The Clan of the Great Cave Bear

Each time I see this book (and I've seen it many times now over the years of my persusal at bookstores or libraries), I have a vague feeling that we've met before, but I could never be quite certain if I've actually read this book.

So recently I picked it up at the library to satisfy my curiosity once and for all. Last night, then, I spent six very companionable hours with this book. Six hours! I started reading the book at 10 PM, and by the time I finished, it was pushing 4 AM. I was amazed how fast time flew, but I was deeply immersed in the story so that's why six hours passed in a blink of an eye.

The story tells of a young blond girl, whom, at five years old, was separated from her family and adopted by a different clan, a group of people that are wholly different from her, not just appearance-wise, but on some level, they are in a different evolutionary branch altogether. However (spoiler alert) she is able to produce viable offspring with a clan member, so they must be within the same species at least.

The writing is descriptive and expansive, sparing no words to describe scenes and people. It's not brilliant writing, because it takes about 200 words to say what a more accomplished writer might be able to say in 50. From a literary standpoint, it's easy reading but the story is close cousin to the dime and nickel romance adventure novels. However, I would still give kudos to the author who made some very detailed narrative sketches of a woman who finds her inner strength, develops her skills and mind to defy a clan of neantherthals (essentially).

What also gives the story warmth and depth is the deep love that she shares with her two adoptive parents, a shaman of the clan, who is an old, crippled man filled with wisdom before his time. The other woman is a medicine woman, and sister to the shaman. The profession of medicine is unabashedly elevated to a status of honor and almost spiritual importance.

The part I like best is when she begins to secretly teach herself to hunt by using a sling weapon. It's a taboo within the clan for females to hunt (any woman who touches a weapon is severely reprimanded and if she should hunt, they are cursed with death) So my inner feminist was ra-raing the whole time while I read about her becoming as good or better than anybody in the clan with the slingshot weapon.

In short, this book was a very feminist saga of one woman who was adopted by people very different than her and imposes strict rules and regulations of male and female hiearchy. As this novel was written in 1980, I have a feeling that the whole struggle for female rights is not far from this author's mind. Yet it was also couched in a story of love, of adventure, of survival and makes for a great Friday night reading.