Rating: 
Summary: good ending, bad beginning
Review: I would like to give this book three and a half stars: three is not quite enough, four is a bit too much.The book is badly in need of editing. There are extraneous and redundant sentences thoughout. The first 200 pages or so are both repetitive and badly written. 100 pages could have easily been cut out of the beginning, and it would have been a vastly better book. Nonetheless, the second half of the book partially redeems the very poor beginning. Auel returns to the highly descriptive, beautifully imagined, and evocative prose of her previous books. The repetitions are both fewer and more relevant to the story line. Although not as exciting as her other books, I think that this is in the nature of a book describing Ayla's more domesticated life with Jondalar's people. The ambiguity of the ending retains the suspense of the series going into book 6, but perhaps is a bit too cute by half. Nonetheless, this is not what impinges on the overall quality of this book. Alas, the editing process (or more accurately, lack therof), particularly at the beginning, was such that this book is not at a par with Auel's other novels.
Rating: 
Summary: The further adventures of Ayla and friends
Review: This book is the 5th installment of the Earth's Childern series. The action picks up from the end of the previous book, Plains of Passage. Ayla and Jondalar have at last reached his family after trekking across what is now eastern Europe to southern France. Criticism has been made that the books are repetitious. I found that while there is definitely rehashing of actions from previous books that it was no more than is found in other series. This book, like the others in the series, could be read and enjoyed by itself or the series could be read out of sequence and still understood. Some have complained that Ayla is some sort of a supergenius who discovered 'everything'. This IS a work of fiction, there never was an 'Ayla', a single person who had all of these experiences or made all of these discoveries but her experiences are all possible and probably did happen to others. All of the advances Ayla made, domesticating animals, sewing together wounds, needles etc were made by somebody during this time period. Actually they were probably made many times by many different people throughout the world over many centuries. The author brings to life a time period that we have only scant circumstantial evidence about. Her world is probably a much nicer place than what really existed but it is a thorough depiction of a possible society of this time. This is an enjoyable read and I am waiting for the next book in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: What was the point of reading the first 4-novels?
Review: Basically everything was explained over again in this novel. I understand that they had to explain to the Zelandonii & the members of their cave, but Ms. Auel should know that WE KNOW what happened. Why make us read the same events over and over again? Why couldn't she just said "Ayla explained about how she discovered the firestones" that would have made me feel better. I read somewhere that this book is a buildup for the next book, that makes sense with the introduction of ALL the members of this cave, to explain each status & how they feel about Ayla individually, But Still.... This book is overly repititious in every way. How many times do we have to hear about her unusual accent? YES WE KNOW!!
How many times about the firestones? YES WE KNOW!!
How many times about her animals? YES WE KNOW!! Although I found about the whole novel completely annoying, I did enjoy the Summer meeting & when Ayla does deliever her child. That, for me was thrilling. I've read each novel, and I'm so glad that she finally is having a child. I think this is actually a good book for people who have never read the other books. It would make more sense. It almost covers EVERYTHING in every book. I was lucky enough to read the previous novels about a year and a half before this one was released. I feel sorry for the people have waited and waited for 12 years for this book they could've written theirselves. I will read the next novel when it comes out. I PRAY that it will be less repitious. I'm curious to know what happens to Brukevel, the man who is half-flathead (clan) who needs mass-therapy.
Rating:
Summary: Too long and repetitive
Review: I bought this book because I enjoyed all the others, to varying degrees (though I don't really remember the fourth one at all). And I have to admit this one has a not put downable quality to it in that you want to know what happens! But nothing much does and there are so many repetitive passages that it made me wonder whether the book was edited at all. I think the Zelandoni attitude towards "Pleasures" is refreshing but I don't think the sex scenes between Jondalar and Ayla add anything to the story.
Rating: 
Summary: just a rewrite of the previous books
Review: I Loved the first books. I waited a long time for this book. It is a major disappointment. Why does the author assume that no one has read any of the previous books? I'd like a new story instead of just a rewrite of the old ones. The pages of introductions between characters are boring. Can't Auel think of any new stories? She starts a few then just leaves the reader dangling. Ayla and Jondalar and even Wolf become tedious and uninteresting. I'm sorry I wasted my money on this book.
Rating: 
Summary: VERY Good, Waiting for next Book!
Review: I've am a fan of this whole series of books. I don't think there are problems in this book. The repetition of certain things is done throughout the series. I believe it was necessary for people that picked up book 5 without reading the others first. I am waiting for the next book! Want to find out what happens next! Think the series is just wonderful and shows lots of care taken to make the events interesting and believable.
Rating:
Summary: Eep.
Review: I read the first book, I was hooked. I read the second book, and it was pretty good. I read the third book and started to get disinterested. I read the fourth book and I was disapointed on the focus of constant sex and how much of a heroine Ayla was. The fifth book, sadly, follows in this pattern.
Not only is there an *extreme* amount of sex, but Ayla being 'accepted' seemed forced. And the fact she keeps discovering things upsets me. Flint, 'spear-thrower', sewing, taming animals, ect, it's just very overdone.
Ayla has no real flaws, which I think, is a huge problem when reading this story, as the reader has nothing to identify with.
I've heard people talk about a story about Durc and what happens to him. I think after Valley of Horses, that might have been the better idea.
Rating:
Summary: Yawn
Review: I LOVED this series, until I got to this book. To tell you how bored I was with this book, it took me almost a year to read it, and I normally can read a book that size in about 3 days. Needless to say, I found the storyline extrememly dry, and the conflicts she had to deal with never amounted to anything. Granted, some of this may come to a head in the next and last book, but for this book, there just wasn't anything to keep my interest. Towards the end of the book I became slightly more intrigued as to what would be happening to the characters, but in a book of this length it shouldn't take that long to get interesting. All in all, I am highly disappointed in this book. I have hopes that the next book will be more stimulating.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT, IF YOU LIKED THE OTHERS CONTINUE AND READ THIS ONE
Review: THIS WAS THE 3RD BEST IN THE SERIES (MY OPINION)....IF YOU READ THE FIRST 4 YOU HAVE TO READ THIS ONE....THE SERIES IS GREAT, VERY ENJOYABLE....WHILE THIS IS FICTION, I WONDER HOW MUCH CAN BE BASED IN REALITY.....
Rating:
Summary: Yes it is repetative but...
Review: I see that many reviewers got frustrated with the repetitive nature of this book. Yes Ayla's appearance and speech are talked about often. Yes, introductions with Wolf happen often. But Auel has always done that. She goes into depth. That is what she does. In some instances I feel it is too much depth, but no more in this book than the others of the series. While I admit it did get bit tedious in places, I would not say that it made the book that much worse than the others. I still love Shelters of Stone as much as the others. The characters are amazing. They do grow deeper each book. I love the story of Ayla and will read the next (and from what I hear final) book of the Earth's Children series. If you liked the others, definitely give this one a try as well.
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