by Jean M. Auel
First published 2001
Ayla mounts her horse beside Jondalar as they begin their journey across the windswept grasslands of Ice Age Europe. The hunter-gatherers they encounter have never seen domesticated animals and view the pair with fear and suspicion. Ayla's strange accent and her ability to communicate with animals using their own sounds make her seem mysterious. Her control over a large wolf only deepens the mystery. Jondalar, tall and yellow-haired, commands respect for his magnificent stallion, his stone tool crafting skills, and his new invention, the spear-thrower. Their cross-continental trek brings them face to face with dangerous enemies and loyal friends. The vast unknown world proves both treacherous and beautiful, each challenge teaching them more about survival and each other. Every hardship and joy moves them closer to their goal. Ayla, orphaned from childhood, and Jondalar, long a wanderer, search for the one place they can truly call home.
Genres: science-fiction, romance, historical-fiction, adventure
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Ice Age Europe
Period: Ice Age
768 pages · Hardcover · Bantam