The Land of Painted Caves cover art

The Land of Painted Caves

Earth's Children, Book 6

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The Land of Painted Caves

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

The Land of Painted Caves concludes the story of Ayla, her mate Jondalar, and their little daughter, Jonayla, taking readers on a journey of discovery and adventure as Ayla struggles to find a balance between her duties as a new mother and her training to become a Zelandoni - one of the Ninth Cave community's spiritual leaders and healers.

Once again, Jean Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived thousands of years ago, rendering the terrain, dwelling places, longings, beliefs, creativity, and daily lives of Ice Age Europeans as real to the reader as today's news.

©2011 Jean M Auel (P)2011 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd Fiction Historical Fiction

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All stars
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I have read all of the series, and have been waiting for this one eagerly, although have not listened to one before. As the previous I find the stories and the development of people fascinating, even though some are probably just fiction. Whatever, it is all most enjoyable. If this is the first you have come across then go back to the beginning and the Clan of the Cave Bear. I shall now been re-reading them all!

Does not disappoint

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Had to finish the book because it was the last one. The best part was the very last chapter. The book is overly descriptive. If I hear the mothers song once more I will scream . Found myself fast forwarding far too much . Having said all that I would still read the next book if she ever writes one .

Repetitive

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The story of Ayla and how she went from being just a healer to a fall blown Zelandoni of the Nineth cave of Zelandonii. It's just a pity that it was the last book in the "Earth Children" saga of books.

The Land of Painted Caves

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Too much repetition but the series is epic worth a listen, would be good edited for a film

Sad it ended

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I loved this séries. I read them in the 80s and then listened to them on Audible again 40 years later. A bit embarrassing listening on head phones on the bus or in the supermarket when the story gets graphic about Ayla and Jondla’s pleasures.

Brilliant séries

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I have loved these books and have listened to them back to back. If you are also doing this, be aware that the narrator changes Ayla's accent and the pronunciation of some of the names of crucial characters. I feel like it's really distracted me from the story and found it very annoying. I have enjoyed the narrator's performance throughout, she has a lovely voice and differentiates between characters. However, if you listen to the entire series at once as I have done, you may also find it annoying listening to the changes in the last book.

Accents and pronunciations of names have changed

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This book is very repetitive, not only of episodes in previous books, but time after time in this book itself. Some description of the area and things seen by characters is necessary and interesting, but it’s taken to an extreme where it becomes boring. Characters are not as well drawn as previously and the longed for child is just an aside. Rowena Cooper reads the story well as she usually does, but the narration was a bit spoilt for me by her suddenly and unaccountably endowing Ayla with a pseudo South African accent which grew less as the book reached its conclusion.

Not as good as the other stories

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If you are looking for a story you will be disappointed as it is very similar to earlier books in the series in terms if the storyline. If you like to lose yourself in the description of how earth's resources were used by early people and how societal mores may have evolved then you'll love it.

Detailed description lives of early people

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an interesting conclusion to this fascinating series although it is a pity that they are all not available from audible. I found this one a bit more wordy that the others and some of the ideas more obscure but still a very enjoyable listen and i would recommend it provided the rest of the series is read/listened to first!

the land of painted caves

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great end to the series, Rowena Cooper's excellent narration, has been my guide through the world of Jean M Auel in all six books over 160 hours of stories. I'll miss the characters and miss the amazing world J M Auel has created.

fitting end to the series

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