Auel (Chicago, 1936) conducted extensive research to write this saga (The Earth’s Children) set in the Ice Age. The first book (The Clan of the Cave Bear) was a great success. The novel’s protagonist is Ayla (Homo sapiens), who becomes an orphan after an earthquake and is taken in by a group of Neanderthals.
The author incorporates her academic knowledge into the narrative, so that it sometimes becomes a didactic exercise (although adventure, which has captivated millions of readers, always remains central). She describes in great detail the customs of the Neanderthals, including their sexual practices. She is interested in portraying emotions and violence; this includes the rape of the protagonist and the pregnancy resulting from this sexual abuse. She also reflects on theories of human evolution (the decline of the Neanderthals and the coexistence between Neanderthals and sapiens).