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2.92 AVERAGE
2.92 AVERAGE
I only really read about 25% of this book. There was so much repetition and it was overly descriptive. Ayla and Jondolar had quite a few OOC moments also. I'm glad this is the last book of this series, I don't think I could make it though another one.
Ditto the previous reviewers. I had to finish the series .. but again, so much of it was repetitive.
This book was quite slow compared to the other ones. Lots of detail on the religion that Auel has created for these books.
THIS could have been a novella if only they had edited out ALL OF THE REPETITIVE CRAP from the last five books. How many ways can you describe the plains? Not nearly as many as Jean Auel has attempted.
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It's been two years since I read it but I still remember Ayla documenting the moon phases. So yes, it could've been a novella, but these books have stuck with me.
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It's been two years since I read it but I still remember Ayla documenting the moon phases. So yes, it could've been a novella, but these books have stuck with me.
Wow, it's finally finished. This one took a long time. I did read some other things in between since it was so long.
While this book was nowhere near as good as the others in the series, it was still a must read for me. I needed to see the series wrapped up. I read some reviews before I started it and was disappointed to find that many people gave it only one star. I chose 3 stars because I did like it. I would definitely put it as the worst of the series, but it was not awful.
The one thing that I along with most reviewers hated was the repetition. I really don't think it was necessary. I realize that this book was a long time coming, but I think most fans of the series didn't need the repeated reminders of what went before. And I don't think that too many folks will attempt to read this one without reading the others. If they do, they'll probably give up thinking it's not a great book. Too many descriptions of caves. Ms. Auel became obsessed with caves. I know that's the title of the book, but if you've seen (or read about) one cave drawing of a deer, bison, cave bear, cave lion or big red dots...you've seen (or read about) them all. I also got tired of having the 'Mother's song' sung or recited over and over and over. I know it played a significant part in the conclusion also, but enough is enough.
This series has confirmed for me that a series can go on too long. (Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes anyone?)
While this book was nowhere near as good as the others in the series, it was still a must read for me. I needed to see the series wrapped up. I read some reviews before I started it and was disappointed to find that many people gave it only one star. I chose 3 stars because I did like it. I would definitely put it as the worst of the series, but it was not awful.
The one thing that I along with most reviewers hated was the repetition. I really don't think it was necessary. I realize that this book was a long time coming, but I think most fans of the series didn't need the repeated reminders of what went before. And I don't think that too many folks will attempt to read this one without reading the others. If they do, they'll probably give up thinking it's not a great book. Too many descriptions of caves. Ms. Auel became obsessed with caves. I know that's the title of the book, but if you've seen (or read about) one cave drawing of a deer, bison, cave bear, cave lion or big red dots...you've seen (or read about) them all. I also got tired of having the 'Mother's song' sung or recited over and over and over. I know it played a significant part in the conclusion also, but enough is enough.
This series has confirmed for me that a series can go on too long. (Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes anyone?)
I am very excited to read this book! I've been reading and rereading the Earth's Children series since I was 10 years old, so to finally reach the end...well, it's bittersweet.
I felt the need to read this book because I discovered and fell in love with the series when I was in 7th grade. I can still remember the car ride home from the library that day, not looking up once until we reached home because I was thoroughly caught up in the story from the first page. This final book just does not seem to be a proper finale to the series. There are just so many repetitions through out the book, descriptions of caves, the endless formal greetings, and the descriptions of Ayla's foreign accent and the Mother song. And finally, the main characters do not act like the characters I have read about for over 20 years. This groundbreaking series has ended on with an unsatisfying whimper. I am shocked this book received a starred review from Kirkus...
I really wanted to enjoy this book but couldn't. I would read a little, then put it down for months at a time. It dragged, and dragged, and so much of it seemed unnecessary. Then, the character conflict (and just poor decisions and behavior, that were out of character) in the last third of the book seemed like it was created just to provide readers with some type of action, drama, and conflict, to resolve and give the series an ending. Overall, I was really disappointed in this book and wish I had stopped the series after book five.
Me thinks, too much review of past books in the series in the current pages. Much redundancy of old and new plots made for a laborious read. Or I have outgrown the series.
It seems a common theme about this series of books that people have essentially grown up around them. I remember reading books 1-4 in my youth and being pretty surprised then number 5 came out. One of the stand-out points of that book was that it seemed many plot points were introduced, but not satisfied in that novel. When I heard of number six, i thought if anything those plots would be resolved.
Nope.
Without wanting to be cruel, I am uncertain of the point of this novel. The plot reads like the book's working title was Ayla's adventures on tour. I guess the central theme of our protagonist's journal to become a great medicine woman is intact, the overall story feels plot-less, and seems to focus on numerous mini-happenings than any overarching plot. The first 600 pages or so at least could be considered mildly interesting, the last few sequences verge on the ridiculous.
SPOILERS - I don't really want to give away the climatic plot, yet I have to express my bewilderment
Towards the end of the novel Ayla gets high and has a vision about how babies are made. I couldn't for the life of me work out how on earth there wasn't some inkling of this knowledge already - surely people noticed that woman who did not have sex did not get pregnant (Ok maybe in Earth's Children's world there aren't that many) and its even noted that 'people' who have mated with 'clan' have mixed race babies.
Anyway this is a pretty big deal - but before anyone can celebrate Barbie finds out that Ken has been cheating on her the whole time for the local skank. What follows is the most bizarre combination of Ayla's people trying to convince her that its ok because 'men have needs' and Jondular going bat-poop crazy, squealing about another man sleeping with Ayla and 'making his baby' and brutally assaulting the guy.
END SPOILERS
aside from an unusual choice of plot climax the prose of Painted Caves leaves little to the imagination. I don't really want to pull every part of this book to bits, the dialogue in particular was just too awkward to leave alone. It almost reads like a movie script where the characters accidentally say the script notes instead of their dialogue. Everyone explains to each other exactly what they are doing and why, an effect doubly stilted due to the expectation there should be some level of 'cave speak.'
At nearly 800 pages one probably should have good reason to read this book. I spent more than 3 months working through it as I was a. uncompelled at any point to continue and b. did not want to devote too much spare time to the journey. Nonetheless I do have to mention that 6 epic sized books is no mean achievement and despite this book being a pile of dung the mere fact of its existence does garner some respect.
Nope.
Without wanting to be cruel, I am uncertain of the point of this novel. The plot reads like the book's working title was Ayla's adventures on tour. I guess the central theme of our protagonist's journal to become a great medicine woman is intact, the overall story feels plot-less, and seems to focus on numerous mini-happenings than any overarching plot. The first 600 pages or so at least could be considered mildly interesting, the last few sequences verge on the ridiculous.
SPOILERS - I don't really want to give away the climatic plot, yet I have to express my bewilderment
Towards the end of the novel Ayla gets high and has a vision about how babies are made. I couldn't for the life of me work out how on earth there wasn't some inkling of this knowledge already - surely people noticed that woman who did not have sex did not get pregnant (Ok maybe in Earth's Children's world there aren't that many) and its even noted that 'people' who have mated with 'clan' have mixed race babies.
Anyway this is a pretty big deal - but before anyone can celebrate Barbie finds out that Ken has been cheating on her the whole time for the local skank. What follows is the most bizarre combination of Ayla's people trying to convince her that its ok because 'men have needs' and Jondular going bat-poop crazy, squealing about another man sleeping with Ayla and 'making his baby' and brutally assaulting the guy.
END SPOILERS
aside from an unusual choice of plot climax the prose of Painted Caves leaves little to the imagination. I don't really want to pull every part of this book to bits, the dialogue in particular was just too awkward to leave alone. It almost reads like a movie script where the characters accidentally say the script notes instead of their dialogue. Everyone explains to each other exactly what they are doing and why, an effect doubly stilted due to the expectation there should be some level of 'cave speak.'
At nearly 800 pages one probably should have good reason to read this book. I spent more than 3 months working through it as I was a. uncompelled at any point to continue and b. did not want to devote too much spare time to the journey. Nonetheless I do have to mention that 6 epic sized books is no mean achievement and despite this book being a pile of dung the mere fact of its existence does garner some respect.