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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Great story. Back and forth between the last Neanderthal and the paleoanthrpologist who discovered her bones. Interesting at both ends.
Moments of greatness but overall left me feeling a bit meh. I liked it but wanted it to be more than it was.
Updated clan of the cave bear. Wasn’t convinced at first but sucked me in.
I struggled with how to rate this book. I had high hopes for it, as The Bear is one of my favourite books of the last five years. I found myself immersed in the world of Girl. Cameron excelled in describing the landscape and emotion of Girl and the Family without the use of dialogue. This was the strong point of the book. The weak point was Rose's character. I found the initial chapters annoying and a lack of depth and development in the archeologist's characterization. Cameron attempted to draw parallels between motherhood, 40,000 years apart, but Rose's character wasn't well-developed enough to have that storyline resonate or impact. Surprisingly, it was Caitlin's character that seemed to rescue the Rose plot, although I wish I had known more about the situation. Overall, I rated the book 3.5/5, but since Good Reads doesn't allow half stars, I couldn't give it a 3 because the story of Girl was so beautiful and unique.
I have so many thoughts. This book has stayed with me for days. Literally days. I have sat down and tried to write this review more than once and the words just escape me.
How do I explain the ways this book moved me? How do I convey the ways this book made me think and question? I don't know that I can.
The Neanderthals have always fascinated me, especially from a creation perspective. Where do they fit into our biological history? Who were they? Our knowledge of them has always been scant and speculative, as is much of archaeology, but in recent years, we are discovering more. Claire Cameron does an amazing job of bringing these fascinating people to life. She incorporates new information, such as how they looked, how they communicated, how they hunted, and how they lived.
Modern-day archaeologist Rosamund has discovered two skeletons side by side in a cave: a Neanderthal and a Homo Sapien. Her quest is to find out how they came to be deliberately buried together in the same location.
Thus, the story alternates between the past and present narratives of Girl and Rosamund.
The colorful, rich descriptions of Girl's life and her family were brilliantly portrayed. I could imagine walking where she walked and experiencing what she did. The family dynamics were fascinating: how the strongest survived, how they hunted and lived together. How mates were chosen and for what reasons. These people didn't have the vocal abilities we do and likely not the language capabilities that we have, but they communicated. They understood, and they were intelligent.
Honestly, I could have done without Rosamund's story. I get the comparison that the author wanted to make: both women becoming mothers, both women being the strong and capable, but Rosamund was an incredibly selfish and unlikeable character. Compared with Girl's complexities, Rosamund is a shallow caricature of a woman, without the strength or depth that the author desperately wanted to show. The comparison is laughable.
These Neanderthals come from a strong matriarchal society. It is the female who leads the family group. It is the female who teaches and guides and instructs. It is the female who decides with which male she will mate. Girl's mother also adopts an orphan boy. A child unlike them, with a different look and without the same strength. But compassion is stronger than differences and Runt, the Homo Sapien child, becomes part of Girl's family and, eventually, under her care.
Because of the discovery of the skeletons in the beginning, we know that Girl ends up at some point meeting an adult Homo Sapien. And I looked forward to that. I, too, wanted to know who this other person was and how they were together? Was it romantic? Was it out of necessity for them both to survive? I wanted to know how Girl ended up being the last Neaderthal.
Unfortunately, I found the ending disappointing and without the answers I sought.
I relish books about the strength of women. I love seeing them triumph in their own right and not because of a man or a romantic relationship. The Last Neanderthal is at its strongest when we're reading about Girl. Her story is tragic and harsh, but with moments of tender poignancy. For that perspective alone, even with the disappointing ending, I can wholeheartedly recommend this story.
How do I explain the ways this book moved me? How do I convey the ways this book made me think and question? I don't know that I can.
The Neanderthals have always fascinated me, especially from a creation perspective. Where do they fit into our biological history? Who were they? Our knowledge of them has always been scant and speculative, as is much of archaeology, but in recent years, we are discovering more. Claire Cameron does an amazing job of bringing these fascinating people to life. She incorporates new information, such as how they looked, how they communicated, how they hunted, and how they lived.
