Don't read this! It's horrible, really. The book is extremely repetitive. When you start reading it, you might think there's going to be a point to Ayla visiting all those caves. Don't bother looking for it. There really isn't.
If it makes you feel any better, the perfection between Ayla and Jondalar does get broken a bit, with Jondalar acting like an ass (he cheats), and Ayla reacting like an idiot (she cheats back.). For me, that wasn't an improvement, though. It annoyed me, and I hated the ending. HATED the ending. All this potential building up, Ayla being special and clearly Destined For Something, and then this is what it comes down to? No fun. Really, this book is a combination of boredom, frustration and exasperation. Don't bother with it, it'll save you the aggravation. ( )

I was terribly disappointed in this book. I had loved the earlier Earth's Children novels dearly and had eagerly anticipated hearing what happened to Ayla and Jondalar when they reached his home. Perhaps it's only that I was only a teenager when I read the first several books, and nearly 40 when I read this one, so that I'm approaching the main characters and their drama from a different perspective and with an adult's experiences and taste. In any case, I couldn't even work up an interest in the final book just released last year. ( )

I've waited for this last volume of the series with very mixed feelings. On the one hand I wanted to know what happened to Ayla, and also if she ever was reunited with her son Durc, but on the other hand vol. 5 was alrady disappointing and giving me a bad feeling about a continuation of the tale. That feeling proved to be right, as vol. 6 turned out to be a complete failure, and I also didn't finish it - something I rarely do. I really love the series and have re-read the first 4 volumes multiple times in German and English. But I don't feel any desire to re-read vol. 5 so far, and don't think I'll ever finish vol. 6. Definitely can't recommend.

Deutsche Fassung:
Den letzten Band dieser Serie habe ich mit sehr gemischten Gefühlen erwartet. Einerseits wollte ich unbedingt wissen wie es mit Ayla weitergeht, anderseits fand ich bereits Band 5 zunehmend frustrierend und hatte ein mulmiges Gefühl, was dessen Fortsetzung angeht. Leider zu recht, denn der 6. Band hat sich als kompletter Reinfall erwiesen, den ich auch - was mir nur selten passiert - nicht zuende gelesen habe. Ich liebe die Serie sehr und habe die ersten vier Bände auf deutsch und englisch mehrfach gelesen, doch auch den 5. Band schon nur ein Mal und nicht vor, ihn wiederzulesen. ( )

Los refugios de piedra
Jean M. Auel
Publicado: 2002 | 773 páginas
Novela Aventuras Histórico
Serie: Los hijos de la tierra #5

Después de su épico viaje a través de Europa, Ayla y Jondalar llegan por fin a su hogar, la Novena Caverna de los Zelandonii, al suroeste de Francia, antiguo emplazamiento de la Edad de Piedra. La familia de Jondalar se muestra cauta con Ayla, la bella y joven mujer que le acompaña, criada en su infancia con el Clan. Pronto se verá sorprendida por sus costumbres y forma de vida, así como por sus ropas, casas y diferentes formas de interpretar el arte. Ayla queda encantada cuando encuentra a Zelandoni, la líder espiritual de la Novena Caverna, junto con la que podrá compartir sus conocimientos y prácticas medicinales de curación. Tras las dificultades y los peligros que hasta ahora les han acechado, Ayla anhela paz y tranquilidad junto a Jondalar, quien desea unirse en la inminente ceremonia matrimonial. Sin embargo, sus singulares dotes espirituales no pasan inadvertidas a los integrantes de su nueva comunidad, e incluso después de dar a luz a su deseado hijo debe aceptar la idea de que tiene que desempeñar un papel más decisivo en el destino de los Zelandonii.

118-5