This one was definitely hard to put down. I read into the wee hours of the morning and did not stop until I had completed the entire book! Clan pays homage to anyone who has ever:
• wrestled with self-esteem issues,
• worried about the opinion others have of them,
• gotten bullied or belittled,
• been ostracized or discriminated against - myself included.
Thank you, Sigmund Brouwer!
I love the fact that the main character, Atlatl, is able to find humor even in the most dire of circumstances. In the initial stages he’s bombarded with a ton of internal issues (chief among these is being selected as a member of the clan’s expedition team so he can create an impression -- especially on the “love of his life,” Takhi). He is so distracted by these issues, it takes him quite a while to figure out that “internally,” he’s stronger than he gives himself credit for.
Misfortune seems to follow him wherever he goes, but these all work in his favor and actually turn out to be “blessings in disguise” once he figures out how to use them to his advantage. Fate seemed to have thrown him and the saber-tooth tiger together in a rather unusual way. Had he not been in the vicinity of her cave, he may have ended up out in the open at the mercy of the ravenous wolves, from which there would have been no escape.
Atlatl seems unaware of just how exceptionally brave he is and we get glimpses of this throughout the story. For him to stand there in the midst of a fight between carnivorous animals who could have ripped him to shreds at any given moment, yet still came out unscathed; when he faced his clan in defense of the saber-tooth cub; or when he made the decision to banish himself from the clan altogether. I was on the edge of my seat at this point, waiting for the verdict. From the onset, I yearned for him to leave and prove to them that he could make it without them. When he did, I rejoiced with him. It's what I would have done, and what I wanted him to do. Victory for the one who’s “always invisible to others.” Simultaneously I was scared. Had “we” (both of us) made the right decision? Only time would tell.
I took pleasure in immersing myself in this story. I was there with him every step he took, cheering him on and encouraging him, even when his father neglected and abandoned him.
Ironically, Atlatl becomes a “parent” to an animal who is an orphan, something he can relate to. While it is true his father is alive physically, he is “dead mentally.” Atlatl is a better parent than his father is, however. He takes on the role of “parent” with gusto and has an awesome time bonding with cub. His father, though watching from a distance, learns a lot from the son he thought was incompetent.
“Clan members fought together, not against each other,” and this is the best way to describe the scene with the bear. Nootau knows his son to be a “weakling,” so when the bear attacked, he rushed to his side. Both would willingly sacrifice themself to save the other and this is the strongest evidence of love for both. The thought of losing his son evokes emotions in him and creates a significant turning point in their lives.
The story culminates with a surprise twist, but is one that will leave the reader satisfied. All the major characters, with the exception of the deceitful Banti, seem to have matured. The greatest level of maturity however is between father and son. Wawetseka would have been proud of them both. In the end, the combination of Nootau’s physical strength and Atlatl’s intellect saves them both, reunites them with their clan and gives everyone their “happily ever after.”

- N.S.