Long time in the making..

I do not feel too bad about the length of time it took me to get back  you after reading this book.  I waited a long time for it to be published so I could read it.  Jean Auel's latest book in the Earth's Children series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES , (Crown, 978-0-517-58051-6) finally came out.
Many years ago, I met her when she spoke at a Public Library Association Meeting in Portland. Oregon.  She was a fantastic speaker and hearing her talk about her meticulous and thorough research she did for her books was worth the price of admission.  This book was the one she was talking about researching at that time.  I know it was more than a decade ago, because I retired 7 years ago.  Her readers are patient as well as loyal.  This book, all 757 pages of it, was worth the wait.  Although, at times, I would have been content to have seen it published as two book. simply because of the heft.
This book continues the story Ayla, whose life has been central to all of the stories. In this tale she and her mate Jondalar have a young baby, Jonayla. The band of people are on their way to the summer meeting.  This begins this saga that will cover several years in the lives of Ayla, her family, her group and various other
Caves throughout the area. throughout the book the persona of Ayla grows into the woman that has been foreshadowed throughout the series. No matter where she lives, Ayla stands out as unique. 
even when young she had an affinity for animals.  She has always had a oneness with nature and she is extremely intelligent and quick witted.  Although her early life was spent among those who used gestures and signs more than language, she was able to learn language easily with her next family. 
she has also been able to teach others the ability to sign.  She met Jondalar when he was out on a kind of rite of  passage or quest and it is to her credit that she was able to leave that family with
Jondalar and cause no ill will.  Ayla has risen in rank with her new clan as well.  She has become well known as a healer and is serving the Earth Mother as a Zelandoni and as the assistant, if you will, to the highest  ranking Zelandoni, the One Who Was First. Because of her position she has to do a fair amount of traveling among the various caves and this provides the reader with the opportunity to see, in the mind's eye, the cave writing and art that has been found and preserved as it may have looked when fresh.  It also provides a vehicle to learn the dynamics that existed among the clans themselves as well as between neighboring clans.  The politics if survival has important then as well.  Exploring the religion of the time provides insights into origins of many beliefs.  Some tenets may still exist in a different guise.
The dynamics of living was as fraught  with squabbles and jealousies as well then.  Promiscuity and drunkenness and child neglect occurred as did crime as well as punishment.
Ayla was the victim of jealousy and hate because she was different in her speech since she was a foreigner by previous clan affiliation,  She also appeared to have strange powers because she rode horses and tamed a wolf for a pet and companion. She was also favored by the Zelandoni. 
This book is about the journey to and from the caves, discovering their meanings, the maturing of Ayla from a new mother and acolyte of the Mother into to the leading Zelandoni and the mother of  a precocious young daughter.  It is about the way the lives of the people are affected by their surrounding as well as other forces of change.  It shows how they learn new things and new ways to adapt as they meet different events and peoples.We learn as Ayla learns the ways of the Zelandoni.  Ayla changes from an adventurous and sometimes impetuous warrior hunter woman into a more introspective, mature healer, mediator, teacher, and adult.
And along the way we are treated to a glorious historical read, a love story, an adventure tale, and a travelogue that includes many fantastic caves and sites
When the book ends, Ayla is well on her way to being the One Who Was First.  She has gone through tests, quests, and trials and has emerged ready to tackle her new life - and that may be literally as well as figuratively.  Jondalar has also matured after a bit of losing his way and is well on his way to understanding the new order of things,  And Jonayla?  She will be one to watch.
The way the book ends?  I don't think it actually does.  Ayla is on the brink of a new chapter of  her life.  I hope that chapter makes in onto another book b Jean Auel.  (Only do not make me wait too long this time.  I am not as young as Ayla.)
As alway, the book is highly readable as well as chock full of well used research.  I do not know what our ancestors were really like, but Jean Auel has certainly made me more aware of the possibilities that existed for them.  I would suggest, that if you have never read the previous books in the series, you read them now.  and if you had already  read them?  You might wis hto reread them and get a whole new perspect ive on once upon a time. I know books such as these send me on quests for other books to read about these places and these times. 









