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kmmcdono 's review for:
The Land of Painted Caves
by Jean M. Auel
I have never been this angry about the ending of a series, even if I disagree with the author’s choices. If it had been just parts 1 & 2, I could have dealt with that. They are painfully boring in some ways, but very detailed and researched and okay.
Part 3. Let me tell you about it because I’m still mad. Ayla has been up at all hours marking the astrological bodies’ positions down. Jondalar feels neglected. Summer meeting comes around, and A has to stay back to finish her records, but J goes on ahead. While he’s gone, A gets her “calling” (a sign from the spirit world) and miscarried a child painfully. She has finished her record keeping so she rushes to summer meeting… J is sharing pleasures with MARONA. Yes, boys long underwear prank Marona from book 4. Auel keeps saying “she made herself so available” which is stupid and goes against the feminist spirit of a lot of other stuff in the books. Ayla is heart broken and we have a mini Mammoth Hunters saga where they don’t speak. Ayla finally decides to have sex with Laramar at a festival for revenge AND J BEATS HIS FACE IN. I hate the double standards and I hate Ayla saying repeatedly it’s her fault for provoking J, and no one corrects her. Ayla is upset not because of the violence, but because she feels like she’ll never have J again. She goes on basically a suicide mission to the spirit world, and Zelandoni summons J because he’s the ONLY ONE who can call her back. He calls her back, they reunite lovingly, and go have some pleasures (I assume.) They agree to pay reparations to L’s family. The end.
What in the great sky loving Doni was that?!
These characters are 10 years older. Ayla has discovered her strengths as a healer, priestess, and woman. Jondalar is a successful flint knapper with many trainees. I think what a beautiful, sweet ending it would have been to have them look back on the good times, but sever the knot. Jondalar is like 30 and still beating in faces??? Why would Ayla put up with that?? And Jondalar, like his father, can’t handle a woman who doesn’t have enough time for him. (Which is fine—people have their own needs!!) I hate the ending. No character development. Just a rehash of old books.
Part 3. Let me tell you about it because I’m still mad. Ayla has been up at all hours marking the astrological bodies’ positions down. Jondalar feels neglected. Summer meeting comes around, and A has to stay back to finish her records, but J goes on ahead. While he’s gone, A gets her “calling” (a sign from the spirit world) and miscarried a child painfully. She has finished her record keeping so she rushes to summer meeting… J is sharing pleasures with MARONA. Yes, boys long underwear prank Marona from book 4. Auel keeps saying “she made herself so available” which is stupid and goes against the feminist spirit of a lot of other stuff in the books. Ayla is heart broken and we have a mini Mammoth Hunters saga where they don’t speak. Ayla finally decides to have sex with Laramar at a festival for revenge AND J BEATS HIS FACE IN. I hate the double standards and I hate Ayla saying repeatedly it’s her fault for provoking J, and no one corrects her. Ayla is upset not because of the violence, but because she feels like she’ll never have J again. She goes on basically a suicide mission to the spirit world, and Zelandoni summons J because he’s the ONLY ONE who can call her back. He calls her back, they reunite lovingly, and go have some pleasures (I assume.) They agree to pay reparations to L’s family. The end.
What in the great sky loving Doni was that?!
These characters are 10 years older. Ayla has discovered her strengths as a healer, priestess, and woman. Jondalar is a successful flint knapper with many trainees. I think what a beautiful, sweet ending it would have been to have them look back on the good times, but sever the knot. Jondalar is like 30 and still beating in faces??? Why would Ayla put up with that?? And Jondalar, like his father, can’t handle a woman who doesn’t have enough time for him. (Which is fine—people have their own needs!!) I hate the ending. No character development. Just a rehash of old books.