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The Shelters of Stone

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The Shelters of Stone

By: Jean M. Auel
Narrated by: Rowena Cooper
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About this listen

 Ayla and Jondalar have reached home: the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, the old stone age settlement in the region known today as south-west France. Ayla has much to learn from the Zelandonii as well as much to teach them. Jondalar's family are initially wary of the beautiful young woman he has brought back, with her strange accent and her tame wolf and horses. She is delighted when she meets Zelandoni, the spiritual leader of her people, a fellow healer with whom she can share her medicinal skills. After the rigours and dangers that have characterised her extraordinary life, Ayla yearns for peace and tranquillity; to be Jondalar's mate and to have children. But her unique spiritual gifts cannot be ignored, and even as she gives birth to their eagerly-awaited child, she is coming to accept that she has a greater role to play in the destiny of the Zelandonii.

(P)2004 AudioGO Ltd©2002 Jean M. Auel Ancient Fiction Historical Fiction

Critic Reviews

Jean Auel's greatest achievement is to have created a plausible primeval community where men and women love and sometimes hate, and learn to survive in a harsh environment that demands rules and co-operation.
Meticulously researched . . . fascinating . . . course-by-course menus for Upper Paleolithic blow-outs . . . that Joanne Harris might envy. Jean Auel is as remarkable a figure as J R R Tolkien.
Jean M. Auel has meticulously researched her subject and this latest book should continue the huge success of the series.
As always, Auel has meticulously researched her prehistoric subject and this latest offering is a triumphant continuation of the saga.
Massive in scope
Impeccable research makes this much more than a fantasy reconstruction of prehistoric life.
Bursting with hard information about ancient days and awash in steamy sex . . . Auel's latest will not only please her legions of fans but will hit the top of the list, pronto.
Enthralling, exciting and impossible to put down.
A rewarding read. A brilliant work of imagination
All stars
Most relevant
there are so many good elements to Auel's writing. But the repeated references to paedophilia are hard to listen to. I think that Auel's publishers should have edited out these awful passages. What were they thinking? I cannot believe that the books have not been criticised for this. The idea of adults wanting to 'initiate' children into sexual "pleasures" might have been acceptable in some deviant circles in the 1960s, bit it is not acceptable today. such ideas should not be promulgated by the author, or publishers of these novels. Its a shame, because there are so many other, positive elements to these novels. In this novel, Auel begins clumsily and the characters are quite 'simpsonesque'. But she recovers and after the initial chapters, I was drawn back into the story. Roweena Cooper is a good narrator and manages to keep up the same level of interest despite the frequent, laborious passages where Auel has simply pasted her research notes into the novel. Such plumping is just uneccesary. careful and sensitive editing would have really helped Auel to tell her story more effectively. I wonder if she resisted editing? Such a shame. It is so rare to read an epic story with a female central character, and Auel's story could be so significant. But the paedophilia is hard to read. I would suggest that these books are either highly restricted or carefully edited before being reprinted.

laborious and lacking focus

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I like the narrative voice and rythm. it suited the story I have loved for a long time

the research mixed with this story is fantastic

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If you could sum up The Shelters of Stone in three words, what would they be?

Informative, heart warming, just wow

What did you like best about this story?

the information it contained on locations, culture etc

Which character – as performed by Rowena Cooper – was your favourite?

Alya

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

will be reading the series

Informative, heart warming story

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Really enjoy this series. About to start the final one. May start all over again.

Good listen

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I throughly enjoy this series. I’ve read the physical books so often I needed a new set and now I have this to make around the world with me.

Fantastic

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