"A Masterful Tale - Latest Earth's Children Adventure is a Keeper!"
Ms. Auel's long awaited fifth novel in the Earth's Children
series, does not disappoint. As griping as its
predecessors, THE SHELTER OF STONE is a page turner
that
the reader will be reluctant to put down until its
intriguing conclusion. As always it leaves one wanting
more, with questions that beg to be answered. After a five year absence Jondalar returns to the Ninth
Cave of the Zelandonii, the place of his birth, home. He is
relieved to be back, but anxious as well. He'd been sent
away once, long ago when he'd fallen in love with a woman
he could not have. He'd wished to mate with his donii
woman, which was strictly forbidden. She had nearly agreed. When his plans were exposed, Jondalar, always a man of
strong passions, had beaten the informant. With two serious
transgressions to his credit, he had been sent away to the
Lanzadonii, to live with Dalanar, the man of his hearth,
his mother's former mate, in order to learn discipline.
He'd learned a skill as well during that period, becoming
perhaps the best flint knapper in the Ninth Cave, when he'd
been welcomed back. He never wished to face that kind of
rejection again. This was where he belonged. Tall, and exceptionally handsome, Jondalar had been a
favorite among the unmated women of his cave. Yet he had
never fallen in love again, until Ayla. He'd been expected
to mate the summer he'd left on this journey. He had
dutifully chosen a woman whose beauty was a match for his
own. But her heart was colder than the stone that protected
their cave from the elements. Though he'd convinced
himself he'd embarked on their journey to protect his
younger brother Thonolan, subconsciously he'd known he
could not go through with that mating. It had been
Thonolan who had itched to travel, and Thonolan whose life
had been lost along the way. Jondalar had been gravely wounded as well. It had been Ayla
who had saved his life. Ayla, who had been raised by the
Clan, who had been living all alone in the valley when the
men had been attacked by a cave lion. Ayla who repaired his
wounds and nursed him back to health. Ayla, the woman who
tamed wild animals. Ayla, the women he loved more than his
own life. He'd left home at seventeen to avoid one mating,
and had returned a mature man of two and twenty, hoping for
his people's blessing on the his mating to this woman. He'd
been faint of heart once, and had nearly lost her to
another man. She had not given up on him, and he had vowed
to that they would become mates regardless of the
Zelandonii's response. In their hearts they already were,
but he hoped his people would accept her. He wanted to live
among his own. The acceptance of Dalanar's people along the
way, had given him hope. They had so much to share with his people, as their
dramatic entrance upon horseback illustrated. Though
cautious, the people of the Ninth Cave are intrigued by the
pair. His own family, his brother Joharran, Leader of the
Ninth Cave, his mother Marthona, former Leader, his
mother's mate Willamar, Trade Master, and Zelandoni, the
spiritual leader of the Ninth Cave, and First Among Those
Who Serve The Mother (Jondalar's first love), are
insightful people, who realize how much the pair can
contribute to their society. They are welcomed home with
open arms by the family and others as well, although not
all are pleased by their arrival. The woman who Jondalar
jilted is particularly unkind, but Ayla in characteristic
fashion rises above it. The Zelandonii are preparing for their Summer Meeting in
which all of the caves gather, to hunt for their winter
provisions, and to conduct special ceremonies, First Rites
for girls who have become women, and Matrimonials for those
who have chosen to mate. The pair enjoy the opportunity to
share their innovations with the others as they anticipate
their mating ceremony. The tame horses and wolf are
intriguing, as are the spear throwers that Jondalar had
invented. Ayla's affinity for wild animals, her healing
skills, and her treatment of those with differences or in
need, impress Zelandoni greatly. It is a time of learning,
as well as sharing, for the ever adaptable Ayla, as she
learns to belong to yet another complex and sophisticated
culture. Her healing skills alone would have convinced Zelandoni
that Ayla belongs among Those Who Serve The Mother, but her
revelations about the Clan, her experiences with the
Mamutoi, and her notions about men's role in the creation
of life, make her certain that Ayla must join the
zelandonia for her own sake and for the peace of the
Zelandonii. Ayla, who has already had two disturbing experiences with
the
spirit world, only wishes to be a mate to Jondalar, and be
a mother to the child she's expecting. Jondalar also
wonders if he is capable of sharing her with such an
awesome responsibility. However he has grown more than
even he realizes. Deep down is a certainty that he will
love this woman, no matter what comes. Ayla has proven to
be a woman of resources time and again. She is first and
foremost a survivor, a woman of great strength. Her
vulnerability lies in her concern for the well being for
those she loves, whether it be her animals, her mate, her
child, or her friends. Can she do it all? An interesting
question which women are still facing today. We will have
to wait for the next installment to find out. Here's hoping
it won't be so long in coming. Find out more about the masterful storyteller, the series,
and this novel in Ms. Auel's video interviews at Random
House. Copyright 2002
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted May 20, 2002
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