Basically 3 timelines: 15000 years ago, 1944, and the present. Major Manners has uncovered a stone with a painting on it reminiscent of the Lascaux paintings, but much smaller. After taking it to an auction house for evaluation, it goes missing. This is the story of how the painting came to be (15000 BCE), how it arrived at Manners home (French Resistance hiding in caves, 1944), and what the protagonists (Lydia et al) are doing to recover it (present).Brief synopsis: Talented young artist (circa 15000 BCE) runs afoul of an older artist but is allowed back into the artists' guild after suitable genuflection. Meanwhile young artist becomes enamoured of young woman. Elder guild member and leader (who is also a widower) institutes new ceremonies which don't sit well with the rest of the guild. Elder also covets the young woman, and attempts to take her by force. Young man and young woman run away together. Reader can guess the outcome. Meanwhile, the 1944 scenario moves along with details of the French Resistance and the cave was discovered. The current scenario moves along with uncovering some curious leftovers from the resistance, with Lydia and Manners predictably developing an affair.Presently about halfway through the book. I thought it got off to a slow start, but I'm beginning to see how the threads are coming together. And I'm starting to enjoy it more, especially the portions dealing with the Resistance (makes me want to go find a book on that topic). The part I have a hard time with is the 15000 BCE scenario. The social construct seems rather contrived, not based on any anthropological evidence that I am aware of. I think the problem I have is the division of labor: flint knappers, fisherman, hunters, painters, etc. It is too much like a guild system, including apprenticeships, for that time. I am not aware of any hunter-gather tribes with that social structure. This is also presented as a fixed settlement, unusual for that time. But hey, it's fiction.Finished. It was an okay finish, a little too neat in some aspects. What I found most interesting was the squabbling between the Gaullists and the Communists, and their efforts to stop, or at least delay, the Das Reich armored division from moving from southern France to join the fray in Normandy. They were at least partially successful.
A fascinating book that weaves together three stories that take place in Perigord, in southwest France at three different times: the present, 1944 and 17,000 years ago. All have to do with the wonderful cave paintings like those at Lascaux. In the present day, a Neolithic cave painting which has been removed (somehow, by someone we don't know who) from the rock is brought to an auction house for evaluation. It's stolen, governments get involved and we learn a lot about international politics and the art world. In 1944 Perigord is under occupation and we learn more than I ever thought possible about the politics and the military tactics of the Resistance. Seventeen thousand years ago we follow the adventures of Deer and Moon. Artists of course. The beautiful country side comes alive in this book. Makes me want to go there. Read it with wine.
What do You think about The Caves Of Perigord (2015)?
After reading Emily's review I was quick to check this out at the library. It is a quick read although I found my mind wandering as one of the three tales, set in France during the Resistance, rambled on. Even as I found that I was learning something about the French Resistance and the ghastly circumstances of WWII, I was anxious to return to the pre-history tale. Walker has divided the time frames in this historical piece between 15,000 b.c.; Perigord, France, 1944; and the present. I was most intrigued by the evolution of the cave art and the characters in 15,000 b.c. You might characterize this novel as an art mystery.
—Linda
After reading all of Martin Walker's Detective Bruno novels that I've been able to get my hands on so far, I picked up this one. At first, I found the writing less polished than the Bruno novels, but once I got past that, I enjoyed this book and the interweaving of the three different time periods - present day (early 2000s), 15,000 BC and WWII. The story sparked my interest in learning more about the prehistoric cave paintings and the WW II history of the Dordogne region. We were fortunate to see the cave paintings at Font de Gaume this year. This story served to increase my desire to return to further explore the beautiful Perigord Noir someday.
—Kaeleen Foote
I love the premise of this book: following the fate of piece of rock art from prehistoric times when it was created though World War II to present day when it reappears. There is a chapter where the author describes actually going through the cave at Lascaux that gave me the shivers! Structuring a book like this with three vastly different time periods, and therefore different characters, is inherently difficult. The author solved this problem by alternating between the three periods in a consistent fashion. The problem with that is that there is no forward movement from chapter to chapter. I almost think it might have worked better as distinct parts all revolving around the singular piece of rock art. Nonetheless this was an interesting book with a fascinating look at the Perigord region of France.
—Mary Black
