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A review by danaisreading
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
2.0
Unfortunately, I have to agree with all the disappointment and dismal reviews of this saga-ending series. This was not what I expected at all, and wish someone had talked Jean Auel out of publishing this book, or delaying it while she reworked it to become an actual ending.
The book is divided into three parts. The first two parts could be subtitled "Ayla Goes to the Zelandonii Museum", because it was 400 pages of Ayla travelling to caves, and looking at caves and cave paintings. I like museums, but I'd much rather see the artwork myself than have it described to me in a book. I think Jean Auel even got bored with this, because while she spends 400 pages moving Ayla, Jondalar and others around the region in great and repetitive detail, it takes exactly 3 non-descriptive paragraphs to get them back to the Ninth Cave.
The third part is the only interesting part, probably because there is a plot of sorts. Six years skip from the first part to the final part of the book, and Ayla becomes a fully fledged Zelandoni. However, for a series ending book, I don't feel satisfied with what happens to everyone, because there is no ending to speak of. I was kind of mad that she chose to "end" the series the way she did.
I understand 30 years is a long time to spend researching and writing a series, and Auel may have wanted to finally end this and move on to something else. But many of us also have spent a long period of time with these books and characters, and have just as much invested in them as she did. I just feel cheated out of a proper ending for them.
The book is divided into three parts. The first two parts could be subtitled "Ayla Goes to the Zelandonii Museum", because it was 400 pages of Ayla travelling to caves, and looking at caves and cave paintings. I like museums, but I'd much rather see the artwork myself than have it described to me in a book. I think Jean Auel even got bored with this, because while she spends 400 pages moving Ayla, Jondalar and others around the region in great and repetitive detail, it takes exactly 3 non-descriptive paragraphs to get them back to the Ninth Cave.
The third part is the only interesting part, probably because there is a plot of sorts. Six years skip from the first part to the final part of the book, and Ayla becomes a fully fledged Zelandoni. However, for a series ending book, I don't feel satisfied with what happens to everyone, because there is no ending to speak of. I was kind of mad that she chose to "end" the series the way she did.
I understand 30 years is a long time to spend researching and writing a series, and Auel may have wanted to finally end this and move on to something else. But many of us also have spent a long period of time with these books and characters, and have just as much invested in them as she did. I just feel cheated out of a proper ending for them.