Customer Reviews

Circles of Stone

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Like many Jean M. Auel fans, I am anxiously waiting for her next book to be published. When Amazon recommended this book to me, it seemed really exciting to read about our ancient primate relatives, even if they were all named Zena (to which my mind always supplied "Warrior Princess"). There is a character in the book named Tron, as well, and it's difficult to read that name having grown up in the 70's, without cracking a smile.
But the book doesn't live up to the innovative idea the author had, because the writing style is so plain. It's extremely simplistic in it's language, which I could make a case for since it's about simpler times. Or is it? Life then wasn't simple, it was complex and difficult.
My first thought as I began reading this was, perhaps I misunderstood and this book was written for adolescents. The subject matter, though is frequently and frankly sexual in nature, not something for a child to read. The author's bio says she is studying the evolution of human sexuality, and the story bears that out, and eventually becomes rather preachy.
I could have enjoyed the book, though if the writing had been good. I can't imagine why someone would publish this, particularly in hardcover. The characters in the book were alternately so stupid that they couldn't conceive of violence and rape, then so brilliant they would see the changes of a baby's soft skull as a new phase in evolution, something only a modern physician might surmise, if in fact that kind of change were to take place literally overnight.
My last remark is simply a small annoyance to me- the sentences all had the same cadence, similar amounts of syllables in each one. I started counting them about halfway through the book, when it was apparent to me the book wasn't going to entertain me, so I would have to amuse myself. Two thirds of the way through this book I began to mentally write this review.
So, all in all, I'll wait for the next Jean M. Auel book to come out.

I finished this book several days ago, and it is still with me. How ironic to be sitting in an easy chair in my climate-controlled house, in my safe little neighborhood, drinking tea and eating a cookie while reading about Zena I desperately digging into a riverbed in search of water, Zena II watching everyone she loves die in a stampede, and Zena III risking her life with a herd of bison to keep from freezing to death. The story is fascinating; the characters seem incredibly real; and the spirituality is a comfort to those of us who feel connected to the universal force we call "mother". The author becomes a bit preachy toward the end of the book, but by then we've been led on such an incredible journey that we are inclined to forgive. This is a beautiful book on so many levels, not the least of which is that it made me want to learn more about anthropology so I could feel even closer to the characters. Highly recommended!

With "Circles of Stone," Joan Dahr Lambert follows in Jean Auel's very large footsteps. With the caveat that no work of prehistoric fiction can, in my mind, measure up to Ms. Auel's book, "Circles of Stone" still proves an enjoyable read for the most part.

Lambert starts off her saga of three different women, all named "Zena," way, way back before Ms. Auel's Aurignacian/Gravettian heroine Ayla. The first Zena is a "Homo habilis", the second is "Homo erectus" in transition to Homo sapiens, and Zena III is a Cro-Magnon of the Aurignacian (ca. 30,000 BCE) era. All three Zena's are the strong, competent, independent type of woman in the Ayla/Chagak/Kwani mold most readers of prehistoric fiction enjoy reading about. While Zenas I and II are interesting, original characters (perhaps because very few if any authors have attempted to set stories this far back in human history), Zena III approaches being a cheap Ayla knock-off - she rides on the back of a bison, for instance, and is a revered healer and "wise woman".

There was one thing about the story that really jarred me, and that was the part about the "patriarchal invaders from the north" in the saga of Zena III. While Marija Gimbutas, and others, provide ample evidence these invaders did, in fact, exist, and did overrun numerous peaceful, Goddess-worshipping settlements, these events did not take place until ca. 5000 - 4000 BCE - NOT 30,000 BCE! There were many "northern tribes," at Dolni Vestonice, Kostienki, Sungir, Mal'ta (Siberia) and others, but they all worshipped Goddesses too! The same "fat lady figurines" (Venuses) have been found from the Pyrenees to Siberia, and they likely represented a female creative principle or Goddess. So that part of the plot fell completely flat in my eyes, though it did make for exciting reading. It also gave Lambert a good opening for preaching about the Goddess - which I don't mind since I am a radical feminist pagan myself.

