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Earth's Children #4 part 1/2
The Plains of Passage, Part 1 of 2
Part One Of Two Parts Ayla, the heroine first introduced in THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, is loved by millions of readers, with the result that the Earth Children series has become a national literary phenomenon. In THE PLAINS OF PASSAGE Ayla's story continues. Ayla and Jondalar set out on horseback over the grasslands of Ice-Age Europe. They traverse a vast continent, difficult and treacherous, but pristine and breathtakingly beautiful, full of enchantment. Their trek is a search for something that calls them, that special place that can be their home. "A panorama of human culture in its infancy. A powerful story...Auel is a highly imaginative writer. She humanizes prehistory and gives it immediacy." (The Chicago Sun- Times)
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First published January 1, 1990
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About the author
Jean M. Auel
61 books4,444 followersJean Marie Auel is an American writer who wrote the Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores human activities during this time, and touches on the interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.
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November 4, 2009"While I did enjoy this book as a continuation of the series, and for the information about medicinal plants and survival techniques, it definitely was too heavy on description and too light on plot. I found myself skimming pages at a time, looking for the action to start up again after a much-too-long passage about mammoths, or verdant valleys, or karst landscapes.[return][return]It was nice to revisit the characters from The Valley of Horses, but this book needed a better editor."
June 21, 2020
Retour aujourd'hui sur la suite de la saga Les Enfants de la Terre, avec le volume 4 " Le Grand Voyage".
Après avoir retrouvé Jondalar, Ayla décide à contrecoeur de quitter les Mamutoïs qui ont su l'accepter malgré ses différences pour suivre son compagnon jusque dans son propre peuple, les Zélandoniis. Mais ces derniers vivent de l'autre côté du continent et c'est un long voyage qui les attend. D'avancées en avancées et de rencontres en rencontres, Ayla va beaucoup apprendre sur les Autres, leurs coutumes, leur art de vivre, mais aussi leurs défauts, leurs préjugés et leur intolérance parfois.
Difficile de juger ce volume. Je l'aime bien dans le fond. Il s'y passe des choses palpitantes et on en apprend décidément beaucoup plus sur l'univers de ces peuples de la préhistoire et sur les fabuleuses inventions qu'ils ont développées pour rendre leur quotidien plus confortable.
Cependant, il y a des redondances avec les autres tomes, mais aussi en son sein même. Les rencontres avec les différents peuples tendent à se ressembler (surprise / méfiance / présentation / Ayla fait quelque chose d'extraordinaire / tout le monde l'adore / tout le monde veut la garder). Et les passages de voyage sont d'une monotonie qui certes, mime le trajet des personnages, mais à la longue ça devient vite lassant. Les personnages eux-mêmes commencent à montrer leurs limites, Ayla avec sa perfection qui ne connaît qu'une ou deux failles dans toute l'intrigue, Jondalar avec son côté parfois arrogant et surtout casse-pied à tout le temps répéter qu'il faut se dépêcher pour pouvoir traverser le glacier à temps. Ça et les descriptions incessantes et encore une fois redondantes du paysage...
Alors après, ça reste une histoire formidable, portée par un souffle unique qui permet de relativiser ces défauts. Mais ce volume reste, à mes yeux, l'un des moins réussis de la saga, sans doute parce que son intrigue première (le voyage) demeure très linéaire. Une bonne lecture tout de même, pleine de nostalgie et de bons souvenirs.
Après avoir retrouvé Jondalar, Ayla décide à contrecoeur de quitter les Mamutoïs qui ont su l'accepter malgré ses différences pour suivre son compagnon jusque dans son propre peuple, les Zélandoniis. Mais ces derniers vivent de l'autre côté du continent et c'est un long voyage qui les attend. D'avancées en avancées et de rencontres en rencontres, Ayla va beaucoup apprendre sur les Autres, leurs coutumes, leur art de vivre, mais aussi leurs défauts, leurs préjugés et leur intolérance parfois.
