- Hodder Paperbacks
- 9781444709858
- $22.99
- Paperback - B Format
- January 2011
- 512 pages
- Historical fiction
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The Clan of the Cave Bear
The first episode of Jean M. Auel's publishing phenomenon will excite and prepare reader's for the long-awaited sixth and final book, The Land of Painted Caves.
Leave 21st century London and go back to Ice Age Europe. Follow Ayla, a Cro-Magnon child who loses her parents in an earthquake and is adopted by a tribe of Neanderthal, the Clan.
See how the Clan's wary suspicion is 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. Immerse yourself in a world dictated by the demands of survival in a hostile environment, and be swept away in an epic tale of love, identity and struggle.
Staff Review
Wow, The Clan of the Cave Bear is a classic for a very good reason. It’s very, very good. For years, I thought that The Clan of the Cave Bear wasn’t for me, but by the fifth page I was struggling to remember why I hadn’t read it years ago… Jean Auel is just amazing. To have created such a living, breathing world from what must have been years of rather dry research is an extraordinary feat. Like everyone else, I fell in love with Ayla and was cheering her from the sidelines as she survived and rose in status through the clan. She’s such a feisty character, and a wonderful role model for young women everywhere. She never gives up and she fights to be accepted while remaining true to herself, even if it means teaching herself to hunt on the quiet. Her story sweeps along and, almost by accident, I’ve learned so much more about the pre-history of man. Completely fascinating.
Louise Sherwin-Stark, Hodder Sales & Marketing Director
I am a complete fanatic and I am re-reading the series with as much vigour as I did the first time. It all started with The Clan of the Cave Bear… This book is the epitome of amazing storytelling! Auel captivates her readers and draws them back in time to the days of Neanderthals, cave-living and self made fires. The protagonist, Ayla, is introduced as a young child orphaned by an earthquake, and the first book follows her complicated and fascinating assimilation into a primordial clan who have adopted her. This is not just a regular run-of-the-mill series – you HAVE to read it! The themes and ideas Auel explores through Ayla are so complex and engaging that you completely feel a part of the clan. Words can’t describe how much I get out of this series. I find it hard to put the books down and come back to the real world. I hope you give it a try and experience what this book has to offer. Ayla is truly inspiring and a great role model to men, women and children.
I’d heard so much about Clan of the Cave Bear that I feared my expectations were too high. But it lived up to all the hype. I’m already a big fan of historical fiction, but I’d never before read a book that was set in such an early, prehistoric time. I was fascinated by the clan’s hunter-gatherer culture, their deep spiritual beliefs and the rules of conduct between clan members, particularly between men and women.
Jean Auel’s amazing research shows through on every page. The attention to detail is extraordinary. But all the historical detail would be nothing without the great storyline and the inspiring heroine, Ayla. As a reader you are completely invested in the clan and their survival. And you are with Ayla every step of the way, along all her adventures, feeling her pain and her triumphs. I now understand why this series is so popular. I can’t wait to read the next one!
Sonia Palmisano, Hachette Special Sales Manager
