Jean M. Aurel’s ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’

A Must Read 300Over the past week I finally got to read a book a friend has been urging me to read for quite some time: Jean M. Aurel’s Clan of the Cave Bear. Clan of the Cave Bear is the story of the interactions between Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon humans approximately 25,000 to 28,000 years ago, primarily seen through the adoption of a stranded Cro-Magnon girl, Ayla, by a clan of Neanderthal. After a great earthquake separates Ayla from her fellow people, the five-year-old wanders through her dangerous surroundings for days, where she is saved from death by the clan of Neanderthal who had lost their home in the earthquake and were searching for a new one. The clan decides to take Ayla, despite her being an “other,” which are seen as antagonists to the Neanderthal. The book then proceeds to follow Ayla’s integration into the clan and the cultural innovation and insight she offers.

While that tiny summary might seem like the introduction to a heartwarming Disney movie, this book is not for kids. At all. Aurel spent a considerable amount of time researching the likely cultural traditions of the people in this book, so despite the literary liberties that the author takes, a great deal of the events in this book are as brutal as you would expect in prehistory. On the same note, the cultural impact that Ayla has on the clan is fascinating to watch, and the book manages to convince you that this is how these ancestors of modern man lived. Like I said, there are some liberties taken with “who came up with what,” but they serve to make the protagonists more fleshed out as proper protagonists. Really, this book shines in character development. Not only do individual characters rise to the adversity that they face in a realistic fashion, but the clan itself is an organic character. Coupled with Aurel’s attention to detail, this sometimes had me more interested in the well-being of the entire group, rather than just the protagonist (which, let’s face it, is rare). If you like historical fiction that has a particularly fine sense of detail, or you just want a truly superb coming-of-age story, then pick up Jean M. Aurel’s Clan of the Cave Bear. I look forward to continuing the series as soon as possible.

Source: Jake Depew, Assistant Editor