Difficile de juger ce volume. Je l'aime bien dans le fond. Il s'y passe des choses palpitantes et on en apprend décidément beaucoup plus sur l'univers de ces peuples de la préhistoire et sur les fabuleuses inventions qu'ils ont développées pour rendre leur quotidien plus confortable.
Cependant, il y a des redondances avec les autres tomes, mais aussi en son sein même. Les rencontres avec les différents peuples tendent à se ressembler (surprise / méfiance / présentation / Ayla fait quelque chose d'extraordinaire / tout le monde l'adore / tout le monde veut la garder). Et les passages de voyage sont d'une monotonie qui certes, mime le trajet des personnages, mais à la longue ça devient vite lassant. Les personnages eux-mêmes commencent à montrer leurs limites, Ayla avec sa perfection qui ne connaît qu'une ou deux failles dans toute l'intrigue, Jondalar avec son côté parfois arrogant et surtout casse-pied à tout le temps répéter qu'il faut se dépêcher pour pouvoir traverser le glacier à temps. Ça et les descriptions incessantes et encore une fois redondantes du paysage...
Alors après, ça reste une histoire formidable, portée par un souffle unique qui permet de relativiser ces défauts. Mais ce volume reste, à mes yeux, l'un des moins réussis de la saga, sans doute parce que son intrigue première (le voyage) demeure très linéaire. Une bonne lecture tout de même, pleine de nostalgie et de bons souvenirs.
November 19, 2019
Ayla i Jondalar wybierają się w daleką drogę, do rodzinnych stron mężczyzny. Oznacza to, że będziemy przerabiać dokładną powtórkę z rozrywki z poprzednich części. Nie pojawi się absolutnie nic nowego, co mogłoby odświeżyć naszą historię. Będzie za to co chwila tłumaczenie wszystkiego, co wydarzyło się w poprzednich książkach - od wychowania Ayli przez Klan, przez wytwarzanie miotacza oszczepów czy krzesanie ognia, po oswojenie zwierząt włącznie. Ileż można czytać o tym samym! Ja rozumiem, że ten zabieg ma za zadanie ułatwić zrozumienie książki temu, kto nie czyta serii po kolei, lub natrafił na ten tom przypadkowo, ale zupełnie mnie obchodzi komfort czytelników, którzy nie czytają serii w kolejności. Mnie to strasznie męczy.
Zresztą, ponawiane opisy w/w elementów opowieści, to nie jedyne momenty, w których przewracałam kartki w poszukiwaniu dalszej historii. Mam już absolutnie dość koncepcyjnych i antykoncepcyjnych rozważań Ayli oraz wilgotnych fałd, rozkosznych półkul, głębokich studni i gorliwych trzonów. Tylko płonących konarów brakuje. Myślę, że twórcy reklam o tej tematyce mogliby się wiele nauczyć z tych książek. Ugaś swój płonący konar w głębokiej, wilgotnej studni! Nie. Można opisywać te aspekty relacji damsko-męskich w bardziej subtelny sposób. Oczywiście jak już twórca opisywać takie rzeczy musi, bo inaczej się udusi. Jak dla mnie, co już wcześniej zaznaczałam, w tej serii jest to zbędne.
Podsumowując - im głębiej w las, tym więcej konarów.
5/10
Zresztą, ponawiane opisy w/w elementów opowieści, to nie jedyne momenty, w których przewracałam kartki w poszukiwaniu dalszej historii. Mam już absolutnie dość koncepcyjnych i antykoncepcyjnych rozważań Ayli oraz wilgotnych fałd, rozkosznych półkul, głębokich studni i gorliwych trzonów. Tylko płonących konarów brakuje. Myślę, że twórcy reklam o tej tematyce mogliby się wiele nauczyć z tych książek. Ugaś swój płonący konar w głębokiej, wilgotnej studni! Nie. Można opisywać te aspekty relacji damsko-męskich w bardziej subtelny sposób. Oczywiście jak już twórca opisywać takie rzeczy musi, bo inaczej się udusi. Jak dla mnie, co już wcześniej zaznaczałam, w tej serii jest to zbędne.
