Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
by Jenners • 09/28/2009 • 4 Stars, Fiction, G Authors, Historical, Literary, W Titles • 35 Comments
ISBN: 978-1-56512-560-5
Publishing Info: Algonquin Books, 2006
Number of Pages: 331
Book Category: Fiction
When you’re five, you know your age down to the month. Even in your twenties you know how old you are. I’m twenty-three, you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties something strange starts to happen. It’s a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I’m—you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you’re not. You’re thirty-five. And then you’re bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it’s decades before you admit it.
He was studying to be a veterinarian. Unbeknownst to Jacob, his parents had mortgaged themselves to the hilt to put him through vet school. The idea was for Jacob to return home and join his father in the family practice—E. Janokowski and Son, Doctors of Veterinary Medicine. But on the brink of graduation, Jacob is called out of class. His parents have been killed in a car accident. He’s alone in the world. He returns home to bury his parents and finds that his legacy—the vet practice—is gone. It is the Great Depression and like others, his parents had fallen on hard times and there is nothing left—the bank claims it all.
Although Jacob returns to school to sit for his final exam, he walks out without completing it, follows a road down to the train tracks, and hops onto a passing train—a n action that changes everything. For this isn’t an ordinary train—it is the Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob has landed on a circus train.
A less profitable and more shady circus than Ringling, the Benzini Brothers circus is its own society—populated by two basic social castes: the Performers and the Working Men. They live their lives on the circus train—crisscrossing the country and setting up in various small towns around America. With his veterinary background, Jacob soon finds himself in charge of the menagerie—the collection of animals that perform in the circus. From horses to tigers to monkeys, Jacob cares for the animals with compassion and concern—doing the best he can in difficult circumstances. (After all, when even the men don’t get paid some days, there isn’t much money for animal food.)
He is befriended by a married couple who perform in the circus. Marlena is the beautiful star who performs with the Liberty Horses. August—Marlena’s tempermental husband—is the equestrian director and superintendent of animals (in other words, Jacob’s boss). Jacob is instantly smitten with Marlena but works hard to conceal his feelings—August has a dark temper that can flare unexpectedly. At first Jacob can control his attraction, but when the circus takes on Rosie—an elephant—things become complicated.
The fates of Jacob, Rosie, Marlena and August become forever intertwined—linked together by love, hate, jealousy and violence. How this story plays out forms the core of the book—taking a path that is full of twists, turns and surprises.
My Thoughts
I read this book for the Random Bestseller part of my own Take A Chance Challenge. This particular challenge asks you to do the following:
Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2008 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.
My random year was 2006. When looking at the bestsellers in late September, I was torn between reading Water for Elephants and Marley & Me. Both were books I’ve never read but had heard about ad nauseum. After debating, I chose Water for Elephants as it was a book that had always intrigued me but for one reason or another I had never actually read. (Ironically, for the Public Spying part of the challenge—which asks you to read a book that you see someone else reading in public—my book ended up being Marley & Me! So I’ll be reading that anyway. Isn’t fate funny sometimes?)
In addition, Gruen establishes a framing device in the prologue that influences the reader from the very start of the novel. I found this particular choice extremely effective—and I loved how she pulled it off and tied it together at the end. I love when an author plays with her readers a little bit, and Gruen did a great job in this aspect.
If you’re looking for a movie to go with the book, I must recommend Dumbo. I kept picturing scenes from that movie as I read the book, and I could completely imagine this story being told in a similar way.
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I just got finished with this book and I absolutely LOVED it!! I spent ever spare moment I could reading it and finished in an astonishing 3 days (which is a miracle in itself with a 4 month old!!)!! I just could not put it down!
That is a miracle with a 4-month-old! It was a riveting story, wasn’t it? I felt like I was there in the circus. And did you see that it is coming out as a movie with Robert Pattinson as Jacob and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena. I saw a preview the other day and it looks really good!
I missed this book when it was a best seller but recently saw the previews of the upcoming movie–Hal Holbrook IS Jacob–and decided to read it! I like to read the book before seeing the movie. I loved the book, 90 or 93 year old and the young Jacob, Sara Gruen’s descriptions of the circus were great and the animals including Rosie the elephant took on such a personalities. I couldn’t put the book down!
It was a good one, wasn’t it? I always think the book is going to be better than the movie, but I’m curious how they are going to pull this off. How about the little “twist” she has at the beginning/end? I don’t know how they’d pull that off in the movie as it is more about making assumptions in your reading than her telling you the wrong thing.