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So much to read

February has gone and we are seeing glimpses of spring.  Daffodils are sprouting, tulips are trying to come up and the pussy willow catkins are swelling, and the snow is melting.  Another sign of spring is the plethora of books that appear as spring publications.  Where WILL it end!  I have divided some of the February reads into subjects for you, Historical novels, odd books with magical happenings, and some humor to spice up the  fare.  Dana Precious has penned a fast paced and rather humorous look at one woman's crazy, loving, unconventional, and overwhelming family.  BORN UNDER A LUCKY MOON (William Morrow 978-0-06-187687-5) is the story of Jeanne Thompson, a successful Hollywood film executive who has trouble with commitment as well as with divas, rivals, and family.  past experiences include a mother who takes charge of everything even the planning of a second wedding for a daughter who married without telling them the day after another sibling is getting married.  Jeanne's long suffering lover wants to marry her, but she can not face returning to the Midwest to have him meet her family. They do tend to frighten, intimidate, and swallow up people willynilly. If you enjoy Sarah Elizabeth Phillips, you should enjoy this as well. It is witty, urbane, and fun.  Another book that is billed as humorous is THE REVENGE OF THE RADIOACTIVE LADY by Elizabeth Stuckey-French (Doubleday, 978-0-385-51064-6).  It does have its humorous moments, but they are rather dark.  The premise? A n\rather unassuming Midwestern  woman , Marilyn Ahearn,of a certain age heads to Florida to track down the doctor who gave her way too much radiation as a guinea pig in a government test and the results were less than gratifying.  Disastrous is a better term.  Her goal is to find him and kill him.  I said it was dark.  Well, she finds him.  Living with his family,the rather dysfunctional Spriggs.  The Spriggs have three children who all have problems. ADD is only one of them. Ahearn takes the name of a science fiction heroine, Nancy Archer, as her new identity and puts her plan in motion.  If you can find black humor is disabilities and stupidity, the book is really funny. Otherwise, it is a clever plot that can make you laugh as you follow the Spriggs family through crises and Ahearn and the doctor as they become acquainted and the results are anything but murder.  Quirky and decidedly offbeat.  Historical novels have always been some of my favorite reads.  These two I really enjoyed.  EXIT THE ACTRESS by Priya Parmar (Simon and Schuster 978-1-4391-7117-2) and THE RAVEN QUEEN by  Jules Watson (Spectra 978-0-553-38465-0).   EXIT...is the story of  the famed English actress, Nell Gwyn and her life and loves as she rose from a girl selling oranges at the theater in London to the toast of the town as an actress and a favored  mistress of King  Charles of  England.  The book seems well researched and provides a sympathetic look at Nell, King Charles, and the Queen.  Nell's family comes off not so well. 
Her mother has turned drunken after the death of her captain husband and Nell's sister Rose is portrayed as a wanton prostitute for gentleman who does reform and marries well.  The author sets the stage, if you well, for the plot by using playbills, gossip sheets and court letters and official announcements of the times. 
The book really catches the feel of the era and  the ugliness of life as well as the intimacy of the fact that royalty was easier to access in those days.  This is a charming look at another era that, I suspect, has hidden a few warts, but never the less presents a love story for the ages.  THE RAVEN QUEEN is set in ancient Ireland and is the tale of the warrior queen Maeve who was as fierce a competitor as any man and who was a rebel in her time.  She had been sent to another kingdom as a bride, but came home to fight for and rule her father kingdom no matter at what cost.  This book lays the groundwork for much of what we know of Irish legend.  The glossary or terms is a must read to understand the book and the characters.  The book is well researched. The life and loves of Queen Maeve border on the mystical and contain the larger than life legends that are attached to ancient Ireland,  Conor, Cuchulain, Cormac, the Sidhe, as well as the ancient places and festivals that we are familiar with.  If you enjoy bloody historical romance with a trace of fey, you will enjoy this. A couple of books with magical overtones are Cecelia Ahern's THE BOOK OF TOMORROW ( Harper 978-0-06-1780630-1) AND MR. CHARTWELL(Dial Press 978-1-4000-6940-8) by Rebecca Hunt.  Ahern's book takes a spoiled young girl whose parents are dead from her fabulous life in the city and places her with relatives in a small country village that has few amenities  and her life it turned upside down,  It appears the only contact with the outside world as she knew it is through traveling lending library and the young lad who who drives the bookmobile. She checks out a book that looks like a journal but it  begins to tell   her what will happen the next day.    This leads to some odd and harrowing events that involve her relatives, a nun, some peculiar people and much danger.  She eventually sorts out what the book is telling her and finds out the truth about herself and her family.  This is a charming story from a best selling author who is also the daughter of a former prime minister of Ireland.  She also wrote the novel that became a movie starring Hilary Swank, P.S,I Love You.  This is a charming, melancholy, but magical story.
 If you recall history, you may remember that Winston Churchill suffered from depression.  He was also known to call his depression a black dog.  Well. Mr.Chartwell is that black dog.  And supposedly he is not visible to those who are not afflicted, but I am not too sure of that.  Mr.  Chartwell appears to rent a room from one Esther Hammerhaus on London in 1964.  She is surprised that a dog wants to rent, but takes it in stride and decides to rent the room to him.  She finds that the longer he is there the more he takes over her house.  She is a librarian at the House of Commons and just happens to be assigned to transcribe  notes from the retiring Winston Churchill.  Yes, everything is coming together quite nicely. Evidently, Mr. Chartwell is going to afflict both Esther and Churchill.  But there are other complications.  The librarian, while being intrigued by "Black Pat" has a new interest in her life that might pull her away. And Churchill's wife is too clever by far not to be able to see  and hear Chartwell herself.  You need to suspend your disbelief and imagine that Mr. Chartwell is really real - and he is to many-and enjoy the many ways people can go from despair to joy and find life worth living. Connections are everything and perhaps so are coincidences.
More later on the March book fare.
Remember, no one pays me for my opinions - they probably would not want to.