Podsumowując - im głębiej w las, tym więcej konarów.
5/10
August 13, 2017
Once again, I keep this book (and series) extremely high with my marks. Though the repetition of information is finally getting tiresome to my high retention brain, I so thoroughly love and identify with the main character that there are times I feel that I'm reading my own biography (and, no. I'm not being facetious). This fourth book in the series had a lot more adventure and action because it was sent with the long journey home as the backdrop. I liked the diverse situations we were able to experience along the way. It would be interesting to read an abridged copy of this series since it is complete. I think a lot of the repetition could be culled out to make this an even more riveting piece of work.
September 17, 2024
There were parts of the book that were entertaining, but I would never recommend this book to someone else. I only finished it because I have to finish what I start. There were too many details that were just plain boring. I read one paragraph to a couple of friends, where the author was explaining sunglasses (essentially) and NO ONE could figure out what she meant by the description, even after re-reading it numerous times. Sometimes I would read a paragraph that was super detailed numerous times and still not get the picture. I really don't recommend this book, the storyline was good, but it could have been done in half the amount of words.
September 15, 2017
This story was boring until half way through it. I almost decided not to read the rest when half way through it started to get really interesting and found I could not put it down. Too bad the first half of the book was very predictable and boring. This part maybe should have been summarized into 20 pages.
November 10, 2019
The Plains of Passage is an entertaining read, though overall slow moving story. The author describes the landscapes and plant life of the times in ways to allow the reader to envision what the land may have looked like so long ago. The book is a quiet story without any one particularly exciting dramatic point.
February 16, 2020
3.5⭐ Depuis ma découverte de cette série, j'ai toujours aimé le détail et la liaison entre les livres que l'auteur a fait. Cependant, dans le tome 4.1, je trouve redondant les retours en arrière comme si nous n'avions pas lu les tomes précédent et l'abondance de détails qui alourdi la lecture. L'histoire reste malgré tout exceptionnelle et intriguante.
July 18, 2018
La première moitié est très répétitive et ennuyante. Elle donne le goût d’arrêter de lire la série au complet. Cependant, la deuxième moitié est plus intéressante et incite à poursuivre.
March 7, 2018
One talented cave girl.
July 14, 2018
Très bien
March 31, 2019
Eagerly waited the release of this back when it first came out. My husband lost me for days while I read it. Love this series!
June 4, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by the adventures in this book. I did get through this book pretty quickly since I skipped a lot of the detailed descriptions and the cave sex.
May 12, 2020
Très bon.
La suite de leur voyage:) il y a bcp de description du paysage, je lit en diagonale un peu mais l’histoire est agréable, facile à lire et péripétie entraînante qui fait qu’on décroche pas.
La suite de leur voyage:) il y a bcp de description du paysage, je lit en diagonale un peu mais l’histoire est agréable, facile à lire et péripétie entraînante qui fait qu’on décroche pas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2022
Un univers fascinant! Une époque pas si lointaine. Des aventures extraordinaires! Nos ancêtres avaient des vies bien différentes, mais bien intéressantes.
November 1, 2022
Enamorada de esta saga y de Ayla.
November 23, 2022
I'm getting less and less excited about finishing this series.
May 7, 2024
Old time favorite
October 31, 2024
On commence tranquillement à se lasser de la série qui devient redondante mais en même temps on a envie de la poursuivre jusqu'à la fin.
February 26, 2025
Le style d ecriture n a pas réussi à me transporter dans l univers de l auteur
July 26, 2025
gostei, mas era mais secante que os anteriores
April 3, 2025
J’ai décidé de ne pas lire les passages sexuels à foison ainsi que ceux où l’autrice se répètent sans cesse. Oui, on connaît l’histoire, pourquoi avoir eu besoin de répéter celle-ci sous forme de pensées des personnages ? Le personnage masculin est de plus en plus insupportable, les longues descriptions sont lourdes et le génie innovateur des humains sont risibles. A ce stade-là, je continue la lecture de la série car j’ai juste besoin de finir une tâche que j’ai commencé.