I really loved this book when I read it two years ago and have lent my copy to five or six people so far! I love your comparison to Dumbo – I thought of that too!
If this book is on your read eventually list…you should bump it towards the tops!
Great write-up-I read this a few years ago-initially I was not interested and then I picked it up and loved it.
Holy lots of work to find a book to read, Batman!
But great choice. I've been eyeing this for some time, and the fact that people seem so divided on it actually appeals to me. I'm weird that way.
I loved this book – so much it made it onto my list of all-time favourite books today! I haven't seen it mentioned recently, so it was a nice surprise to see someone else recommending it!
The challenge sounds cool! I may need to try it! I am so glad to see you LOVED this book. I read it with my book club earlier this year and yes – I LOVED it too!
Well I do declare – another wonderful review! No one previously has done such a good job at convincing me I should read this book!
I loved this book, possibly because it brought back memories of when I was a kid and wanted to run away to the circus. Seriously. I had a plan and everything. Sadly, the circus stopped coming to town, so my plan was foiled. =) Another fun movie is the old, black and white "The Greatest Show on Earth." It won an Oscar in the 50s, and starred a very young (and cute) Charlton Heston.
I read this book a few years ago, and I would agree – it has something for everyone. It was incredibly easy to read, entertaining at all times, but left me feeling a little heartbroken at the end. I don't like to imagine anyone growing old and forgotten in a rest home. Wonderful review!
I waited to read this book, and wasn't sure it would live it to the hype. Once I read it, I understood why it was a bestseller. This isn't my usual genre, but I ended up loving it & would recommend it to anyone.
I loved this book too. I'm glad you enjoyed it too.
I also loved this book, even though I didn't expect to. It told a really wonderful story and would definitely be great as a movie. I'm sure a script is in the works even now.
I read this book earlier in the year. I really enjoyed it! I'm glad your random book worked out. I'm reading my 'choose a book based on the cover' right now. It is quite an interesting read … more to follow.
I'm so glad you loved this – I'm looking forward to reading it.
I picked this up at my library's used bookstore not that long ago. I'm really excited to read it now based on your review!
I really liked this book too. It was the first audiobook that I had ever listened to. There were parts of the story that still haunt me, and some of the characters like Jacob and Walter have stuck with me, and Walter's story especially makes me sad when I think about it.
I absolutely LOVE your reviews! I am so incredibly picky when it comes to choosing a book. It is nice to read all about it here before I check it out. Thanks!
I absolutely loved this book. I thought its comments about old age were extremely moving. Great review!
I picked up a copy of this one at a used booksale and wasn't sure I'd like it but at $1.00, I figured I would take the risk. After your review, I can now place it on my TBR shelf as it was sitting on the 'unsure' shelf.
I haven't read it yet. Can you believe it? I haven't read any of her books and 3 or 4 of them are in my TBR — yes, I own them. Sigh.
I find circus, especially a small circus, very sad for some reason.
I am still very torn about this book. I'm so leery when it comes to bestsellers like this. A lot of times I end up disappointed. On the other hand, I still put this on my Fill in the Gaps reading list, so I'm supposed to read it in the next 4.5 years anyway.
Sounds like a book I would enjoy. Funny you should mention Dumbo as I too was picturing an elephant film that I watched recently – I can't remember what it was called but it starred Tom Hanks as a man who was left an elephant in someone's will.
I loved your thoughts on this book, it is one of my all time favorites!
This is sitting in my never ending pile of tbr books. Sounds like a goody.
Nice review.
I have heard good things about this book, but I keep forgetting about it…. one of these days I will read it.
So I got this book for Christmas last year and I have yet to read it. I wasn't sure if I would like it but now I think I'll try it. You have convinced me. Thanks for the great review!
I thought the ending was great. I loved it! The whole book was fascinating though to see how people managed to survive in the depression.
Wonderful review as always, Jenners.
I so loved this book, and Marley and Me as well. I can tell by your review, you saw it as a hit as well. (Makes you wonder why you waited so long to read it huh? LOL)
You write great reviews, did you know that?!!
I loved this book – it was a real leap for me because I tend not to like the circus. I totally agree with your review and can only add that the ending is one of my all time favorite book endings. I cheered!
I also loved this one! Great review.
I read this several years ago (likely 2006, when it was a bestseller!), and don't have notes on it. I do remember liking it a lot, and, like you, enjoyed that look into a world that was new to me. I also liked the b&w photos in the book.
I wonder how much of that culture – the politics and social structure of a traveling circus or carnival – remains today.