Water For Elephants
By Sara Gruen
So for this book I
decided to jump had first into it without reading any reviews or even the
synopsis. It turned out to be a very
well written and beautiful story about love, hardships, and a circus. It’s the
great depression 1932, prohibition is in full swing, and like so many others a
young man has had his entire life torn into pieces and ends up wandering
straight into the adventure of a lifetime.
Jake Jankowski, the main character in our epic story, is distraught when
he is informed that both his parents have died in an automobile accident. After,
what we can only assume is a nervous breakdown while taking his final exams for
veterinary school; he walks out and continues until he cannot bear to go any
further. While resting near a train track as a train rumbles
up, and he decides to try to “hitch” a ride to the next town not realizing he
has jumped aboard a circus train. From
there he meets many characters who will forever change his life.
I found myself falling in love
right along with him, hating the villain with a fiery passion, and cheering for
a quirky elephant named Rosie whom Sara Gruen describes so vividly that you can’t
help but smile. Sara Gruen manages to
create a scene so well you can imagine yourself there, but she never loses you
with too many details. Personally, I am
torn whether or not I love this story.
In the first half of the book when she is setting a scene she would add
some explicit details that weren’t necessary. Since she had already masterfully
created her setting and by adding those I can only assume she was after shock
value. I did enjoy the story, but I have
a hard time swallowing adultery, I guess I have just been married too long. I can understand why the characters were drawn
to each other and why she would cheat on her husband, but I don’t personally
enjoy it. In my opinion she could have
used something else for her characters to over-come. It’s
not like they didn’t have three or four other obstacles to surmount. All and
all I couldn’t put it down so I suppose I can’t be too harsh.
As always if you have
and requests or recommendations email me at:
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Tom Underhill is
quickly becoming one of my favorite short story authors. This one like the last
one I reviewed, Ghost Writer, was absolutely fascinating. Not only does the
nameless man in the tavern have a special gift, we also follow his struggle
with what he can do. This short story is definitely worth the read. 
