Little, Brown & Company, May 2, 2017.
Four Stars
The Last
Neanderthal is an innovative new novel from the
author of The Bear. Once again,
Cameron uses a haunting, unexpected voice to tell a story that explores what it
means to be human, particularly as a woman. This novel connects two women who
are separated by 40,000 years – and yet they both face the same struggles and
taboos as they attempt to reconcile motherhood with their own desires.
Thousands of years ago, in what is now France, Girl
is the oldest daughter in a close-knit Neanderthal family. They are hunters and
gatherers, with minimal language, and yet they find ways to express themselves
and their feelings for each other. Big Mother is the respected matriarch, doing
her best to raise her children to be strong and healthy. However, she cannot
prevent Girl from growing up and exploring her newfound sexuality in dangerous
ways. As the family travels to their annual meeting place to find Girl a mate,
they face many problems along the way – including their own complex
relationships.
In present day France, archaeologist Rosamunde Gale
makes an incredible discovery – a Neanderthal female buried in an intimate
embrace with a Homo Sapiens male. As Rose and her assistant slowly reveal the
burial site, they realize that it could lead to a reevaluation of everything we
know about our human roots. While scientists formerly scorned Neanderthals as an
inferior species that was simply a step on the way to Homo Sapiens evolution,
we now know that Neanderthal DNA can be found in up to four percent of the
current European and Asian populations. The exposure of Rose’s cross-species
couple could be the answer to how this happened - instead of a stepping stone
in evolution, the Neanderthals were perhaps close cousins and even lovers to
Homo Sapiens.
When she finds out that she’s pregnant, Rose races to
finish her excavation before it is taken from her by the male financial backers
who don’t believe that motherhood is compatible with the rigors of archaeology.
Simply because of her gender, Rose is forced to defend her abilities to continue
the job at which she excels – she struggles to succeed as a working woman, providing
for her family both financially and emotionally. As we jump to the past, Girl’s
journey is also fraught with disaster – small issues soon become life-threatening,
and the family diminishes quickly. Girl is left alone to care for Runt, a child
who was adopted into the family, and she realizes how much more difficult it is
to survive the winter with the responsibilities of a child.
There is a clear link between the two women across
time, as they struggle to reconcile their work and desires with the obligations
of family and the strict bonds of being female. From Girl to Rose, 40,000 years
have passed and yet it is still taboo for a woman to put herself before her
family. While science and archaeology continue to show us that our past is much
more complex than we realize, it is also true that the Neanderthal girl and the
Homo Sapiens woman share more than just DNA.
This novel is an exploration of what it means to be human,
specifically as a woman today, and how it is reflected on our past. It shows
that survival always comes with compromise, and ultimately sacrifice. Both Girl
and Rose follow their biological imperative to preserve their people, and yet
they show us that there is room for individual desires and successes within
their female roles. It is fascinating to see that an examination of a girl who lived
thousands of years ago, can teach us about being human in the world today.
I received this book from Little, Brown & Company
and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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