This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel’s magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. A natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous land until she is found by a woman of the Clan, people very different from her own kind. To them, blond, blue-eyed Ayla looks peculiar and ugly--she is one of the Others, those who have moved into their ancient homeland; but Iza cannot leave the girl to die and takes her with them. Iza and Creb, the old Mog-ur, grow to love her, and as Ayla learns the ways of the Clan and Iza’s way of healing, most come to accept her. But the brutal and proud youth who is destined to become their next leader sees her differences as a threat to his authority. He develops a deep and abiding hatred for the strange girl of the Others who lives in their midst, and is determined to get his revenge.
Oh my goodness, is this ever a great book to read! I should have read this classic years ago. If you're going to do the short-cut way and watch the movie, I'll tell you right now that the movie doesn't do this story justice. (It rarely does.) I watched bits and pieces of the movie online when I was almost finished reading it and found watching the movie painful.
The days where I was only able to read two or three pages and then didn't get back to Clan of the Cave Bear for a couple of days (by then I'm having withdrawal symptoms), I would totally remember where I left off and what had happened in those last few pages. Everything is unforgettable in this book. There are several more books of this series but I'm not sure if I'll have time to read them all. I have stuff on my plate right now, but maybe when I'm retired and living on an island, ahem, I'll get to the rest of the series.
Right now I'm reading a Stephen King book. Nope, not a novel. It's a book called On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft. In his witty way, (he's hilarious actually) he talks about his life and gives advice on good writing. I love Stephen King's written work and many of the movies based on his books tickle me pink. I've read several of his books over the years and although I lean towards non-fiction, every now and then I just have to pick up a King book. I mean it, I HAVE TO. His books are like using an occasional drug..... sometimes I feel like my brain needs to let loose. This guy has been pumping out books like a machine-gun so there's no shortage to choose from. His books from decades ago are just as enthralling as the ones he's written in the last couple of years.
So for any of my fellow bookworms who haven't read Clan of the Cave Bear, go ahead and dive in. Let me know what you think. Give me your opinion of the rest of the series too....no spoilers!
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