February 1, 2016
Review: The Plains of Passage by Jean M. Auel.
This is the fourth book to Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children Series. The reason I enjoy this series is because it was so long ago that I read it that I wanted to read the adventures of Ayla and Jondalar from a different viewpoint. I love adventure, the Stone Age era, the characters, their culture, and the creative way things where made back then. Jean Auel gives so much research information of that era that just fascinates me. The writing is very descriptive and that has always been a highlight in her books. Some of the environment descriptions are a bit too much at times but that’s what kept me turning the pages.
This book starts out with Jondalar and Ayla taking a long journey across many miles of treacherous terrain while heading back to Jondalar’s home, the People of the Zelandonii’s. They headed west to get back to the Great Mother River which they followed all the way to the west end. Along the way they met several different types of people, many were friendly, and they made new friends. They also came across some trouble with another group of people who were led by a female xenia-type warrior leader who hated men and kept them in a cage like structure with little food, less water and no warm clothing for the winter months. These men were so abused that they were dying off slowly day by day. Plus, Jondalar was one of her captives for a while until Ayla spoilt of the women’s barbaric events when she rode into the S’Armunai camp on horseback to rescue Jondalar. There was more to that scene which was interesting and Ayla justified the events their leader was holding over her group of women warriors.
In between some of the adventurous there were some graphic scenes of Ayla and Jondalar having what they called Pleasures….Within other scenes Ayla was considered a healer and helped many people along the way. It was amazing that back then they used datura, wormwood, and chamomile which I even heard my grandmother used during her lifetime. It’s a good story with a feeling of being part of it covering human issues that would not go away, being forgotten, bigotry, hatred, weakness, honor, love and the whole host of human conditions and how they started….. The ending was a special surprise…..!
This is the fourth book to Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children Series. The reason I enjoy this series is because it was so long ago that I read it that I wanted to read the adventures of Ayla and Jondalar from a different viewpoint. I love adventure, the Stone Age era, the characters, their culture, and the creative way things where made back then. Jean Auel gives so much research information of that era that just fascinates me. The writing is very descriptive and that has always been a highlight in her books. Some of the environment descriptions are a bit too much at times but that’s what kept me turning the pages.
This book starts out with Jondalar and Ayla taking a long journey across many miles of treacherous terrain while heading back to Jondalar’s home, the People of the Zelandonii’s. They headed west to get back to the Great Mother River which they followed all the way to the west end. Along the way they met several different types of people, many were friendly, and they made new friends. They also came across some trouble with another group of people who were led by a female xenia-type warrior leader who hated men and kept them in a cage like structure with little food, less water and no warm clothing for the winter months. These men were so abused that they were dying off slowly day by day. Plus, Jondalar was one of her captives for a while until Ayla spoilt of the women’s barbaric events when she rode into the S’Armunai camp on horseback to rescue Jondalar. There was more to that scene which was interesting and Ayla justified the events their leader was holding over her group of women warriors.
In between some of the adventurous there were some graphic scenes of Ayla and Jondalar having what they called Pleasures….Within other scenes Ayla was considered a healer and helped many people along the way. It was amazing that back then they used datura, wormwood, and chamomile which I even heard my grandmother used during her lifetime. It’s a good story with a feeling of being part of it covering human issues that would not go away, being forgotten, bigotry, hatred, weakness, honor, love and the whole host of human conditions and how they started….. The ending was a special surprise…..!
May 27, 2013
The compelling story continues to make the reader personally involved with the characters. The characters seem alive and real. It doesn't matter that the story is supposed to be set more than 10,000 years ago. Modern readers relate perfectly to how they are portrayed. They feel like people we should know in real life - people we would WANT to know...
