Synopses & Reviews
Ayla, one of the most remarkable and beloved heroines in contemporary fiction, continues to explore the world and the people around her with curiosity, insight, and, above all, courage.As the story opens, Ayla, Jondalar, and their infant daughter, Jonayla, are living with the Zelandonii in the Ninth Cave ? a shelter of stone. Ayla has been chosen as an acolyte and has embarked on the arduous task of training to become a spiritual leader. The wisdom that Ayla gained from her struggles as an orphaned child, alone in a hostile environment, strengthen her as she moves closer to leadership of the Zelandonia.Whatever the obstacles, Ayla's inventive spirit produces new ways to lessen the difficulties of daily life: searching for wild edibles to make delicious meals, experimenting with techniques to ease the long journeys the Zelandoni must take, honing her skills as a healer and a leader. And then, there are the Sacred Caves, the caves that Ayla's mentor ? the Donier, the First of the Zelandonia ? takes her to see. These caves are filled with remarkable art ? paintings of mammoths, lions, aurochs, rhinoceros, reindeer, bison, bear. The powerful, mystical aura within these caves sometimes overwhelms Ayla and the rituals of initiation bring her close to death. But through those rituals, Ayla gains A Gift of Knowledge so important that it will change the world.Spellbinding drama, meticulous research, fascinating detail, and superb narrative skill combine to make The Land of Painted Caves a captivating, utterly believable creation of a long ago civilization and serves as an astonishing end to this beloved saga.
Synopsis
The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's ChildrenA(R) series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago. THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES is an exquisite achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.
Synopsis
The highly anticipated sixth and final book of the Earth's Children ? series, The Land of Painted Caves will be an international publishing event. Auel's series is one of the most celebrated in publishing history. The first five books in the series show total sales of over 45 million copies worldwide, and include The Clan of the Cave Bear (1980), The Valley of Horses (1982), The Mammoth Hunters (1985), The Plains of Passage (1990), and The Shelters of Stone (2002). With The Land of Painted Caves, Auel gives fans the finale they?ve been looking for. She does not disappoint as she continues the story of Ayla, Jondalar, and their little daughter Jonayla. In this page-turning continuation of the beloved saga, Ayla is training to become a Zelandoni, one of the community's spiritual leaders and healers. Ayla becomes the acolyte to the Zelandoni for the Ninth Cave and begins the series of intensive journeys that are part of the sacred training. But as she struggles to find a balance between her calling and her duties as a new mother, her pursuits begin to take a toll on her relationship with Jondalar. Once again Jean Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived thousands of years ago. The terrain, dwelling places, longings, beliefs, creativity, and daily lives of the Zelandoni are as real to the reader as today's news. The Land of Painted Caves is a brilliant achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.