The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children, Book Two) by Jean M. Auel
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Book Reviews of The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children, Book Two)
Book Review: Satisfying sequel to Clan of the Cave bear
Summary: 4 Stars
The story in the first book was more interesting to me, but this continuation of Ayla's adventures is also a rather interesting and satisfying read if a bit slow at times, and serves more like a bridge to the third book than a full story on its own. Even though I call it a 'bridge'. this book is more than, and is satisfying and fun to read. A solid 4/5 stars.Book Review: What's next? Will Ayla discover the germ theory of disease?
Summary: 2 Stars
I read the first volume of the series, and found it, for the most part, a fascinating and compelling read. I also had heard that Auel had done a great deal of research for that book and that her version of the Stone Age was mostly in line with scholarly opinions. So I was looking forward to reading this second installment. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment. As many other reviewers have noted, this book is practically a Harlequin romance. I'm pretty sure Ayla would have ripped open her bodice if she'd had one. I'm only surprised Auel didn't have her invent one first. One of my quibbles with the first book was that Ayla manages to cram so much innovation into a short span of time. That complaint becomes huge in this book. Ayla domesticates the horse and a lion, invents the travois, learns how to make fire with flint, and so much more. What's next? Will she discover the germ theory of disease? The heliocentric view of the solar system?
Given all of that, I was ready to give this book one star. But, there's just one saving grace. There's just enough to the story (and perhaps this is partly a residual effect of the first book, which really is worth reading) that I'm still tempted to read volume three. What's holding me back is the negative reviews on this site, which seem to confirm that book three is as bad as book two. If so, I'm pretty sure that I don't need to read it. But I do wonder.
Book Review: Survival Lite
Summary: 2 Stars
For a book involving a long dangerous journey across a continent and a single person living alone for over 3 years, the story is remarkably devoid of dramatic tension of any kind. The half of the book dedicated to 2 traveling brothers feels more like a College road trip through Europe then any real introduction to the various "Other" cultures. Particularly with Ayla's side of the story, past the initial few chapters the day to day rigors of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle are toned down to the point it becomes ridiculous. Shortages of either food or water are rare and hunting becomes so automatically successful that the narrative could have literally started to mention stopping by the local supermarket to pick up an extra rabbit or beaver for next week. Overall the characters attitudes, concerns, and lifestyle reflect far more of a modern setting then the one in which it is supposedly set. While the descriptions of the flora and fauna of the setting are interesting, it's very hard after a certain point to take the work seriously as a description of paleolithic lifestyles, even dumping the plot entirely. The original Clan of the Cave Bear managed to cover the same basic flaws with a truely interesting alien culture and better characterization. Without the Clan to hold it up, the skeletal remains of the plot cannot stand, and grafting a never ending romance onto the end only hastens its collapse.Book Review: The sex book
Summary: 2 Stars
I tried really hard to like this book, but the first half really drags. Let's see what we've got here - Ayla talks to herself, weaves, invents the lighter and livestock domestication. On the other side of Europe, Jondalar and his brother wander through villages having graphic sex with pretty girls. They also get injured a lot and get drunk/stoned a couple of times. Oh yeah, and we find out that the Others don't like the Clan. Oy vey.Finally, Jondalar hooks up with Ayla. Oh boy! maybe things will pick up for the second half! Overall, they do, but Ms. Auel needs to be introduced to the black marker in the worst way. In short, the book is necessary reading if you want to understand the rest of the series, but it's really just a transition book. It could have been a lot more.
Book Review: Jean Auel turns to a smut author?
Summary: 2 Stars
I, like many others, really liked Clan of the Cave Bear. I liked Valley of Horses up til the latter half when the wanton and repetitive, graphic sex began. I mean, I don't mind an occasional sex scene in a book, but this got to the point of monotony. It continues in The Mammoth Hunters which I was unable to finish. I found myself skipping over the sex scenes to get to the plot which became repetitive in itself. The author tries too hard to make Ayla into a superwoman and Jondalar into the ultimate ladies man. Then when they get together, they become bumbling idiots who can't even look at each other without jumping in the sack. I was so disappointed with the direction the author decided to go with this series.