The Clan of the Cave Bear

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Summary: A "must" in your bookshelf!
Review: I had no idea, when someone lent me this book, of what I was getting myself into. You see, when you read the first line, it completely draws you in, and there's no escape after that: you must read it all, AND buy the next three. (The worst part is that you must join us faithful readers in waiting for number five!) This is the story of Ayla, who is destined to change the world as the Clan knows it. They don't want those changes, but can't help it - the sweet child will win all over, except for one - who will teach her about the hardships of life. It is a most descriptive book, that really brings you to that time and totally convices you that those people not only existed, but left their own story for the author to find. Well, who says they didn't?

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Summary: Incredible read!
Review: This book came out in paperback when I was in 8th grade. The teachers tried to push it on us but at the time I was not ready to read this book. I'm extremely glad that I didn't pick it up. I would have not appreciated the incredible detail provided or ease of writing that Ms. Auel possesses. I have read all the books over and over and I am anxiously awaiting the fifth. I know I will not be disappointed.

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Summary: Classic view of an ancient extinct culture
Review: Clan of the Cave Bear gives an insight into an extinct race which evolved in a different direction than what we know of today as the human race, yet it is one that has basically the same beginnings as ours. People of the Clan, as they call themselves, refer to what we know of as the human race as the "Others", a newer, younger breed that had adapted better to the changing world around them in Ice Age Europe to replace this breed of clan people. Ayla, a girl born to the Others, is adopted by clan people when orphaned in an earthquake. Auel twists a tale of intriguing suspense and a sense of adventure and excitement as she takes us along Ayla's journey into a culture born with memories of how to behave, what is expected of them, and what life was like years before. They cannot accept change, and Ayla struggles to change her natural way of being to fit into the culture of the clan, even without these memories. But the Clan makes it difficult, thinking her blue eyes, blond hair and straight limbs are ugly, thinking her crying eyes are injured, her quickness to learn evil and odd, and her ability to speak strange. Read The Clan of the Cave Bear and experience the dawn of the life of man as we know him today from an interesting and remarkable point of view presented by Jean M. Auel

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Summary: I loved it.
Review: I loved this book. The picture Jean Auel paints is of an ancient world in a time of change. She makes the characters real, you can sense and identify with their emotions. Hurry with that next book

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Summary: This book should be required reading in history classes!!!!
Review: An engrossing fictional story based on mankind's earliest years. The heroine, Ayla, has been separated from her family by a massive earthquake. Though she is only a small child, she embarks upon a journey that will have repercussions down through the ages. After wandering for days in an unfriendly environment, she is found, nearly dead, by a band of Neanderthals who are engaged in their own quest for a new home. Though they are suspicious of the "Others", she is taken into the clan and cared for by the medicine woman, Iza. She wins the heart and loyalty of the most respected and revered member of the clan, Creb the Mog-ur (holy man). Through him and his sister, Iza, she learns the ways of the clan with difficulty and, at times, resentment. Because she is so "ugly", Iza teaches her the art of being a medicine woman so that she will have some usefulness to the clan. Iza fears that she will never mate or have children because of this "deformity". She teaches herself to hunt with a sling, although it is strictly forbidden for the women of the clan to hunt or even touch weapons. She soon becomes the most skilled hunter in the clan much to the chagrin of the clan leader's son, Broud. He is determined to put her in her place and he discovers the perfect revenge, brutal and malicious rape. Soon after, at the tender age of eleven years, Ayla gives birth to her son, Durc, who is destined to be the clan's link to the future. Broud is enraged that the infant, whom the clan deems to be deformed also, is accepted and named into the clan. Immediately upon being named as the new leader of the clan, he curses her with "death". The clan can no longer "see" her and those that loved her mourn her "death". She becomes a "spirit" whom the clan fears will take them with her if they "see" her. Suddenly, at the ripe old age of thirteen years, Ayla is once again alone and on her own. She is forced to leave her son and the clan behind her to begin a new life. This life is chronicled by the succeeding books in this enthralling series. I have read all the books Ms. Auel has written in this saga at least twice. I am anxiously awaiting the next book to be released so that I can continue to participate in Ayla's amazing story. Please hurry Ms. Auel, five years is a long time to wait for the next book in the series and I desperately need an Ayla "fix"

