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2.92 AVERAGE
2.92 AVERAGE
This could have been half the length without losing any of the story.
Two weeks of my life I will never get back. I swear - what is up with all the 700 page books with absolutely zero plot? I was so excited about this book - I read Clan of the Cave Bear in high school and re-read the first three books in the series multiple times. The fourth book wasn't as good, but I still enjoyed it. I didn't really like the fifth. However, since I've given Laurell Hamilton 500 million chances, I thought I'd show Jean Auel the same courtesy with her sixth and final book in the Earth's Children series.
I should have just read the Goodreads reviews for a plot summary. Actually, I should have just read the title of the book -- The Land of Painted Caves.
In this doorstop, Ayla and Ms. Zelandonii visit a lot of caves and examine in great detail (some detail lasting for five pages) all the drawings in the caves. That's pretty much it. Oh and Ayla "discovers" that men play a role in childbearing. That was it. For 700 pages. Caves and sperm...excuse me...Essence.
Honestly, if I knew Ayla in real life, I'd probably want to smack her. She's flawlessly beautiful and fluent in every language and gifted with animals and a fabulous mother/daughter in law and an accomplished healer and a fantastic spiritual leader and a human lie detector test and wonderful in bed. Give me at least one tiny flaw -- bad breath, a disorganized cave, a catty moment amongst friends. No one is that perfect.
I should have just read the Goodreads reviews for a plot summary. Actually, I should have just read the title of the book -- The Land of Painted Caves.
In this doorstop, Ayla and Ms. Zelandonii visit a lot of caves and examine in great detail (some detail lasting for five pages) all the drawings in the caves. That's pretty much it. Oh and Ayla "discovers" that men play a role in childbearing. That was it. For 700 pages. Caves and sperm...excuse me...Essence.
Honestly, if I knew Ayla in real life, I'd probably want to smack her. She's flawlessly beautiful and fluent in every language and gifted with animals and a fabulous mother/daughter in law and an accomplished healer and a fantastic spiritual leader and a human lie detector test and wonderful in bed. Give me at least one tiny flaw -- bad breath, a disorganized cave, a catty moment amongst friends. No one is that perfect.
I really enjoyed the earlier books in the series. If I read this one as a stand alone, it would have made less sense and been less interesting. It did get repetitive at times, but I was still interested enough to focus on the book instead of other things I could have been doing.
Nope. Not what I hoped it would be. Nothing new or interesting happens- not one single thing. I read 700 odd pages to find out... that Ayla's life is now a rehash of everything shes done before. She takes too many drugs, spends some time astonishing people with her control of animals, captures a criminal, fights with Jondalar, exactly like she did in the other five books. What a waste.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Not so much plot-driven or character-driven as descriptions-of-caves-driven. I love this series, but I can't call this a strong finish to it. Had its moments, though.
Knowing what I know now I probably wouldn't read the series but since I'd already started it I felt obligated to finish it.
Love Ayla and her adventures having mixed emotions that it is over. Not my favorite of the series. Lots of repetition from prior books.
Kinda disappointing, repetitive, ended with Jondalar (who isn't my fave). It was still good to see how Ayla ended up though.
All a bit samey by the end, but an enjoyable series. And when I turned the final page, my reaction actually was what ? You can't end now !!
I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mood, or if my taste in books has changed to much since I read the first 5 books in this series, but I just couldn't finish this before it was time to take it back to the library. Maybe I'll give it another go someday.