Picks and Pans Review: Jean M. Auel

UPDATED 12/30/2002 at 01:00 AM EST • Originally published 12/30/2002 at 01:00 AM EST

The Shelters of Stone
Ayla and Jondalar return to their tribe to be mated but run into troubles with their in-laws. At 753 pages, this fifth novel in the series of Auel's sexed-up Ice Agers provides enough insipid dialogue—everyone speaks contemporary English—to fill a few worst books of the year.