Reviewed by Shevaun
The Conclusion to the Earth’s Children Series
Europe is in the grip of the Ice Age. Its harsh but spectacularly beautiful terrain supports many varieties of animal but few people. They are Cro-Magnons – the first anatomically modern people – and Neanderthals, the other race with whom we shared that cold, ancient land.
THE STORY SO FAR: Ayla is a Cro-Magnon child who lost her parents in an earthquake and was adopted by a tribe of Neanderthal, the Clan. The Clan’s wary suspicion was gradually transformed into acceptance of this girl, so different from them, under the guidance of its medicine woman Iza and its wise holy man Creb. But Broud, the Clan’s future leader, becomes an implacable enemy, and causes her exile. Forced into dangerous isolation, she eventually finds her soul mate and fellow Cro-Magnon, Jondalar.
Their epic journey across Europe is complete and Ayla and Jondalar join his people in the region now known as south-west France.
Settling into the rhythm of life in the Ninth Cave, the couple find much pleasure in their baby daughter and in being reunited with friends and family. Ayla plays a vital role in the area of healing: her knowledge of plants and herbs, gleaned from her days with the Clan, strikes awe in her new tribe. They are also both impressed by and wary of her uncanny affinity with long-time companions, the mare Whinney and Wolf. But, torn between her desire to concentrate on her new child and the rigours of her training as a Zelandoni acolyte, Ayla finds her relationship with Jondalar moving into stormy waters. Can she manage to balance her sense of destiny with her heart?
Though Jean Auel has dedicated thirty years of her life to the Earth’s children series, this is only the sixth book since Clan of the Cave Bear was first published in 1980. The long waits between books is explained by her as research time, and it is absolutely clear that Auel’s meticulous attention to detail and research has paid off. Having studied palaeolithic archaeology and having excavated a cave dwelling myself, I can vouch for the sheer breadth of study Auel has undertaken: archaeological, sociological, zoological, anthropological, and art studies (I could go on) are all evident in her books. The Land of Painted Caves is the conclusion to the series and no less well researched for it. Ice Age France comes vividly to life with all the sounds, smells and flavours of Cro-Magnon existence leaping from the page.
