October 13, 2008

The Clan of the Cave

Rating:
Awards:
Author: Jean M. Auel
Narrator: Sandra Burr
Category: Fiction)
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Release Date: 2008
Length: 19 hrs and 36 mins
Unabridged

An Overview:
The Clan of the Cave Bear: Earth's Children, Book 1

I love historical fiction. Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear is a perfect example of a book that took place in a real setting, but of course with characters that couldn't possibly have existed. The book starts off when a young girl find herself orphaned and homeless. Wandering and starving, she is attacked by a lion, becomes ill and exhausted and finally goes unconcious.

Shifting focus, the book moves on to the "Clan", another group made homeless by an earthquake. Their medicine woman, Iza, comes across the girl and attempts to heal her. When she rises, the girl realizes that these people are very physically different than she is. While she wouldn't be aware of the terms, she is a Cro-Magnon (known by the Clan as "Others") and the Clan is Neanderthal.

Some of the differences are purely cosmetic, but the structure of the Clan vocal cords is unable to produce the subtler sounds of the Others' language. Their inability is compensated for by a complex sign language. They also have many generations of shared memories which are used during rituals with the Shaman.

Their cultures are very different also. The Clan expects their members to be stoic and for the women to be submissive. Ayla finds these customs difficult and often secretly breaks their rules.

This book encompasses Ayla's life, starting from when she joins the Clan. She grows up within the Clan and learns about their traditions and skills. Her presence is not universally welcome, however, and she makes enemies along with her friends. Her primary adversary, Broud, is the son of Brun, Clan leader.

After he grows up and replaces his father, he rapes Ayla. She becomes pregnant with a child who the Clan considers deformed, even though his only "deformity" is to be of mixed heritage. Despite this deformity, he is welcomed by the Clan shortly before Ayla is cast out alone.

I found some of the comparisons between the Cro Magnon and Neanderthal difficult to believe, but the book's entertainment value made it worth suspending your disbelief for a while.

The Narration:
Sandra Burr succeeds in maintaining the characters diverse personalities with skilful phrasing and voice inflection.