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A review by jozi_girl
Mother Earth Father Sky by Sue Harrison
3.0
3 1/2 stars
This is a story of Chagak, a young woman who at the brink of womanhood, loses her entire tribe to a group of killers known as the Short Ones. Along with her infant brother she tries to find a way to survive. Woman are not hunters in this civilization, their “spirit” is not strong enough, so when Chagak lands on a beach that belongs to an old man called Shuganan, her hopes of survival increases.
Shuganan is an outcast, a man with the power of capturing spirits in little figurines and is clearly in need of companionship and family.
Chagak fills the role of surrogate granddaughter admirably but their lives are harsh and difficult and full of tragedy. The descriptions of hunting, housing and honouring spirits formed a central part of the story however I would have liked to understand the dynamics and politics between the different tribes better.
Perhaps that will be elaborated on in the sequel.
Its impossible not to compare this to [b:The Clan of the Cave Bear|1295|The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)|Jean M. Auel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385331302s/1295.jpg|1584694] as both are novels are set in prehistoric time. I think Clan is a faster paced and slightly more interesting in its elaborative details however Chagak was portrayed in a more honest light than Ayla (from [b:The Clan of the Cave Bear|1295|The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)|Jean M. Auel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385331302s/1295.jpg|1584694]) who always seemed to magically know how to do anything.
I don't want to give away too much information, but the book is worth the read if you have an interest in prehistoric novels.
PS: My advice is to listen to it on audio rather than reading the printed version.
This is a story of Chagak, a young woman who at the brink of womanhood, loses her entire tribe to a group of killers known as the Short Ones. Along with her infant brother she tries to find a way to survive. Woman are not hunters in this civilization, their “spirit” is not strong enough, so when Chagak lands on a beach that belongs to an old man called Shuganan, her hopes of survival increases.
Shuganan is an outcast, a man with the power of capturing spirits in little figurines and is clearly in need of companionship and family.
Chagak fills the role of surrogate granddaughter admirably but their lives are harsh and difficult and full of tragedy. The descriptions of hunting, housing and honouring spirits formed a central part of the story however I would have liked to understand the dynamics and politics between the different tribes better.
Perhaps that will be elaborated on in the sequel.
Its impossible not to compare this to [b:The Clan of the Cave Bear|1295|The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)|Jean M. Auel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385331302s/1295.jpg|1584694] as both are novels are set in prehistoric time. I think Clan is a faster paced and slightly more interesting in its elaborative details however Chagak was portrayed in a more honest light than Ayla (from [b:The Clan of the Cave Bear|1295|The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)|Jean M. Auel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385331302s/1295.jpg|1584694]) who always seemed to magically know how to do anything.
I don't want to give away too much information, but the book is worth the read if you have an interest in prehistoric novels.
PS: My advice is to listen to it on audio rather than reading the printed version.