The Last Neanderthal: A NovelFrom the author of The Bear, the enthralling story of two women separated by millennia, but linked by an epic journey that will transform them both. Forty thousand years in the past, the last family of Neanderthals roams the earth. After a crushingly hard winter, their numbers are low, but Girl, the oldest daughter, is just coming of age and her family is determined to travel to the annual meeting place and find her a mate. But the unforgiving landscape takes its toll, and Girl is left alone to care for Runt, a foundling of unknown origin. As Girl and Runt face the coming winter storms, Girl realizes she has one final chance to save her people, even if it means sacrificing part of herself. In the modern day, archaeologist Rosamund Gale works well into her pregnancy, racing to excavate newly found Neanderthal artifacts before her baby comes. Linked across the ages by the shared experience of early motherhood, both stories examine the often taboo corners of women's lives. Haunting, suspenseful, and profoundly moving, The Last Neanderthal asks us to reconsider all we think we know about what it means to be human. |
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Andy Archie comic baby beasts belly Bent’s Big Mother big-box store bison blood body bone breath brush Caitlin calf camp cave cave lions chest chewed claws climbed couldn’t curled daybed dirt Dr Pepper Eagle-see eyes feel feet felt fingers fire fish run gave Girl knew Girl’s Guy Henri hadn’t hair hand hard hazelnuts head heart heat hide Him’s hunt Ikea inside Jacob land laugh legs leopard lips lived looked meant meat meeting place mind modern humans Mother’s mouth moved muscles Neanderthals neck nose numbers old woman primatologist pulled pushed red squirrels river rock Rose Runt Runt’s scent side Simon skin sleep smell sniffed soon sound spear started stay stood stopped teeth thick things thought took tree tried turned waited walked wanted warm warmth wasn’t watched Wildcat wintersleep worried