The Clan of the Cave Bear + The Valley of Horses

Earth's Children #1-2

by Jean M. Auel

The Clan of the Cave Bear is the start of Jean M Auel's epic Earth's Children series. When her parents are killed by an earthquake, five-year-old Ayla wanders through the forest completely alone. Cold, hungry, and badly injured by a cave lion, the little girl is as good as gone until she is discovered by a group who call themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. This clan, left homeless by the same disaster, has little interest in the helpless girl who comes from the tribe they refer to as the "Others". Only their medicine woman sees in Ayla a fellow human, worthy of care. She painstakingly nurses her back to health--a decision that will forever alter the physical and emotional structure of the clan. Although this story takes place roughly 35,000 years ago, its cast of characters could easily slide into any modern tale. The members of the Neanderthal clan, ruled by traditions and taboos, find themselves challenged by this outsider, who represents the physically modern Cro-Magnons. And as Ayla begins to grow and mature, her natural tendencies emerge, putting her in the middle of a brutal and dangerous power struggle.

Although Jean Auel obviously takes certain liberties with the actions and motivations of all our ancestors, her extensive research into the Ice Age does shine through--especially in the detailed knowledge of plants and natural remedies used by the medicine woman and passed down to Ayla. Mostly, though, this first in the series of four is a wonderful story of survival. Ayla's personal evolution is a compelling and relevant tale. --Sara Nickerson, Amazon.com--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Adult, Audiobook

768 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Jean Marie Auel is an American writer who wrote the Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores human activities during this time, and touches on the interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eine Geschichte über ein Mädchen, das vor 30.000 Jahren gelebt hat. Ayla verliert ihren Clan durch ein Erdbeben und wird von einem fremden Clan gerettet.
Eigentlich eine schöne Idee für ein Buch, aber ich habe nach 350 Seiten das Buch abgebrochen.
Mir ist die Story einfach zu langatmig und stellenweise zu wenig fesselnd. Vielleicht versuche ich es später noch einmal.

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Quiere saber más de estos dos libros, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Wierdo14 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is by far my FAVORITE set of books ever written. Auel just creates a totally believable story - you can envision these people living, discovering and evolving with every turn of the page. I think it read it for the first time back in 1990 but I would have to say that I have re-read the series everytime a new book comes out and then even a couple times in between. I would recommend this book to anyone although as you get into the second book and beyond there is some adult content that may be inappropriate for younger eyes/minds. It is all done in good taste so to speak but I would just warn parents so they can decide what is okay for their kids or not.

[Pussy & Awesome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because my grandmother read it and I wanted to feel closer to her, to have something in common with her as an adult now that she's gone.
I think every woman should read this as they get about 25-30. The descriptions of the land, plants, animals and methods is very good and not too scientific as to be boring.
Even though the society is prehistoric the humanity and sociology are the same, a very good and well written coming of age story. The second book sees the heroine strike out onto her own and learn more about the land and herself.

[Shaphir · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

[Gloria Roach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the first three books in this series several times before but every time I read them again it's like the first time. I've started reading the series for the third time and I finished Clan of the Cave Bear on April 4th. I think it is a well written book that holds one's interest. I started reading Valley of Horses on April 4th and I am halfway through this book. It is not quite as exciting as the first book mainly to me because there are so few characters in it, but it keeps me absorbed in it. I am looking forward to finishing this one and starting the next one.

I finished Valley of Horses and have now started reading The Mammoth Hunters.

[C.J. Prince]

I loved the first book but after that it seemed like the publishers told her to add more sex. Nothing wrong with sex but please, this went overboard. An aside: I was called to audition for the movie~because I was short and had a background in physical theatre. Good thing it didn't pan out. My theatre mentor played the shaman. Only a few scenes. It was shot in Canada and was freezing cold. PLUS the movie sucked.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Click here for the Midnightfaerie’s Review

[amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

all i remember about this series was the sex. i don't think i ever finished the series and i'm not sure that i'll continue now, but this book served its purpose well

[John Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book was awesome, the second almost as good and the third fell away a bit, got too sappy.

[Ronda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book kept my sanity while I was sitting vigil by my dying husband's bedside...it has become a favorite theme over the years: strong women who survive on their own!

[Andrew Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me by a friend, not something I would choose to read. I really enjoyed the Clan of the Cave Bear, and so went straight into the Valley of the Horses, and found it really long winded, in that much of the story was repeated, like how many times do you need to read about their method of toolmaking in such detail. Having said that I am going to read the next book.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this series, back in the 80s when it first came out. We looked forward to the next one and passed the book around the pharmacy. I recent recommended it to my 11 yo granddaughter and thought I should review it. The audiobook is 24 hours and I would almost classify it as a young adult book. Not sure if I will go on and listen to any more.

[Annika Bjerke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this it was so so good!!

[Sally Brandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved them. And if you travel to Alaska and do an inland small airplane trip, you'll see how the land from her time period looks.

[Kathleen Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, but a little too long due to repetitious discussion about plants and herbal remedies.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Clan of the Cave Bear. Didn't like Valley of Horses, not that it wasn't good, I just felt the author was putting too many modern-day values into the characters.

[Prudence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series.

[Rose Stubblefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author. I love this series. I have probably read it a dozen times at least.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though somewhat repetitive, and has “caveman porn”, I quite liked both of these books.

[Faedyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

En 2009 habìa conseguido las tres primeras partes de una saga que luego me enterè, habia sido reeditada en diferentes volùmenes. Decidì conseguir las nuevas ediciones en caso que haya sido remasterizada y releer completa. En el 2013 en la feria del libro conseguì todos los volùmenes nuevos y la retomè desde cero.

