Jean M. Auel Message Board
Bert posts on 4/9/2012 8:07:24 PM
I have read all of Jean Auel books about Earth Children and, for the most part, enjoyed them. Number 6 was something of disappointment but I can understand her age affecting her work since she and I are from the same decade. I understand how she repeats herself. The mistakes seem to lie with her publisher, who should be the one who is ashamed of number 6. Someone has mentioned fanfiction, so I have taken to reading a few chapters and find some very refreshing. Try searching the Internet for BROUDS_DESTINY and see if you might agree. Be sure to use the lower connector. If nothing else, Jean Auel has opened up characters for another generation to write about.
Princepaddy posts on 4/9/2012 2:13:25 PM
Jean has to be ashamed of this effort. There is no plot, continual rehash of the former books, and it seems like an excuse to gain admittance to some of the caves of France. I want my money back. How do I get it?
Dan posts on 3/31/2012 4:21:44 PM
The first three quarters of this book was repetitive to the point of tearing one's hair out. The cave descriptions were all the same and follow this formula: Enter a passage. Random character starts to sing, whistle, grunt, whatever. The tone changes so we know there's something there. Minute description of the painting but all the paintings are pretty much the same. Insert Mammoth, horse, camel, it doesn't matter. Oh, and random dots. They apparently loved their random dots back in the day. "Does anyone know who painted this?". "No, it was the ancients and nothing in our stories tell about it". "What does it mean?". "What do you think it means?". At least once or twice Wolf "relieves" himself in the cave. Then we have the introductions after introductions after introductions. Endless tea making. At least five whole repetitions of the entire "Mother's Song". Oh yeah, did we mention Ayla has an "accent"? So that's the bulk of the beginning of the novel in a nutshell. Ayla pays little attention to her family. We never hear about The Clan, etc.
The last book in the novel contains the worst line in any novel *ever* "You're making my baby!". Seriously? The whole 4th quarter of the novel read like a bad Jerry Springer episode (is there a good Jerry Springer episode but I digress). "Today on Jerry Springer: My husband was having a year long affair with his old tramp of a girlfriend that everyone knew about so I got drunk and had sex with the local prehistoric trailer trash in front of the whole cave and because The Mother told me where babies come from when I took some bad "herbs" and miscarried so now I don't know who the Fa-ther is". I swear, when the hero Jondalar was whaling the tar out of the guy I heard "Jerry Jerry Jerry" in the background. Sheesh.
Lewis Saul posts on 3/27/2012 4:22:59 PM
I loved Books 1-5 and was waiting in anticipation for Book 6 when I lost track of its release date.
Now that it's out, I decided to re-read Books 1-5 before starting out on Six. The negative reviews are literally killing me. I'm on Book 4 right now -- probably the most plotless of the first five -- and I'm enjoying it IMMENSELY ...
I hope that I'm not as disappointed as many of you seem to be -- but it seems like such a strong consensus -- I'm a little worried ...
Sarah Fox posts on 3/23/2012 3:43:41 PM
I read the first 3 books many years ago and loved them. As Jean Auel has said before, I, too, was sorely disappointed in the movie "Clan of the Cave Bear" as it did not do justice to the quality or content of the book all of which was out of her hands. Now that I am retired I went looking for something good and engaging to read and came upon the last 3 books which I have read over the past several months. All 3 were fabulous! I so appreciate her carefully researched and beautifully written detailed, descriptive content. I love the way Painted Caves ended with so many options and so much to think about. Magnificently done. Jean Auel is a gifted author and artist with words and descriptions. Her books have had a profound affect on me.
Big billy posts on 3/23/2012 6:29:24 AM
It seems Jean Auel felt it necessary to continually remind me of not just parts of every other book written in the series( almost understandable if read in isolation) but also of the same book. This book was drivel !
A catalogue of research inspired cave visits on her part I guess with very little in the way of story development. Those bits that were interesting were short and unfinished, the whole book could have been at least 2/3rds shorter. Having read the other five books in the series back-back, this was an utter failure in literary terms IMHO and I'm sooo glad I hadn't waited years for it !
It strikes me that this was a work where editing from someone who wasn't afraid to say "no" to Ms Auel would have been a benefit. Very self indulgent !
Perhaps I was naive in thinking that the quality of the first five could be sustained.
A real shame !
GeeBee posts on 3/20/2012 11:39:37 PM
Worst book I have ever read - BORING, disjointed, puerile, trash. She didn't even have continuity with her previous books, so many errors. Resolution for the 3 main antagonistic characters ends with them all just walking away - that has to be the laziest, most non creative piece of talentless writing I have ever come across. The books have steadily declined but this one dropped to a new level of TERRIBLE. Seriously, don't waste your time or money.
Maeri posts on 3/6/2012 4:35:47 PM
My husband gave me The Land of Painted Caves for our first wedding anniversary. I hadn't come across your books before and when I realised it was number 6 in the series, I bought them all and read one after another till I'd finished them. Like some of your other fans, I too would love you to write another book in the series - I'd like to know if Ayla had more children, what happened to the animals, what happens when she becomes Zelandoni, and so on...
My totem is the Mountain Goat.
Jim Long posts on 2/15/2012 12:29:29 AM
Mrs. Auel,
I saw the movie Clan of the Cave Bear when I was a teenager and that movie has stayed with me to this day. I have read The Earths Children series twice now. The story is of lerning to love yourself and others, along with learning to find the strengh to take one more step when you just don't think you can. Now, I see that you have another addition to the series and I have started reading the series again, from the beginning. I never get tired reading about the world that Ayla lived in. You explain so vividly what she saw. And reading your words I can imagine myself see that world through her eyes. I know that there are a lot of great authors in the world and each one can pull the reader into the world that they have created. I just want to thank you for letting me have the pleasure of getting to see Ayla's world for a third time now. Your way of writintg touches my heart along with my mind. If get upset because I feel that I should be there to help and protect Alya.
Thnak you again,
Jim Long
Jennie Wilson posts on 2/13/2012 8:43:56 PM
Dear Ms Auel, firstly, thank you so much for giving us the Earths Children series, they are absolutely amazing and I think I will continue reading them until I cannot see any more. Please tell us if you are going to give us one more book to completely finish the series. The Land of the Painted Cave left me and countless others wanting more to let us know what happened to Broud, Durc, Jonayla and the rest. You have an incredible talent, and I hope that you still have the passion to give us all your fantastic insight into what it probably would have been like at the beginning of man as we know it. Once again, thank you, you are an inspiration.
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