Well-written considering that the author can hold attention after such an exhaustive set of detailed descriptions and repetitions of sections in the previous books. I would have preferred more maps and less topographical descriptions as it demands a lot of concentration to paint a mental picture. This detracts somewhat from the enjoyment of the plot. The ways and habits of the animals are masterfully described - especially that of Wolf, who becomes a lovable character in his own right in this volume.
Most seem to agree that the romantic scenes are exceeding the boundaries of good taste. I skipped paragraphs and sometimes entire pages, but still enjoyed the story immensely. It transports the reader with vivid clarity and probably a fair degree of accuracy into a world which no longer exists. A world which nobody has seen. And yet, a world which we are still connected to. Very well worth the read.
Well-written considering that the author can hold attention after such an exhaustive set of detailed descriptions and repetitions of sections in the previous books. I would have preferred more maps and less topographical descriptions as it demands a lot of concentration to paint a mental picture. This detracts somewhat from the enjoyment of the plot. The ways and habits of the animals are masterfully described - especially that of Wolf, who becomes a lovable character in his own right in this volume.
Most seem to agree that the romantic scenes are exceeding the boundaries of good taste. I skipped paragraphs and sometimes entire pages, but still enjoyed the story immensely. It transports the reader with vivid clarity and probably a fair degree of accuracy into a world which no longer exists. A world which nobody has seen. And yet, a world which we are still connected to. Very well worth the read.
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April 23, 2018Ayla y Jondalar emprenden de nuevo el camino. Tras su estancia y aprendizaje con los Mamutoi, Jondalar siente el irreprimible deseo de volver de nuevo a su hogar. Ayla le acompaña. En plena naturaleza inhóspita e inestable, Ayla y Jondalar inician el último viaje que les llevará a atravesar todo el mundo conocido. Acompañados de los caballos a los que han aprendido a montar y del lobo que cuidaron desde que era un cachorro, ambos atravesarán valles, ríos, planicies y glaciares en la última etapa en busca de un lugar donde asentarse definitivamente. Esta vez, sus pasos les llevarán hasta otras tribus, de las que aprenderán y a las que, también, enseñarán. Marcados por el hecho de vivir con animales, deberán aprender a luchar contra la desconfianza que siembran a su paso, en un viaje duro e inolvidable que durará más de un año.
August 24, 2012
Thi is the second time I have read this series. I am reading it again to try to catch up so I can read he new book she finally put out!
Up until this particular book I would give all of the books 4.5 stars. So far this one is a bit slow because they are traveling endlessly next to a river and having lots of sex, while nothing much else goes on. I Will probably write another review in a day or two when I finish this book.
Update: I finished this book and it did have a nice twist at the end that sped the book up considerably! Worth reading to get through to the Shelters of Stone which was excellent.
Up until this particular book I would give all of the books 4.5 stars. So far this one is a bit slow because they are traveling endlessly next to a river and having lots of sex, while nothing much else goes on. I Will probably write another review in a day or two when I finish this book.
Update: I finished this book and it did have a nice twist at the end that sped the book up considerably! Worth reading to get through to the Shelters of Stone which was excellent.
November 24, 2012
I have found that Jean Auel has been instrumental in helping me to appreciate the pre-history that pre dated our Native American tribes even though this story takes place on a different continent. His fiction based on archaeological findings is presented in such a way that you never know you are learning something very important. All of Jean's books are that way and I value every one. I have tried to read every one of Jean's books and have come away with a better knowledge of history and pre history than I ever learned in school with little or no pain of boredom whatsoever. I only wish to emulate Jean's excellent style in my own books. Kitty Sutton
September 23, 2020
Má nejoblíbenější sága z dětství, četla jsem ji celkově 2x.
August 4, 2011
This was my least favorite out of the series. It just kept going and there was really nothing in it for the length of the book that made me not want to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews