The Plains of Passage

book by Auel

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July 20, 2026

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"The Plains of Passage" is a novel by Jean Auel, part of her Earth's Children series. This book follows the prehistoric journey of Ayla, a Cro-Magnon woman, and her mate Jondalar as they travel to reunite with his tribe. The series explores the differences between Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon societies in Ice Age Europe, over 30,000 years ago. Ayla, orphaned and adopted by Neanderthals, navigates cultural differences and personal challenges throughout her travels. The novel depicts hardships faced during their journey, highlighting themes of survival and cultural assimilation in a prehistoric setting.1

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Jean Auel
In The Plains of Passage (1990), Ayla and Jondalar face hardships as they travel to rejoin his tribe. It was 12 years before Auel completed the next book, The Shelters of Stone (2002), which tells of Ayla, now formally mated with Jondalar, as she fights to…
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In The Plains of Passage (1990), Ayla and Jondalar face hardships as they travel to rejoin his tribe. It was 12 years before Auel completed the next book, The Shelters of Stone (2002), which tells of Ayla, now formally mated with Jondalar, as she fights to…
Read More