Jean M. Auel Message Board
Candace posts on 9/18/2011 10:50:53 PM
I'm having a very hard time getting over my disappointment in the last book. Has anyone heard anything from Ms. Auel herself about it? Has she answered any of the critiques? These books and Ayla's story have been part of my life for so many years, and it really "hurts" that the last book in the series was such a bust. I've put it in the "trade" bag to take to McKay's, and I would never have considered doing that with any of the others, even Plains of Passage. I agree that I can end with Shelters of Stone and forget the last book. Hate that, but it's true.
602480 posts on 9/16/2011 7:56:47 PM
I was very disappointed with Ms. Auels last book. Not one of her better ones in the series to say the least. The ending was lacking in SO many ways.
maryj posts on 9/1/2011 4:04:58 PM
@laura, the negative reviews are not hateful, and not limited to this site. You sell the elderly short by painting us all as growing incompetent as we age. An author owes his/her readers a decent story, and this book fell short in many ways. I did not mind the descriptions of daily life and society, but I grew absolutely annoyed by the repetition of the holy song, and the description of each cave. There should have been more social interaction between Ayla and the people met during this tour of the caves. All of the best parts were aboutsocial interaction. I did not expect this book to come close to Plains Of Passage. I did think her psychic skill might save people from some catastrophe, or her common sense might resolve social problems, but the storyline was disappointing in both areas. Alas, the book left more questions and answered few.
Margaret Graessle posts on 8/30/2011 1:53:13 AM
After months of waiting for the book from the library, and 20 years waiting for the last story, I was very disappointed. Where are the tie up answers? All thru Ayla has been dreaming of her son meeting Durc. The Land of Painted Caves, does NOT mention the clan, or Durc or bring Ayla's dreams of them meeting. Or even Ayla having a son. Or Ayla being a go between for the Zelendoni and the Clan. Just altogether took the heart right out of me.
donj posts on 8/29/2011 5:48:38 PM
@Bill - the bogus quotation stuff is a computer glitch on this site. When you put quotations around something, the site shows it incorrectly. Try posting something with quotation marks and you will see...
Bill K posts on 8/29/2011 4:27:43 PM
When people put " - - - ", what does it mean? I hate to read paragraphs fill with " in them. Am I'm the only one? I want to know.
Terri Demarest posts on 8/25/2011 9:51:05 PM
I also, am less than enthralled with "painted caves". For years I have been looking forward to this last piece of work in the series and to have found it so much less than her other works in the series is greatly disappointing.
Emmabee posts on 8/22/2011 10:14:51 PM
thank you Nancy. My feelings exactly. Was not our story to tell after all.
R.Brady posts on 8/22/2011 9:44:36 PM
I have to say that I was very disappointed with the Ms Auel's last novel - Painted Caves. It had an extremely shallow story line, contrived plots and an ending that Ray Charles could see coming! I sincerely hope that if there is another novel that Ms Auel get help writing it.
Nancy posts on 8/18/2011 1:55:49 PM
Woman in love vs. woman disappointed in love is just too simplistic, and Jean Auel was anything but simple. I also don't think there's any way in the world Jshe grew tired of Ayla. I read a quote by her once (from after the fifth book) that she couldn't imagine her life without Ayla. I am so grateful for the first books, which I've read so many times I've lost count, and, as disappointed as I was with the last one, I will never condemn her for it. We don't know if it was due to illness or age that the story was so incomplete and contrary to our expectations of the way Ayla would act, or even if someone else finished it, if in fact she was unable to finish it herself. I won't read the last one again, but I know I will continue to reread the others. I can be satisfied with an ending that has Ayla deciding to become a zelandoni. Ms. Auel's work has been phenomenal. Mostly, I am sad for her that she knows the final book in her hugely successful and popular series was so poorly received and such a disappointment to her readers. I will always be grateful to her and a lifelong fan.
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