Transcendence Book Review

What are the first things that come to mind when someone says “caveman romance?” People might say a romance, usually a steamy one, between a caveman and probably a modern woman. What if I told you that there’s a book like that but with more? It’s called Transcendence by Shay Savage, and it’s strange in a shockingly good way.

Transcendence is a love story between Ehd – a caveman – and Beh – a woman from the modern times – and how they try to overcome the obstacles of prehistoric times when the former doesn’t understand language. Ehd is strong and intelligent, but lives alone. When he discovers a strange woman in his pit trap, he realizes that she is meant to be his mate. Despite how strange she is with her clothing and sounds she makes, he wants to provide for her, protect her, and put a baby inside her. Beh aka Elizabeth doesn’t know where she is nor how she got there. It also doesn’t help that a caveman has hauled her to his cave. He’s also trying to make some moves on her, but she is not able to get him to listen no matter how hard she tries. With only each other, they must rely on one another to survive the dangers in the wild and the winter months. As they struggle to coexist, they start to fall in love, which transcends language and time.

I wasn’t expecting much going into it since it was a romance with a caveman. I mean what else could one do with a premise like that? There are only two main characters in the entire book, so readers get to spend plenty of time with them as their love for each other grows. And throughout that novel, it made me emotionally invested in their relationship not just because of the amount of time it devotes to them. I got to see how they (and how they see each other) evolve. In the beginning, both are confused by the other. Ehd sees Beh as strange because she wears clothes that are different from his and cries all the time. On the other hand, Beh tries to get Ehd to understand what she wants although he doesn’t have the ability to grasp language nor consent. Later on, Beh shows Ehd how to detangle his hair and makes him clay cups and plates. Ehd creates a comb for her and saves her from another caveman who tries to take her. On top of that, they find ways to communicate their needs with each other through mostly nonverbal means. When they do make love, it’s passionate and not just for survival and the hotness of it all. As a result, they appreciate and love each other for who they are.

Even though this story is through Ehd’s eyes, Beh’s perspective is still present, and readers will be able to understand his point of view. She is seen through Ehd’s view, but she still has her own personality. While she gets annoyed at what he does, especially when he tries to put a baby in her, she is assertive and resourceful. This is seen as the book progresses. At first, Ehd sees her as an object to place an infant inside. Over time, he views her in a more intimate light. He’s aware of her “quirks,” but he likes how she laughs, helps him comb the tangles out of his hair, and the way she brushes her nose onto his at night. This all makes him realize that he needs to be with her for more than just protecting and providing for her. 

In addition, a unique thing about this book is that there’s barely any dialogue. This checks out as Ehd hasn’t developed his ability to understand language. He’s able to make sounds, but he isn’t able to put them into words. It also doesn’t help that his family was wiped out before the events of this novel begin. In other words, he’s like Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing, yet more accurate as in how someone would be when living in isolation. On top of that, having no dialogue permits readers to comprehend why Ehd feels confused and even scared at times whenever he hears Beh makes a bunch of noises. Adding lines outside “Beh,” “Ehd,” “Luffs” (loves), and “Khizz” (kiss) would’ve ruined that effect.

And of course, I have to talk about the strange elements of this story without spoiling it. It contains some science fiction elements like time travel. The epilogue explains this in a little more detail. Moreover, there is a scene in which Beh and Ehd receive a visitor, who is from another time. I can’t spoil this because it’s emotionally devastating. Go read it to find out.

All in all, Transcendence by Shay Savage is a weird novel that is more than meets the eye. The romance between Ehd and Beh is beautiful in its own way, and I enjoy how Savage takes the time to develop it. It can also devastate one’s emotions, so have tissues nearby. So yes, I truly recommend this book to those who like romance and want more than just a bodice ripper.

Before I go, I want to let you all know that the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast is out now! In it, I talk with Mel. B from the Read, Watch, or DNF Podcast on how we would adapt Transcendence as a movie, so check it out here!

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