El clan fue un libro que me encantò. Dicen que la pelìcula apesta, pero en mi opiniòn, siempre estuvo muy documentado, esto lo puede decir cualquiera que haya leido un poco de prehistoria humana y tenga recuerdo de sus clases del secundario. Si nos ponemos a buscar mas info en Internet, veremos que muchos de los episodios estan basados en descubrimientos arqueològicos asombrosos. Esto me motivò mucho màs a seguirla porque, no sòlo por fantasiosa, deja de ser fiel y bien documentada. Como a mi me gusta: si vas a mandar fruta, que sea con coherencia general.

La saga puede llegar a aburrir, sobre todo cuando describe la flora y la fauna de las zonas que se transitan. Pero en cuanto a la cultura me parece fascinante, y el lenguaje tambièn... Es una historia basada en una relaciòn sexual y amorosa de dos personajes, por lo cual por momentos puede ser fastidioso para quienes no les interesa saber còmo se aparea el gènero humano cada dos por tres y menos con caracteres tan perfectitos fìsicamente hablando. Por eso el primer libro que tiene menos escenas de sexo, es el màs copado.

El ùltimo realmente apesta pero que quieren que les diga, no sè si un lector puede leer 5 libros y desdeñar el gran finale. Al menos a mi me despertò muchas ganas de conocer los lugares que describe (las locaciones son reales).

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jean Auel has done an awesome job at making each of the Earth���s Children books stand alone. This also means a fair amount of repetition. If you were reading them in the years they were published as I first did, it is a nice reminder. However, if you are reading them in rapid succession as I am now, it can be kind of annoying.

Another thing that takes away from this series beginning with this second book is the amount of erotica in the book. My 12 year old was reading the first one with me; however, I can���t let him continue on thanks to this. Ayla���s first rites was an appropriate place to put some descriptive sex however, the rest is repetitively annoying and gratuitous at this point. We got it Jean.

And a final annoyance, Ayla appears to be shear genius in coming up with thousands of years worth of discoveries all by herself in a few short years. They are helpful in moving the story and interest along but you really have to suspend belief to accept them. This, unfortunately, yanks you out of the story at least once a chapter.

All in all, this book is a fun read and I don���t expect it to be educational.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have hte valley of horses but not the clan of the cave bears. The first one (clan of hte cave bears) is about a native tribe who find a blonde haired human from a differnt very scarse clan. They take her in and have her adapt to there way of live. They teach her about plants and being a good wife and living in there world. The very end she goes off to find her own kind.
This is were the 2nd book picks up. She is a grown women on here own. She lives in her own cave near a wild heard of horses. She eventually gets one to trust her and become hers more or less. Two human men go out on a journey at this same time, it makes the book a great one because every other chapter or so you are going back and forth between two and three differnt journeys. There paths will cross and lives change as they all look for change.
I love it, its amazing because you can picture the whole book front to back in your head and you imagine what it would have really been like to go thought all that.

[Sheena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, it's a bit far fetched that a young woman singlehandedly invented spear throwers and sewing needles, discovered fire stones, and domesticated animals all before she turned 19 way back in pre-history...BUt these are my all time favorite books that I reread every year or two. Ayla is the main character who is raised by Neanderthals after her family dies in an earthquake. She eventually travels off into the wilderness and all the books in the series describe her adventures. Be prepared for some soft core porn, but don't let it distract you from the great characters and intensive research that Auel did to bring this time period to life.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

well, i read this book over winter break when i was in mexico. just in case u were wondering... and it was really good!! Jean Auel writes a very fascinating story about well i guess cave men era people.. there more sophisticated than we think... anyway the premise is that this human girl is living with her people and then an earthquake squashes there village and she is the only survivor.. so she goess off looking for other people... and then it goes into talking about her new life with these cave men,(for a lack of a better name)its really good, though my explanation sounds kinda bizaar..

[Rene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first three books in the series are good (these two and "Mammoth Hunters). DON'T BOTHER READING THE REST!! They're garbage. I started reading the series in the 1980s and you could tell by the ever increasing length of time between title releases and the decline in the quality of plot and dialog that the author didn't want to write the series anymore. I don't know if she got tied into a contract or what, but you could tell that her heart wasn't in it anymore. Spoiler: they live happily ever after.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two of these were pretty good, vivid imagery and the idea of using the archeological record to create a story provided entertaining reads. then they started to get very redundant and I began to be vastly irritabled about how MANY THINGS the protagonist was "inventing" or figuring out. flint sparking fire, birth control and the bow and arrow, she basically had the education of that french boy who grew up with wolves but she's supposed to be the cavewoman einstein. It got old.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this series years ago when they first came out after living in Africa for six years. I had this connection with Ayla. I was kind of a tom boy in the hillsides of San Bernardino, California when it was undeveloped. Climbing tree and collecting lizards and bugs was my past time. Then living in Africa really put me there though Clan is about the European experience at the early time of man's evolution.

[Siliconspider · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so I'm a little embarrassed to admit I even read these. They were frankly porn poorly masked with caveman drama. Which is why I finished them.

Oh, and if you had the intention of reading this for any sort of educational reason, don't. The research that went into being able to adequately portray caveman culture must have certainly been derailed by J. Auel passing out in front of All My Children.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow at the beginning but, the second half was better. This is book two in the series the Clan of the Cave bears. Ayla was on her own after given the death sentence from her clan and in search of "the others". She befriends a horse and cave bear. Jondular is living his own life and is helped by Ayla who didn't speak his language or know his customs. That is where the romance begins.