It's been quite a long time since I read this, maybe even the 30 years since it came out. There's some good things in here. Auel again gives us a glimpse into what an ancient way of life might have been - the hunting strategies, cooking, shelter, and maybe even social dynamics. I do still like Ayla and Jondalar as a couple, even if they are just too perfect in most ways. I like that Auel is using Ayla as a way to show how momentous discoveries might have happaned, like the horse and the wolf, flint, needles and so on.
But, OMG, the plot driver in this book - the misunderstanding between Ayla and Jondalar over Ranec - is so monotonous, so unnecessary, and so long it really spoils most of the book for me. It's just angst, angst, angst over and over again, childish expectations and hurt feelings and not a one of them has the smarts to say something to the other - and neither does anyone else, although the author explicitly says everyone knows what's going on. You want to slap them. Oh yeah, and the sex scenes are all the same, and they're not subtle.
But, OMG, the plot driver in this book - the misunderstanding between Ayla and Jondalar over Ranec - is so monotonous, so unnecessary, and so long it really spoils most of the book for me. It's just angst, angst, angst over and over again, childish expectations and hurt feelings and not a one of them has the smarts to say something to the other - and neither does anyone else, although the author explicitly says everyone knows what's going on. You want to slap them. Oh yeah, and the sex scenes are all the same, and they're not subtle.
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