Modern-day archaeologist Rosamund has discovered two skeletons side by side in a cave: a Neanderthal and a Homo Sapien. Her quest is to find out how they came to be deliberately buried together in the same location.
Thus, the story alternates between the past and present narratives of Girl and Rosamund.
The colorful, rich descriptions of Girl's life and her family were brilliantly portrayed. I could imagine walking where she walked and experiencing what she did. The family dynamics were fascinating: how the strongest survived, how they hunted and lived together. How mates were chosen and for what reasons. These people didn't have the vocal abilities we do and likely not the language capabilities that we have, but they communicated. They understood, and they were intelligent.
Honestly, I could have done without Rosamund's story. I get the comparison that the author wanted to make: both women becoming mothers, both women being the strong and capable, but Rosamund was an incredibly selfish and unlikeable character. Compared with Girl's complexities, Rosamund is a shallow caricature of a woman, without the strength or depth that the author desperately wanted to show. The comparison is laughable.
These Neanderthals come from a strong matriarchal society. It is the female who leads the family group. It is the female who teaches and guides and instructs. It is the female who decides with which male she will mate. Girl's mother also adopts an orphan boy. A child unlike them, with a different look and without the same strength. But compassion is stronger than differences and Runt, the Homo Sapien child, becomes part of Girl's family and, eventually, under her care.
Because of the discovery of the skeletons in the beginning, we know that Girl ends up at some point meeting an adult Homo Sapien. And I looked forward to that. I, too, wanted to know who this other person was and how they were together? Was it romantic? Was it out of necessity for them both to survive? I wanted to know how Girl ended up being the last Neaderthal.
Unfortunately, I found the ending disappointing and without the answers I sought.
I relish books about the strength of women. I love seeing them triumph in their own right and not because of a man or a romantic relationship. The Last Neanderthal is at its strongest when we're reading about Girl. Her story is tragic and harsh, but with moments of tender poignancy. For that perspective alone, even with the disappointing ending, I can wholeheartedly recommend this story.
*Audible*
Over all I enjoyed the book. I got annoyed at Rose. I really liked the story from Girl's point of view. Rose was just annoying and whiny... I did think the author portrayed her post partum depression very believably. I just thought overall Rose came across as mean and not dynamic.
Over all I enjoyed the book. I got annoyed at Rose. I really liked the story from Girl's point of view. Rose was just annoying and whiny... I did think the author portrayed her post partum depression very believably. I just thought overall Rose came across as mean and not dynamic.
Too many other books to read, felt clunky. Wasn’t connecting.
This book had one of the most interesting concepts I'd ever heard of for a book: a split POV book, one part of the book told from the POV of a neanderthal and the other part of the book told through the archaeologist digging up the neanderthal girl. While both of these women live in radically different worlds in radically different stages of their life, somehow Claire Cameron pulls off these radically split narratives with ease.
Our two characters, Girl and Rosamund, both have their full stories, inner lives, goals, and fears splayed before us. Girl is coming of age and her place in her family, and of Neanderthals in the world is rapidly changing. Likewise, Rosamund is on what could be a history-changing archaeological dig when she finds herself pregnant throwing her relationship with her husband, the dig, and even Girl into turmoil.
Despite being separated by a millennia (and not even being the same animal) Cameron examines the issues about women people still consider taboo in both times - sex, autonomy, and power.
I think the fact that this concept works flawlessly says volumes about Cameron's writing. Although it is strange to read Girl's POV at first, soon the writing style becomes familiar and is quite unique. Cameron didn't try to make Girl have a 'contemporary' POV and her thoughts seem finely attuned to what a Neanderthal was likely focused on so it is much more action-based than Rosamund's powerful, complicated, and analytical POV.