All in all, I enjoyed the first two sections of the book more than the last. Maybe I'm just spoilt by Jean Auel and impatient for that fifth book to come out. Still, "Circles of Stone" is an enjoyable read, the first two sections cast an interesting and revealing light upon a little-known period of prehistory. It just might help while away the time until Ms. Auel finally comes out with that long awaited fifth book.

In the footsteps of Jean Auel, Joan Dahr Lambert takes us further back in time & to our birthplace continent - Africa, where our progenitress begins to get it right as do her daughters & theirs. With imaginative writing & vivid adventures, in a world so utterly fresh & untrameled, we walk beside a certain Eve & learn of her spiritual awakenings. A wonderful womanly read!

The first section of the book was okay but once I started reading the second section I was appalled by the historical fallacies she wrote! I could barely finish the book. Things that took thousands to millions of years to happen she wrote as happening over night. I know that she is supposed to be an educated writer, so I was shocked to read parts of this book. I would not recommend this book to true historical fiction readers!

Anyone who would like to gain some understanding of the violence and abuse in our lives, or who yearns for a world centered around life and life-giving activities should read this book. Lambert not only gives the reader a graphic picture of the dangers in pre-historic times, but she also offers subtle and not-so-subtle explanations for violent behavior and male/female tension. She lets the reader discover through her characters what our ancient ancesters faced just to let homo sapiens survive and evolve. CIRCLES OF STONE winds its meticulous way from the discovery of fire through the recognition of heredity. Lambert's three Zenas (not to be confused with the Warrior Princess) experience danger from other creatures and the planet itself. They also lead the reader into their recognition of a power beyond themselves, called MOTHER, and to tenderness and commitment to another person. CIRCLES OF STONE is good story-telling with fascinating characters discovering more than themselves; they are discovering humanity. Even though this book is Lambert's first published novel, I sincerely hope that she has several others ready for publication. This book has influenced my sense of history as much or more than CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by Jean Auel. I have recommended it to several friends who hurried to their bookstores, and were glad they did.

This book is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. As a person who is searching for a true and authentic way to live, this book gives me insight into how things were meant to be. It's a real eye-opener for those who can't seem to get beyond patriarchy, feeling that patriarchy is how it always was and always will be. Circles of Stone is a perfect companion to the outstanding futurist, feminist work "Chalice and the Blade." Circles shows how we can live in "parnership" rather than "domination." I can't recommend this book more highly.

I love this novel. I read it back in my middle school years and a few times more. I'm about to read it again, because my anthropology class got me thinking about Joan Dahr Labert's brilliant novel. This is my all-time favorite book. No other novel has taken me away as much as as Lambert's.

I just finished re-reading this book, because I found out there's a sequel to it, and it's already published. Unfortunately for me, it's only available on Kindle. I'm a hold-out for books made of paper--but for this book, I'll be willing to convert.

I read "Circles of Stones" while waiting for the next Jean Auel book, but it quickly stood out as a fine book on its own. I expected to only be interested in Part 3--the late paleolithic and the period covered in the Earth's Children's books. To my surprise, the first two parts were great. The author brought out the humanity of our homo erectus ancestors, making them interesting people, despite the fact that they did not have language as we do today.

Part 3 was still my favorite, since it explored the contrast of two different cultures, while constantly trying to figure out how the human race ended up where it is today. Other reviewers have called this book "preachy". Ok, it is. But I still liked it, and why not? I'm in the choir! It's great to find a book that supports one's own beliefs, while at the same time, telling a thoughtful and compelling story. "Circles of Stones" does all that and more.

hit the oval can hard.
I agree with another reviewer that I thought I was reading about a bunch of apes, licking a newborn dry(Iza didn't do that with Uba), and sex was only created to keep men calm?
This was one of the dumbest books I have ever tried to read.