3. The Last Neanderthal (Claire Cameron)

I have had The Last Neanderthal on my TBR shelf for far too long!  I was so lucky to win an advanced reader copy through Goodreads.  Why has it been sitting on my shelf so long?   I delayed reading it since Claire Cameron is joining the Grimsby Author Series this month and I wanted to story be fresh in my mind for the event.

The book was worth waiting for!  The book entwines the tales of two women, Girl, a neanderthal who was struggling to come of age and to survive as her family grew smaller and Dr. Rosamund Gale, an archeologist who has discovered a neanderthal skeleton and is determinedly working through her pregnancy.  The chapters alternate between the two characters and the reader is dropped into a prehistoric world, helping readers to understand the struggles to live, hunt, keep a family alive while also relating to the challenges of women balancing their careers with pregnancy and motherhood.

The book deals with challenges of humanity across the ages, including how we deal with both birth and death.  The reader can consider both the similarities and differences in what the two women deal with and reflect on their connection through the archeological dig.  The book is thought provoking and makes me want to learn more.  As I finished the story, I found myself wanting to know what was next for Girl and how Dr. Gale would cope with her newborn.  I think that there is definitely room for a sequel.

Like The Bear, Claire Cameron has written a unique tale and has included great description of the great outdoors!  I am looking forward to meeting her and getting my book signed!

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