Another thing I love about this book is you actually learn quite a bit about the science and politics behind archaeological digs, what we know about Neanderthals, and the reality behind in the fiction. I even found myself googling some of the facts that I was learning through Girl and Rosamund and seeing updates that were written right around when the book came out so needless to say it is quite a timely book.
If you can stomach a slightly weird POV, are interested in archaeology, and want to read a story that is truly unique I highly suggest picking this up.
Our two characters, Girl and Rosamund, both have their full stories, inner lives, goals, and fears splayed before us. Girl is coming of age and her place in her family, and of Neanderthals in the world is rapidly changing. Likewise, Rosamund is on what could be a history-changing archaeological dig when she finds herself pregnant throwing her relationship with her husband, the dig, and even Girl into turmoil.
Despite being separated by a millennia (and not even being the same animal) Cameron examines the issues about women people still consider taboo in both times - sex, autonomy, and power.
I think the fact that this concept works flawlessly says volumes about Cameron's writing. Although it is strange to read Girl's POV at first, soon the writing style becomes familiar and is quite unique. Cameron didn't try to make Girl have a 'contemporary' POV and her thoughts seem finely attuned to what a Neanderthal was likely focused on so it is much more action-based than Rosamund's powerful, complicated, and analytical POV.
Another thing I love about this book is you actually learn quite a bit about the science and politics behind archaeological digs, what we know about Neanderthals, and the reality behind in the fiction. I even found myself googling some of the facts that I was learning through Girl and Rosamund and seeing updates that were written right around when the book came out so needless to say it is quite a timely book.
If you can stomach a slightly weird POV, are interested in archaeology, and want to read a story that is truly unique I highly suggest picking this up.
Such a brutal book, and I mean it in the best way possible. Not for the faint of heart.
The story revolves around Girl, a neanderthal teen who's living through the dwindling of her species. Her family is down to the bare minimum size they would need to survive, and Girl is highly aware that she will have to find a mate and join another family to ensure that she can carry the line onward as a new Big Mother.
The story also follows Rose, a paleoarcheologist who has uncovered a remarkable find that will be sure to cause an upheaval in the way we think of Neanderthals as a species, and their relationship with modern humans. The stories, tens of thousands of years apart, are tragically entwined, and complement each other -- although, to be perfectly honest, I don't think my enjoyment of the book would have lessened if Rose's story was completely eliminated. It's not that it detracted from the book, but I don't think it contributed quite as much as it could have.
Claire Cameron has a knack for telling nature stories, and helps even a city slicker like me feel what it's like out in the wild. If you're a vegan, be prepared for a lot of graphic hunting scenes and plenty of talk about craving meat. It's a remarkable achievement of imagination to create such a vivid picture of a life that we can only guess at what it was like; but as far as I can tell, Cameron strives not to stray too far away from what is plausible according to our current scientific knowledge. I appreciate that.
Do read this book, but be prepared to be bludgeoned by it.
The story revolves around Girl, a neanderthal teen who's living through the dwindling of her species. Her family is down to the bare minimum size they would need to survive, and Girl is highly aware that she will have to find a mate and join another family to ensure that she can carry the line onward as a new Big Mother.
The story also follows Rose, a paleoarcheologist who has uncovered a remarkable find that will be sure to cause an upheaval in the way we think of Neanderthals as a species, and their relationship with modern humans. The stories, tens of thousands of years apart, are tragically entwined, and complement each other -- although, to be perfectly honest, I don't think my enjoyment of the book would have lessened if Rose's story was completely eliminated. It's not that it detracted from the book, but I don't think it contributed quite as much as it could have.
Claire Cameron has a knack for telling nature stories, and helps even a city slicker like me feel what it's like out in the wild. If you're a vegan, be prepared for a lot of graphic hunting scenes and plenty of talk about craving meat. It's a remarkable achievement of imagination to create such a vivid picture of a life that we can only guess at what it was like; but as far as I can tell, Cameron strives not to stray too far away from what is plausible according to our current scientific knowledge. I appreciate that.
Do read this book, but be prepared to be bludgeoned by it.