Reading Rainbow Book Review
Clan of the Cave Bear
Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in the times of the cave man many
millions of years ago? Find out in Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean M. Auel. In this novel,
we follow the life of Ayla, a “modern” homo sapien, among a clan of Neanderthals in
ancient Europe.
The book begins with an earthquake where Ayla loses her natural family. She runs
in fear, through woods and past the mountains, where she lays down to die. She is found
soon after by Iza, a member of the Clan of the Cave Bear and a notable medicine woman,
while the Clan is in search of a new cave for their home. Iza cares for her and brings her
back to health. After the new cave is found, Ayla, a five-year-old girl with no memory of
her past, is made a member of the group.
Her entrance into the clan is not taken lightly by all. Broud, the leader’s son and
future leader, becomes Ayla’s biggest enemy, something that causes her trouble
throughout the book. But to others, she is seen as a sign of good luck.
No matter what you see her as, it is impossible to not see her differences from the
Clan. They are short and strong with only gross motor skills, while Ayla grows to be
taller, thinner, and capable of fine movement. She has blonde hair, and can laugh, cry, and
speak. The dark-haired Clan can do none of this.
The Essay on Books and the Internet
The book industry has always been an integral part of society. However, recent surges in technology, especially the internet, have put this industry under pressure and have transformed it into a broader, more competitive entity. In the past, the book store was the only pace to buy and sell books but these buildings could be soon be obsolete with the introduction of online shopping for books and ...
But deeper differences soon arise when she begins exploring outside of the Clan’s
set-in-stone traditions. To find out what happens, you’ll have to read The Clan of the Cave Bear.
