let it go. Spring brought life for some, but it brought death for others.""
It was incredibly easy to empathize with Girl. Cameron made her very accessible to us and manages to create a sense of connection with this extinct branch of the human family. She made Girl's growing feeling of loneliness terribly easy to relate to, so much that we can even feel sadness and regret that we'll never know what Neanderthals could have developed into. What would the world look like if they had survived to share it with us today?
Unfortunately, the other character in The Last Neanderthal, the archaeologist Rosemund Gale, was a disappointment.
First, I expected a more realistic depiction of pregnancy rather that a series of simplistic clichés: the throwing up, the inconvenience of baby bumps, and the uncontrollable mood swings.
Pregnancy, like sickness, is one of those experiences that reminds us humans are still subjects to Nature: we can't chose how a pregnancy unfolds. However, Gale seems in complete control: in particular, she decides to overwork till the birth, as if it was just a matter of will. This was grating.
"It was Tuesday and I had promised Simon that I would have the baby on the weekend. I was left to wonder what I should do with my free time—not something I was accustomed to having. I had declined a birthing course, as it was nothing I couldn’t learn from a book.""
Another sore point was the (absence of) relationship between Gale and the little individual growing in her belly. There is much talk (rant?) about the pregnancy, but hardly a thought about the baby. Gale's experience was dry, cold and terribly practical.
Finally, I didn't like how the role of the father was dismissed, if not denied: Gale keeps pushing her boyfriend away, even though she definitely needs help, and the baby a father. She shuts him off their pregnancy and doesn't mind the prospect of giving birth in another country, even though it could easily be otherwise. Contrary to Girl, Gale made herself alone. I just found her obnoxious and selfish.
All this being said, I would recommend The Last Neanderthal for its originality. I wish more books could make me travel like this one. Girl is a fabulous character, her story is frankly epic, and I loved imagining her surrounding, feelings, and way of thinking. I can only commend Cameron for making us feel a connection with such ancient ancestors.
The book wasn't perfect, but it is definitely special and deserves attention.
Discover more Canadian books on MapleBooks.ca
I won a copy of this book through Goodreads and am so glad I did. I have always been intrigued by other Homo species. This story of Girl and Big Mother, Him, Bent and Runt did not disappoint. The modern-day story was good too if a tad less exciting. I was left wanting more which is a sure sign the book succeeded.
There were quite a few exceptional reviews on not a very exceptional book (as Thomas & Friends would say, "Krystal was surprised!). I'm not sure if there were much parallels in there lives of these two women, or any relationship aside from one excavating the other at a dig. Some of the dialogues were torturous (i.e., the IKEA scene). Then other half of the book draft went flying off the side of a cliff so the book ends in the middle.
Don't hate it, but can't say I'm a fan. Perhaps I'll dig deeper to find meaning in others reviews, perhaps I'll just go read a better book. I give it a "meh" out of "meh".
Don't hate it, but can't say I'm a fan. Perhaps I'll dig deeper to find meaning in others reviews, perhaps I'll just go read a better book. I give it a "meh" out of "meh".