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Summary: Makes us revisit the earth' structure that was.
Review: The saga of Ayla is beautiful to follow. A riveting book that makes us look forward to the other series. It is full of heart and compassion

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Summary: A moving beginning to a marvelous trilogy.
Review: I found The Clan of the Cave Bear to be a wonderfully written book. It is my personal favorite. The story is about a young girl whose is left alone, by none of her own doing, and must fend for herself. The author writes the book in an extremely moving and realistic way. Although the clan that finds the young girl is one of very few words, Auel portrays their emotions as if they were speaking right into you're own heart. The beginning is not at all slow or hard to get into. Instead, it starts out beautifully, by introducing the main character in a bubbling flow of descriptive words. You will not be able to put the book down once you start reading it, so I'd recommend grabbing a rather large box of tissues before you begin. The book may be a bit too challenging for somewhat younger readers, and has some sections that they probably ought not be reading. I really recommend this book, I loved it and I'm sure you will too

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Summary: A Great beginning to the series
Review: One of my favorite books, I've carted my worn out first-print paperback through 5 houses and taped the poor thing back together when I finally wore out the spine.

The book focuses on Ayla as she is raised by a primative clan(Neanderthal? I'm not sure) after the untimely death of her family. It's obvious that Auel has done an insane amount of research on this series, and she uses this to add a touch of realism to the story. Unlike the others in this series, it's not a love-story, its more of an adventure. Definitely good for people who want a fantasy adventure story that's not your typical bodice-ripper romance novel.

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Summary: Clan of the Cave Bear- A Must Read!
Review: The first book of the Earth's Children series I read was "Shelters of Stone", found on the bestsellers rack at a Wal-Mart in Wichita, Kansas, where my mother and I were visit relatives at the time. It look interesting, so I picked it up, took it back to the Best Western we were staying at. In the three days that followed, I finished all 700-something pages of the book, craving for me. When we returned home, I got "Clan of the Cave Bear" from the local library. It took me one and a half days to read the cinderclock sized novel. I was hooked. Since then I have re-read the entire series, but "Clan" remains my favorite. Ms. Auel has done a fantastic job of protray her Cro-Magnon character Ayla, who is adopted into the Clan, a group of Neanderthals, an ancient race who fears and avoids the newcomers with their ingenious thinking power. Ayla is one of the "Others", the Cro-Magnon peoples who would evolve quickly into humans as we know them today. Robbed of her home and family in a violent earthquake, the child Ayla wanders aimlessly around the terrain of ancient Europe. Finally she passes out in fatigue after being attacked by a cave lion, the animal that would later become her totem. The Clan was robbed of their home and families as well in the same quake, and are now searching for a new cave. The Clan happens upon injured Ayla, and would have left her lying there if it hadn't been for Iza, the medicine woman of the Clan. She rescues the girl of the Others and nurses her back to health. Soon she is accepted into the Clan, and into Mog-ur's fire. Creb, the Mog-ur, finds himself bonding to this strange girl. However, she has much to learn about the Clan before she is truly accepted, and she has found an enemy in the form of a young man, Broud, the son of the leader's mate. Broud's hatred of Ayla results in the thing that Ayla will come to love most, but she can't do anything that may cause it to be taken from her...

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Summary: You will FALL IN LOVE with Auel's Ayla!!
Review: You must read this book! I highly, highly recommend it, along with the rest of the Earth Children's Series. You will love these books! Ayla is the strongest, most beautiful, lovable character I have ever confronted in literature. If I could meet any fictional character - it would without a doubt be Ayla. :-)

The books are written beautifully as well. Auel does a fabulous job bringing the ice-age to life through breathtaking images and memorable characters.

My ONLY complaint in this series is that the sex scenes are ridiculously "too perfect" - Augh. They could definitely be shorter, and there could be fewer of them. (You will not encounter these though, until the later books in the series, if you decide to read on.)

I am a little hesitant for the final (6th) book to come out though... the 5th one ended on such a high note, I'm afraid to read on. Eeep.