The Plains of Passage vs The Shelters of Stone: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Glacial epoch, Ice Age, Ayla, Prehistoric peoples, Europe, Historical Fiction

Cover of The Plains of Passage

The Plains of Passage Jean M. Auel · 1990 ★★★★☆ 3.9 1008 pages · ≈ 18 h 40 m · Challenging Find on Amazon

vs

Cover of The Shelters of Stone

The Shelters of Stone Jean M. Auel · 2001 ★★★★☆ 3.9 791 pages · ≈ 14 h 39 m · Moderate Find on Amazon

The verdict

Ratings are close: 3.9 vs 3.9 — either is a safe pick by score.
The Shelters of Stone is the quicker read — about 14 hours vs 18 for The Plains of Passage.
The Shelters of Stone is the easier read (Moderate), The Plains of Passage more demanding (Challenging).

Side by side