The Shelters of Stone (2002)

Ayla and Jondalar have finally made it back to his homeland in order to settle down and start their lives together. Ayla is pregnant and worried about whether she will be accepted by his people. Ayla shocks and amazes Jondalar's people/family with her talents as a healer, animal tamer, and her ability to create fire and she is accepted almost immediately.
As with all Jean M. Auel books, 'The Shelters of Stone' is heavy on the detail and history of the land and people inhabiting it. The story doesn't build up to much in the end and I was a bit disappointed, especially since the ending was a tad expected. I waited almost a decade to read this because the size definitely frightened me and unfortunately her books can be a bit boring at times. I will probably be waiting at least another decade before deciding to delve into the last and final chapter in the Earth's Children series. ( )

there was a big gap in when the first 4 books were published and when the 5th and then the 6th came out. i was hoping that with the break, that auel would be able to tend to some of the things that made the first 4 books less than perfect. to her credit, to some extent she did. the writing was a little better, although there was still the overuse of exclamation points and overall decent writing, but no better. unfortunately, she spent so much time (and so many pages) in the first 4 books making ayla this perfect person, that when she managed to show more humanness and small flaws in this book, it didn't fit, because the things she said ayla had trouble with, she never would (like remembering the names of all the people she met). but that's ok, because it made her less one dimensional. this book was interesting in the research elements, less so for the story. i think that from the story's perspective, probably the series should have ended with the 4th book, but it was interesting to learn about burial, matrimonial, and spiritual rites. it's amazing that there is that much information out there about these people that were living 30,000 years ago. and that information is definitely passed on to the reader in a casual but compelling way. ( )

For me this was the least of all five books. It was quite disappointing, after so many years of waiting. Like I said about part 4, there was a lot of repetition, again.
Nice to finally know what happens to Ayla and Jondalar. But I had to plough through too many pages to find out. ( )

In this novel Ayla is pregnant. Ayla is such a strong woman and this tale is beautifully told. Everyone should read the Earth's Children ( )

I’d been warned that this series went downhill and I can see why so many people say so. I saw an editorial review on Amazon that sums up the whole story so well I had to share it: In The Shelters of Stone, Ayla meets the Zelandonii tribe of Jondalar, the Cro-Magnon hunk she rescued from Baby, her pet lion. Ayla is pregnant. How will Jondalar's mom react? Or his bitchy jilted fiancée? Ayla wows her future in-laws by striking fire from flint and taming a wild wolf. But most regard her Neanderthal adoptive Clan as subhuman "flatheads." Clan larynxes can't quite manage language, and Ayla must convince the Zelandonii that Clan sign language isn't just arm-flapping. Zelandonii and Clan are skirmishing, and those who interbreed are deemed "abominations." What would Jondalar's tribe think if they knew Ayla had to abandon her half-breed son in Clan country? The plot is slow to unfold, because Auel's first goal is to pack the tale with period Pleistocene detail, provocative speculation, and bits of romance, sex, tribal politics, soap opera, and homicidal wooly rhino-hunting adventure. Totally, right? Thank you Tim Appelo! I didn’t dislike the book per say but it’s gotten to the point where I just want to know what happens but don’t actually want to take the time to read it. There was no strife in this book, no real action to keep the book’s pace up. The book dragged too much and most scenes had no emotions behind them. It all came across as flat and creates no link between the characters and readers. Ayla is too perfect. Jondalar has become flat. Not where I had hoped the story would go. I’ve come to the decision that I will not be reading the last book. I thought I’d try, but after this last book I decided I’m not interested enough to even try. The first two books were great. I highly recommend those. But I have to agree with everyone who warned me, that Auel just doesn’t keep the greatness up. And I’ve been told the sixth book is the worst of all six. So, no thanks. I’m off for a new series. ( )