In "Land of Painted Caves", author Jean Auel has taken Ayla, Jondalar, Jonayla and their three horses and Wolf to what is modern day France. This story is the sixth in the series that started with "The Clan of the Cave Bear". The last ice age still grips the earth in its cold embrace, but there are warm places; places rich with plants and animals. Enough to feed the growing population of new humans.
Ayla seems destined to become a leader of the people. One who retains and passes on knowledge. With that in mind she is taken by another leader on a tour of the caves in the area. She is shown the paintings and carvings within that by this time have already been in place for time immemorial. It is all part of her training.
Throughout the story Auel tells what life would have been like back then, of the gatherings the people would have had during the summer times. And, although Auel tells a fine story I do find her to be very wordy. This is something I have found about her writing ever since her first novel, "The Clan of the Cave Bear" was published. For those who enjoy a good historical novel, each of the series is well worth reading as long as you don't mind getting bogged down in the wordiness.
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