Rating: 
Summary: A colossal dud
Review: This book is one of the mose tedious reads I've ever slogged through. What a dud! Nearly 800 pages, and NOTHING HAPPENS. Auel has become so enamored with exploring her characters' motivations she's forgotten the need to entertain. This book is more of a paleoanthropology text than novel. Auel introduces scores of characters and gives none of them depth. As usual, Ayla is a superwoman who can do anything. Single lines of dialogue are often followed with up to two pages of descriptive asides that left me wanting to scream, "Get on with the story!" That is, if there was a story. If this was the first book in the series, it would never have seen the light of day. Auel repeats scenes over and over, such as people's fear at first spotting Wolf. Jondalar is his usual wimpy self who doesn't come to Ayla's defense when she's humiliated by Marona. All these pages, and there's ONE action scene! And even that one doesn't directly involve Ayla or Jondalar. It's probably for the best, since Auel has always been a terrible action writer. I can't believe I waited feverishly for 12 years for this turkey. Where was her editor? The book is full of hundreds of pages of needless descriptive detail that rob the story of any momentum. Auel seems to think it's entertaining to the reader to spend nearly the whole book inside her characters' heads. This one is even worse than that prehistoric romance novel, The Mammoth Hunters. She labored for 12 years and produced this? Give me a break!
Rating:
Summary: "Are we almost there?"
Review: This yawner reminds me of seemingly endless car trips when I was a kid. Is it really possible that the author of "Clan" wrote this turkey? - a Paleolithic soap opera drowning in herbal tea and endless introductions. I'm thankful I checked it out from the library instead of wasting [X]+, but I still paid 30+ days of fines to tough it out to the end. I think I'll celebrate reaching the end by brushing my teeth with a twig. (Did Jondalar use mouthwash? I forget.)
Rating:
Summary: Bad graphic design.
Review: The first four books, as they originally came out, followed a consistent and attractive design pattern, thus they look like a series on your shelf and are artistically pleasing. The new binding looks completely different -- simplistic, boring -- and the text in no way lines up with that of the previous books. I don't believe they're going to get people to re-buy the earlier books in the new design. And the new design is not a correction to the original design. The decision makers at Crown Publishers have once again shown a lacking in sense of aesthetics and a lack of concern for their customers.
Rating:
Summary: Biggest disappointment of 2002!
Review: I waited 12 years for this?!?Most of the other reviews have said enough. Basically, this is disappointing. I barely was able to slog through it once, and have tried and tried to read it again (unlike the other books, which have been re-read countless times - especially Mammoth Hunters). The book is written as though the author didn't remember details from the other books. Misspelled names...things that just don't jive with what had been established in the other books...and NO PLOT. And don't get me started about the baby's name, or how anticlimatic the Summer Meeting was. Ugh. I can only hope that Book Six is better...however, I will be checking it out of the library rather than shelling out the money... Sad, sad, sad...
Rating: 
Summary: Come on, it's not THAT bad
Review: All those people that are slating the newest Jean Auel book do admittedly have a slight point. This book is not as good as Clan of the Cave Bear, it is however, in my opinion way better than the Vallety of the Horses - which was just an excuse for soft-porn Cave Man style!!! The Clan of the Cave Bear and the Mammoth Hunters were by far the best books in the series - found plains of Pasage too farfetched. Give Shelters of Stone a break, it's not a literary masterpiece but it is nice pleasant easy reading. It's a nice enough story, and I don't think that it is as terrible as everyone makes it out to be. Some of the characters are actually rather pleasant - Marthona and Zelandoni for example, Folora is personally a favorite of mine and I hope to see more of her. I do agree though that Jondalar is a waste of space. He is a one-dimensional character used only for Aylas sexual gratification. (Personally preferred Ranec and Thonalon and think that the wrong brother got taken out!) The only thing that makes Jondalar slightly less than perfect is his jealousy, and while Ayla doesn't even have this tiny flaw in her personality, she is a lovable character, and will always be a favorite, no matter how predictable she has become. Give it a chance, just try not to compare it to Clan of the Cave Bear coz to that book, it just doesn't make the grade, but on its own, it's quite enjoyable!
Rating: 
Summary: Ummm...I liked it.....
Review: Wow, it wasn't a bad a read as the others would have you think. It is very descriptive on life and customs and exsistance more than the Ayla/Jondalar story line. Her research of the time is amazing. Very admirable. Anyway, it's fantasy, it's fiction! So what if Ayla is "perfect" and discovers everything and Jondalar is a sex object. Get lost in another time, away from real life for a while! Isn't that what a book is supposed to do?
Rating:
Summary: A let down, but there is still hope!
