Book Nine: Water for Elephants
Book Count: Nine
Title: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 350
Synopsis: When 23-year-old Jacob Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures. He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the shows' star performers - a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for.
Thoughts: I've been wanting to read this book since I first saw it on the bookshelves, and I finally caved and bought it. I surely wasn't disappointed, as this book was really a joy to read after some of the "slower" books I've been reading. The story itself, even if somewhat predictable, was fantastic, and I loved reading and learning about how circuses were ran in the early 1900's. I've never been to a circus myself, so this book was very exciting for me to read. I loved how the author went back and forth between the 23 year old Jacob and the 93 year old Jacob, because while old age is something none of us can avoid, that didn't affect Jacob's zest and passion for life. It was heartwarming to see that not only did he have a sense of humor about getting old, but that getting old didn't mean it was the end. Overall, a wonderful book -- I would recommend it to anyone!
Comments