AUTHOR: Jean M. Auel
STARTED: November 3, 2014
FINISHED: December 21, 2014
PAGES: 723
GENRE: Fiction
FIRST SENTENCE: Trembling with fear, Ayla clung to the tall man beside her as she watched the strangers approached.
SUMMARY: [From BN] Once again, Jean M. Auel opens the door of time to reveal an age of wonder and terror at the dawn of humanity. With all the consummate storytelling artistry and vivid authenticity she brought to The Clan Of The Cave Bear and its sequel, The Valley Of Horses, Jean M. Auel continues the breathtaking epic journey of the woman called Ayla. Now, with her devoted Jondalar, Ayla boldly sets forth into the land of the Mamutoi--the Mammoth Hunters, the Others she has been seeking. Though Ayla must learn their strange customs and language, it is because of her uncanny hunting and healing skills that she is adopted into the Mammoth Hearth. Here Ayla finds her first women friends, and painful memories of the Clan she left behind. Here, too, is Ranec, the dark-skinned, magnetic master carver of ivory tusks to whom Ayla is irresistibly drawn--setting Jondalar on fire with jealousy. Throughout the icy winter, Ayla is torn between her two men. But soon will come the great spring mammoth hunt, when Ayla must choose her mate and her destiny -- to remain in the Hearth with Ranec, or to follow Jondalar into a far-off place and an unknown future.
THOUGHTS: I started reading this book as soon as I finished The Valley of the Horses. I have no regrets because it meant I got to continue following Ayla and Jondalar on their journey. I don't know why I love this series. I think it simply boils down to good storytelling. Auel has crafted interesting characters and placed them in an era rarely written about. I think those are the factors that keep me reading. I want to see where these characters ultimately end up.
RATING: 7/10 [Very Good]
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