The Valley of Horses

The Valley of Horses

Infobox Book |
name = The Valley of Horses


image_caption =
author = Jean M. Auel
country = United States
language = English
series = Earth's Children
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Crown
release_date = April 13, 1982
meda_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 502 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-517-54489-X (hardback)
preceded_by = The Clan of the Cave Bear
followed_by = The Mammoth Hunters

"The Valley of Horses" is an historical fiction novel by Jean M. Auel. It is the sequel to "The Clan of the Cave Bear" and second in the Earth's Children series.

Plot summary

The book starts off from the events at end of "The Clan of the Cave Bear". The protagonist, a young woman named Ayla (clearly Homo sapiens, aka Cro-Magnon) must face life after being exiled from the band of Neanderthals, known as the Clan, who had raised her from early childhood. The book follows the journey Ayla makes to find her own people, whom the Clan refer to as "the Others." It also follows the parallel travels of a new character, Cro-Magnon Jondalar of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, accompanying his half-brother Thonolan on a great Journey to walk the entire length of the "Great Mother River" (the Danube).

Ayla, alone and ritually ostracized from the only people she has ever known, travels alone for half a year until finding the book's titular valley, and eventually establishes a comfortable but lonely life there, keeping productive for several years to stave off her lack of company. In her desire for companionship she domesticates the foal of a horse she hunted, naming the filly "Whinney" and, in time, discovering how to ride her. Emboldened by this success, she takes in and treats an injured cave lion cub, which she names "Baby". During the mating season, both of these depart, Baby to find a lioness and his own pride and Whinney to find a stallion, with whom she conceives a foal.

Meanwhile, Jondalar and Thonolan travel east along the Great Mother River, making friends and facing dangers. The Journey was Thonolan's idea originally; Jondalar decided to accompany him partially to fulfill his dreams of travel, and partially to leave his fiancée, the beautiful-but-shrewish Marona, at the altar. Jondalar, who complements magnetic handsomeness with a quiet, brooding demeanor and supreme skills at pillow play, is often the recipient of female attention along the Journey, though Thonolan, with his candid nature and laughing eyes, is frequently able to charm the most lovely of the women around him. One of these, Jetamio of the Sharamudoi, becomes his mate, while Jondalar attempts to settle down with a woman named Serenio but fails to because of his confusing inability to fall in love. Thonolan's story ends in tragedy, however, when Jetamio dies trying to birth their firstborn child. Thonolan, the original impetus of their Journey, resumes his travels, intent on finding either the end of the river or death, while a worried Jondalar trails after him. The two characters' travels are described in alternating chapters (or double chapters) for most of the book.

Jondalar and Ayla meet when Thonolan attempts to hunt a wild deer but is relieved of his kill by a cave lioness. Reckless with grief, he and Jondalar pursue the lioness to her den, where her mate attacks them; the screams alert Ayla, who is able to rescue them when that mate turns out to be none other than Baby. Though Thonolan has already been killed, Jondalar is still alive, if gravely wounded, and Ayla saves the first member of the Others she has ever known.

The remaining chapters of the novel are essentially a love story, as Ayla and Jondalar learn to communicate, get to know each other, overcome the many culture clashes resulting from their differing upbringings, and fall in love. Ayla's language skills take a progressive leap after she uncovers a repressed memory about the earthquake that killed her parents; thereafter Jondalar is able to clear up many of the mysteries of her background. However, this creates its own set of crises when he learns who raised her—and, furthermore, about the "child of mixed spirits" she left behind—and must fight the prejudices of his culture and upbringing to accept her for who she is. He also administers her First Rites after coming to understand her unusual circumstances. Despite all obstacles, the two fall in love, and decide to leave the Valley of Horses and strike out for civilization. The story ends with Ayla and Jondalar meeting a group known as "The Mammoth Hunters", which (not coincidentally) is the title of the next book in the series. The story continues in sequels "The Plains of Passage" and "The Shelters of Stone"


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • List of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters — This is a list of characters from the manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Contents 1 Major characters 1.1 Valley of the Wind 1.1.1 Princess Nausicaä 1.1.2 King …   Wikipedia

  • The Mammoth Hunters — Infobox Book | name = The Mammoth Hunters image caption = author = Jean M. Auel country = United States language = English series = Earth s Children genre = Historical novel publisher = Crown release date = December 21, 1985 media type = Print… …   Wikipedia

  • The Clan of the Cave Bear — For the movie, see The Clan of the Cave Bear (film). The Clan of the Cave Bear   …   Wikipedia

  • The Shelters of Stone — Infobox Book name = The Shelters of Stone author = Jean M. Auel country = United States language = English series = Earth s Children genre = Historical fiction publisher = Crown release date = April 30, 2002 media type = Print (Hardback… …   Wikipedia

  • Valley City, Ohio — Valley City is an unincorporated community in central Liverpool Township, Medina County, Ohio, United States. The west branch of the Rocky River and Plum Creek flow near Valley City from south to north.It is located at intersection of State… …   Wikipedia

  • The High End of Low — Studio album by Marilyn Manson Released …   Wikipedia

  • The Burning Raid — was a Union military raid conducted in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun and Fauquier counties in Virginia in November and December of 1864 during the American Civil War. It was aimed at destroying the forage on which Confederate partisans operating… …   Wikipedia

  • Valley Forge — Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777 ndash;1778 in the American Revolutionary War. This was a time of great suffering for George Washington s Army, but it was also a time of …   Wikipedia

  • The United States of America —     The United States of America     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The United States of America     BOUNDARIES AND AREA     On the east the boundary is formed by the St. Croix River and an arbitrary line to the St. John, and on the north by the… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • The Pretty Little Lightning Paw — The Pretty Lightning Paw EP Extended Play von A Silver Mt. Zion Veröffentlichung 10. Mai 2004 Label Constellation Records CST030 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”