Review: Ever since I saw The Clan of the Cave Bear on TV in the 5th grade I have loved Jean Auel! Right after the movie ended I realized my dad HAD that book! In 5th grade I read The Clan of the Cave Bear, in 6th I read The Valley of Horses, in 7th I read The Mammoth Hunters and The Plains of Passage, and then finally in the 11th grade I got to read The Shelters of Stone! I feel that I waited 6 years for a book of lower quality. Ayla no longer has serious struggles, just that people hate her for being perfect! I found myself imagining her making a major mistake, starting a fight, or even getting hurt while hunting just to add to the action! This was the overall most boring book of the series, even with all the descriptionary pages I glazed over in The Plains of Passage! I don't even remember what the masses of the pages were about! This series is my favorite, I even started writing because of it! I refuse to give up hope! There is, after all, one more book! I'm still waiting, but not as eagerly...
Rating:
Summary: A few comments on the graphic design.
Review: The graphic design of the book jacket is rotten! The first four books, as they originally came out, followed a consistent and attractive design pattern, thus they look like a series on your shelf and are artistically pleasing. The new binding looks completely different -- simplistic, boring -- and the text in no way lines up with that of the previous books. I don't believe they're going to get people to re-buy the earlier books in the new design. And the new design is not a correction to the original design. The decision makers at Crown Publishers have once again shown a lacking in sense of aesthetics and a lack of concern for their customers.
Rating: 
Summary: A reward for fans of the series
Review: I've loved the series since book one, and decided to re-read books 1-4 before peeking at Shelters of Stone. What a treat! Auel writes with such rich detail and creates main characters that are three-dimensional, physically, mentally and spirtually that they become part of the reader. She brings to life the pre-historic world of Europe where the glaciers greatly affected the climate, where mammoths and other gigantic mammals roamed the earth, and where Neanderthol and modern man lived side-by-side, if not cooperatively. The characters live off the sometimes harsh land and its rich bounty of plant and animal life. Auel's exhaustive research is evident in her descriptions of everything from the size of a giant deer's antlers to the raspberry bushes to the leather clothing to the primitive paintings on cave walls. You get the feeling that Auel herself has excavated Ayla's amulet pouch and opened it, personally discovering the treasures within. In book one, Clan of the Cave Bear, we met Ayla, a young blond girl of five who is orphaned by an earthquake and rescued and then raised with love by the people of the Clan. These Neanderthols lead a life rich with spirituality and tradition. Unfortunately, the Others, apparently the direct ancestors of modern man, consider the Clan to be little more than animals, and fear and hate their mere existence. In book two we meet Jondalar, a Zelandoni who has journeyed far from his home. He is attracted to the enigmatic Ayla, but is also replused by her past interaction with "flatheads." Book three has Jondalar still a bit repulsed, but by the end, he unconditionally accepts Ayla and hopes that his family will feel the same. This potential prejudice creates constant tension throughout all the previous books, including book four, which is a somewhat tedious tale of their almost year-long journey to return to the land of the Zelandoni. Ayla's unique childhood allow her some unique discoveries. She is the first to introduce the concept of raising animals for companionship and for assistance with the sometimes difficult tasks of every day life. She brings with her two steppe horses that she has trained for riding and hauling. And she is apparently responsible for introducing the canine as (wo)man's best friend. She believes that intercourse is the cause of reproduction, rather than the "mixing of spirits" as everyone else believes. She even discovers the predecessor to the modern match!! In Shelters of Stone, Ayla and Jondalar finally reach the Zelandoni. Because she comes with such unusual skills, including that of healing, she is highly valued by most of the Zelandoni. Her strength of character helps pull her through some anti-Clan sentiment, but the reader revels in Ayla's power and strength, rather than agonizing over potential weaknesses. This book is full of love and support for Ayla, and the reader breathes a sigh of relief and feels an almost personal pride in her successes. Auel's descriptions of everyday prehistoric life, from the toilet to the matrimonial ceremony are tremendously detailed and feel very authentic. This series is well-written and is well worth reading again and again. Book five, Shelters of Stone, is a reward to the loyal fan. Although you can read it as a stand-alone, you will feel more a part of Ayla's life if you read about her from the beginning. So pick up all five books and enjoy yourself!
Rating:
Summary: snooze-a-rama
Review: The only way I was able to finish this book was by skipping huge chunks of it. This series (Earth's Children), which began with such promise, has become completely lame. Jean Auel should put Ayla and Co. out of their misery if she can't think of some new story lines. If you must read this, get it from the library. Jean Auel doesn't deserve any of your hard earned money for this turkey.
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