Mynyel Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 NOT recommended. It was given to me as a gift when I was about dd13 age. I never read it because when I was 13 I could care less about books. So I got it for DD to read thinking it was OK since I received it as a kid. Not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Yeah, that is NOT a kid-safe book. At all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Oh dear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 LOL. I read it as a kid, when the movie was big. I read it again recently and I agree. I wouldn't let a 13 yr old read it. BTW, there is a whole series of books after it. The next one is even worse. I actually liked Clan, but the next one seemed really trashy to me, so I never picked up any after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 The whole series is like Cave Man P@rn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 The whole series is like Cave Man P@rn. :iagree: I liked the story concept, but it got lost behind all the different excuses to show s3x in extreme detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Definitely not for teens! Of course I read that series as a teen over and over, I loved it. I tried to read it again a few years ago, remembering how much I had enjoyed the books, and found them terrible - the writing, the plot, everything. I was so disappointed because I remembered loving learning about ice age/prehistoric people but now I don't think I can bring myself to read the new one coming out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 So WHO gave it to YOU when you were 13, lol??? Had they read it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 :iagree: I liked the story concept, but it got lost behind all the different excuses to show s3x in extreme detail. Seriously! It's all "Oh look! A cloud! Let's have s3x! Oh look! A horse! Let's have s3x! Oh nuts, I stubbed my toe. Let's have s3x." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowperch Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read that series and Flowers in the Attic and the rest as a young teenager. I love them. I still love a little trash when I have the time for it. But really, what was my mother thinking? I was a very innocent girl so I think a lot of it flew over my head, at least I think it did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elinnea Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 LOL, my very conservative/ religious grandmother gave this to me to read when I was around 14 or 15 too! After reading a few chapters I was quite bewildered as to WHY. :confused: I am sure that she actually had read it because she had all the other books in the series and recommended it to my mom too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I guess because it looks so innocent from the cover and seems like in interesting topic. I also read these over and over again as an teenager after it was recommended by a teacher! (around 17). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read that series and Flowers in the Attic and the rest as a young teenager. I love them. I still love a little trash when I have the time for it. But really, what was my mother thinking? I was a very innocent girl so I think a lot of it flew over my head, at least I think it did. Same here: the whole Clan of the Cave Bear series, all the VC Andrews books, every Danielle Steele I could find, and all sorts of historical bodice-ripper romance (the kinds with Fabio on the cover, lol). Any of the more mature content went right over my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read that series and Flowers in the Attic and the rest as a young teenager. I love them. I still love a little trash when I have the time for it. But really, what was my mother thinking? I was a very innocent girl so I think a lot of it flew over my head, at least I think it did. My mom, very conservative and religious, let my younger sister read Flowers in the Attic and other books by V.C. Andrews. She never knew what was in them. I didn't either for the longest time, and then read one. Sis was like, "shhh! don't tell mom!" :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Ah, how perspectives change as become parents! I read Clan of the Cave Bear and Pillars of the Earth both for my World History Class in 9th grade! At the time I didn't think anything of it....but I wouldn't want my kids reading them that young. I read the rest of the Cave Bear series just for fun and all the V.C. Andrews series too. My parents didn't censor what I read.....I don't think they knew what was in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 My 8th grade Social Studies teacher recommended it to me. To this day, I really, really wonder what he was thinking! The good news is that I was so oblivious at the time that I didn't really connect "relieving his needs" with sex, and basically had Ayla's baby coming via immaculate conception :). I was a lot more upset at them not wanting her to hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I loved them as a young teen, too. Most of it went right over my head-or it wasn't that descriptive because I don't remember any of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 NOT recommended. It was given to me as a gift when I was about dd13 age. I never read it because when I was 13 I could care less about books. So I got it for DD to read thinking it was OK since I received it as a kid. Not. I read it when I was about 13 also. Definitely not a kid's book. My mama was a big fan of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 My parents didn't censor what I read.....I don't think they knew what was in them. Mine didn't censor even when they did know what was in them :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 True. But it is a good book. I read it when I was 14 or 15 and it didn't scar me for life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Definitely not for teens! Of course I read that series as a teen over and over, I loved it. I tried to read it again a few years ago, remembering how much I had enjoyed the books, and found them terrible - the writing, the plot, everything. I was so disappointed because I remembered loving learning about ice age/prehistoric people but now I don't think I can bring myself to read the new one coming out. OMG---too funny!! Me too! Not what I remembered being so enamored with :confused: Same thing with Stephen King---LOVED it as a teen. Handed dd a book when she was about 14 and looking for something more to read...OOps! :001_huh: She was horrified and refused to read it :tongue_smilie: I was not homeschooled... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Lol. Well, I gave it to my dd around that age (maybe 14?) and she did enjoy it- and the next couple of books in t he series- but after a while she did make the comment "mum, you do realise those books are full of sex scenes, dont you? I mean, like, full of them?" Oops, I didnt remember so many- I remembered a rape scene at the beginning of the first one, that's all- and I was a bit surprised. But this is mature dd and I dont feel any harm was done, and I think the books have a lot of beauty in them too, and also show a strong female role model which was my intention with them. But if you are conservative and dont want to expose your kids to sex scenes, well, they are not the books for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Seriously! It's all "Oh look! A cloud! Let's have s3x! Oh look! A horse! Let's have s3x! Oh nuts, I stubbed my toe. Let's have s3x." I think people are mistaking Clan of the Cave Bear for Valley of the Horses (the second in the series). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Same here: the whole Clan of the Cave Bear series, all the VC Andrews books, every Danielle Steele I could find, and all sorts of historical bodice-ripper romance (the kinds with Fabio on the cover, lol). Any of the more mature content went right over my head. LOL :tongue_smilie: Oh yes===VC Andrews and Danielle Steele! I too read them all as a teen, with my mother even buying them for me. She had no clue, just though how wonderful it was I was reading. DH even read those VC Andrews---NOT kid stuff for OUR kids :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I think people are mistaking Clan of the Cave Bear for Valley of the Horses (the second in the series). I've only read Clan of the Cave Bear & it was plenty like that for me. There's not enough sex so we'll invent a coming-of-age sex ritual he has to "assist" in outside of all the other repeated sex scenes :glare:. If the next one was worse I think I'll skip it, thanks :lol:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 So WHO gave it to YOU when you were 13, lol??? Had they read it?? I honestly have no clue. I don't remember at all. I do remember I didn't read them. My dd13 read through some of the Clan book and she said it was "disturbing" and she didn't like it. I told her fine. I read VC Andrews - all of them that were out when I was a teenager. Loved them. The Heaven series was my favorite and I read it over and over. I think back on it now and realize that it wasn't all that great :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read that series and Flowers in the Attic and the rest as a young teenager. I love them. I still love a little trash when I have the time for it. But really, what was my mother thinking? I was a very innocent girl so I think a lot of it flew over my head, at least I think it did. :iagree: I also read Forever (Judy Blume) in 7th grade (12). I guess my Mom thought if it was a Judy Blume book it was OK. Quite the education which I suppose wasn't all bad as I was completely clueless about all things s*x given that Mom's response was always "you'll learn about it in school." :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 As a comparison, has anyone read The People of... series (about prehistoric peoples in America)? I would allow a 13 or 14 year old to read Clan of the Cave Bear, but likely ONLY that one for some time, as I agree that the rest are basically cave man p@rn, which is really too bad. If you took that all out, there is a lot of great information in Auel's books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Oh, yes, I read Judy Blume's Forever too. But, the one that stands out the most vividly in my mind was reading Go Ask Alice in 8th grade based upon a teacher's recommendation. Yikes! Talk about jaw-dropping to a kid! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 As a comparison, has anyone read The People of... series (about prehistoric peoples in America)? I would allow a 13 or 14 year old to read Clan of the Cave Bear, but likely ONLY that one for some time, as I agree that the rest are basically cave man p@rn, which is really too bad. If you took that all out, there is a lot of great information in Auel's books! I've read 2 of them. There is a lot of r8pe scenes and s*xual slavery, as well as child s*x slaves. This is ALWAYS painted in a neg and horrific light(and the perpetrators usually die a gruesome death), but it is present. You would have to have a very mature teen. On the flip side, it does a great job of explaining the culture, belifes, and what probly happened to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Oh, yes, I read Judy Blume's Forever too. But, the one that stands out the most vividly in my mind was reading Go Ask Alice in 8th grade based upon a teacher's recommendation. Yikes! Talk about jaw-dropping to a kid! :eek: Ha! Yes, read that too. In 6th grade (11) I believe. That gem was in the school library in the "special section" that you were allowed to choose from when you entered 6th grade. (Forever, Clan of the Cave Bear and Flowers in the Attic were not.) It freaked me out as I recall which was probably the intent. Drug education in that day consisted of scaring the carp out of kids to keep them away from drugs. I was convinced that high school would be full of pushers which was not the case at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyinva Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Is Pillars of the Earth inappropriate for teens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I think people are mistaking Clan of the Cave Bear for Valley of the Horses (the second in the series). You may be right. I remember her being "chosen" by Broud (?) and the rest of the clan thought it was an abomination. There really weren't any of the "others" in that first book were there? Just Ayla's life with the clan, right? My folks didn't censor what I read at all, and I read a.lot while I was in high school. The more recent series that surprises me is the the Outlander series set in Scotland. History is interesting, the "love" story is compelling but the s/m s*x is brutal, even at my age. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 when I was in 8th grade Honors English, this book was assigned to us as a class to read. This was before the movie was made, I remember out teacher being very excited when news about the movie planned came out. She flat out told us there was s##x in the book, but that she knew we were mature enough to handle it and that she did not-very strongly emphasized to us- did not want to deal with any of our parents because we went tattling to them. I agree with the poster at the beginning of this thread who said it was caveman p#$orn -exactly! I would not read it again as an adult, it was trash. one of the reasons I homeschool- teachers who do end-runs around parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Cornelia Snook Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I think I started to read that one when I was about 13, but never got far into it. My mom did say she didn't want me to read any further than the first book. I never finished "Clan", nor read any of the others in the series. I also read most of the V.C. Andrews books, knowing all along that they were not worth the paper they were printed on. But at the time, I just wanted to find out what happened! My mom didn't know what was in them, or she would probably have stopped it. "Forever" was another one that surprised me in the fifth grade or so. That was certainly educational! I also read in the sixth grade a book called "The Midwife"--I don't remember the author. Quite a few hot and heavy scenes in THAT one! I really hope my children will be more innocent about s3x than I was, for a while anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I remember her being "chosen" by Broud (?) and the rest of the clan thought it was an abomination. There really weren't any of the "others" in that first book were there? Just Ayla's life with the clan, right? This is what I recall it as well. I don't remember there being a lot of sex just that the way the author presented it was problematic. It was presented as though the women never had any choices in the matter of sex: not if, when or with whom. The first time Broud takes her is deeply distrurbing as I believe it was intended to be. To me though, that was nowhere near as painful as the ending of the book. I also found her being abandoned by her clan and their intentions for the child to be barbaric (once again the point I believe). Overall, I found it to be an incredibly powerful book. I remember vividly not only the scenes mentioned above but the entire time she spends on her own trying to survive and raise her child. I don't remember the writing itself but the story has stayed with me more than many other books I have read since then. Of course, that does not mean that it is appropriate for a child but I certainly don't think it was a bad book. I've only read Clan of the Cave Bear & it was plenty like that for me. There's not enough sex so we'll invent a coming-of-age sex ritual he has to "assist" in outside of all the other repeated sex scenes :glare:. If the next one was worse I think I'll skip it, thanks :lol:. I do not remember any coming of age/assisted sex ritual? :confused: Who is the "he" that you are refering to here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I do not remember any coming of age/assisted sex ritual? :confused: Who is the "he" that you are refering to here? Huh. I just Googled it and apparently I actually read the 2nd one, The Valley of the Horses, not the 1st one. Wonder why I thought it was the first one?? Well, that explains the sex overload :001_huh:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Definitely not for teens! Of course I read that series as a teen over and over, I loved it. I tried to read it again a few years ago, remembering how much I had enjoyed the books, and found them terrible - the writing, the plot, everything. I was so disappointed because I remembered loving learning about ice age/prehistoric people but now I don't think I can bring myself to read the new one coming out. There's a new one coming out? Finally! I've been waiting for that last book for at least 15 years! I will read it because I want to know what happens with Ayla and Jondalar with his people. Will she be made leader? What about her baby? S@x doesn't bother me. I'm almost 50 years old, for goodness sake. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Huh. I just Googled it and apparently I actually read the 2nd one, The Valley of the Horses, not the 1st one. Wonder why I thought it was the first one?? Well, that explains the sex overload :001_huh:. Well, at least I am not losing me mind any more than usual. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I do not remember any coming of age/assisted sex ritual? :confused: Who is the "he" that you are refering to here? That comes into play in the second book, Valley of the Horses. The "he" is Jondalar, a man of the "others" who eventually encounters Ayla and the "brown chicken brown cow" *really* picks up. I read the series in HS after seeing the first few minutes of the movie on TV one Saturday morning, and wanting to find out how it went. I ran into the book at a used bookstore, but my dad wouldn't let me buy it, so I checked it out from the library the next time I was there by myself. :lol: I LOVED the book (and was later *vastly* disappointed when I finally got to see the movie beginning to end and realized the 5 minutes I'd seen were the only good 5 minutes in the whole movie :tongue_smilie: ). I read several used copies to pieces. The sex scenes went right over my head, as I wasn't sexually active at the time I was reading it. And Auel doesn't go into *nearly* the detail in CotCB as she does in the later books. I was *shocked* when I read Valley of the Horses at how detailed the descriptions were. I remember skimming over a lot of it. It really didn't add anything to the story, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 There's a new one coming out? Finally! I've been waiting for that last book for at least 15 years! I will read it because I want to know what happens with Ayla and Jondalar with his people. Will she be made leader? What about her baby? S@x doesn't bother me. I'm almost 50 years old, for goodness sake. ;) Shelters of Stone (where Ayla and Jondalar reach the Zelandoni) has been out since about 2004 or 2005, I think? I wasn't all that impressed with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I was so disappointed because I remembered loving learning about ice age/prehistoric people but now I don't think I can bring myself to read the new one coming out. There's a new one coming out? Finally! I've been waiting for that last book for at least 15 years! I will read it because I want to know what happens with Ayla and Jondalar with his people. Will she be made leader? What about her baby? Shelters of Stone (where Ayla and Jondalar reach the Zelandoni) has been out since about 2004 or 2005, I think? I wasn't all that impressed with it. I think there is a new one coming out, The Land of Painted Caves. It looks like it's coming out at the end of this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bairnmama Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I read the whole series as a freshman in high school after my mom recommended the first one to me. I know she read the first one, but I'm not sure about the rest. I was SO bored and school and reading anything I could get my hands on from Agatha Christie and Isaac Asimov to Danielle Steele (NOT my favorite) and Michael Crichton. I don't think Clan of the Cave Bear bothered me as much as Ender's Game did, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I think there is a new one coming out, The Land of Painted Caves. It looks like it's coming out at the end of this month. Yes! I just pre-ordered it from Amazon. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 That comes into play in the second book, Valley of the Horses. The "he" is Jondalar, a man of the "others" who eventually encounters Ayla and the "brown chicken brown cow" *really* picks up. I read the series in HS after seeing the first few minutes of the movie on TV one Saturday morning, and wanting to find out how it went. I ran into the book at a used bookstore, but my dad wouldn't let me buy it, so I checked it out from the library the next time I was there by myself. :lol: I LOVED the book (and was later *vastly* disappointed when I finally got to see the movie beginning to end and realized the 5 minutes I'd seen were the only good 5 minutes in the whole movie :tongue_smilie: ). I read several used copies to pieces. The sex scenes went right over my head, as I wasn't sexually active at the time I was reading it. And Auel doesn't go into *nearly* the detail in CotCB as she does in the later books. I was *shocked* when I read Valley of the Horses at how detailed the descriptions were. I remember skimming over a lot of it. It really didn't add anything to the story, IMO. Ok, so now I am curious, not enough to actually read the other books mind you but enough to check out some reviews on Amazon. :tongue_smilie: Do any of the other books have any story to them or are they just, um, racy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Oh, yes, I read Judy Blume's Forever too. But, the one that stands out the most vividly in my mind was reading Go Ask Alice in 8th grade based upon a teacher's recommendation. Yikes! Talk about jaw-dropping to a kid! :eek: Yes, I also read Forever and I didn't think it was too bad so I read Wifey as well. I was shocked and I was a pretty enlightened teen. It was practically p*rn. I have no idea who the intended audience was. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Ok, so now I am curious, not enough to actually read the other books mind you but enough to check out some reviews on Amazon. :tongue_smilie: Do any of the other books have any story to them or are they just, um, racy? The "Publishers Weekly" review for the new one is pretty telling, I think. I enjoyed the books for the anthropology aspect (assuming it was based in fact). Things like soap making, the food preparation and storage, tanning hides, etc. I read all of them one right after the other and definitely noticed the increase in nookie. There were times it got tiresome ("they're doing it AGAIN?!"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I agree with the poster at the beginning of this thread who said it was caveman p#$orn -exactly! I would not read it again as an adult, it was trash. The s*x scenes in Clan of the Cave Bear are all rape scenes--not intended to arouse and definitely *not* p@rn. But I agree with you that it wasn't appropriate to assign to a class of 8th graders--or any class for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Is Pillars of the Earth inappropriate for teens? There are a couple pretty brutal r*pe scenes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 The whole series is like Cave Man P@rn. Too funny. I agree: not appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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