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Water for Elephants: A Novel
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Review
'I loved Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Great story, loads of fun; hard to put down. So what if the heroine weighs 2500 pounds?'
(Stephen King )'Rich and outlandish... you are so immersed in circus life that you are blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust.'
(The Telegraph )'An imaginative modern fairy story, teeming with eccentric characters'
(The Times )'Gorgeous, brilliant and superbly plotted, I am unabashedly in love with this book'
(Joshilyn Jackson, author of GODS IN ALABAMA )'Water for Elephants is fun, sweet and thrilling and will pull you into the mysterious life of the circus so far that you won't want to leave.'
(Guardian )'This masterpiece of storytelling is a book about what animals can teach people about love.'
(Susan Cheever )'Lovely and mesmerising.' (Kirkus )
'A tender story of first love, of murder, mayhem and animal and human brutality, of hucksters, whores and the general hoopla created when the circus rolls into town... This book is every bit the fabulous escapist entertainment that the big top once was.'
(Sunday Express )'Great!'
(Giffords Circus )'Allow yourself to be carried away by this vibrant and superbly written book.'
(Daily Express )'Gruen brilliantly conjures up the whole brouhaha of herding punters into the temporary magic of the big top, and the harsh economin reality of sustaining the show. Both exotic and erotic, Water for Elephants is filled with colour and passion but is also charged with an elegiac sense of loss for an entire way of life.'
(Financial Times'It's a romantic story that's set in an evocatively rendered era.'
(Heat )The Telegraph
'Rich and outlandish... you are so immersed in circus life that
you are blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust.' --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
you are blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust.' --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
112 of 115 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Unlike the previous reviewer, I was truly 'swept away' by this book. It was so full of fascinating insights, wonderful (though not always lovable) characters and a story line that I couldn't put down. I loved the fact that all the anecdotes were taken from old circus history and I'd never heard of the great circus trains of mid 1900's America. As a bonus Ms Gruen has included some superb photos from circus archives that really complement the narrative.
Jacob Jancowski is studying for his final exams in veterinary medicine when the death of his parents leaves him in dire straits, both mentally and financially. In his confusion and despair he finds himself wandering, and before he comes to his senses he's jumped a train and entered a new life. It's a life full of highs and lows, a fast learning curve for a fresh faced lad from an Ivy League University.
Jacob, however, finds his niche and so unravels a wonderful story of an unknown time in a traveling circus.
Alongside this runs the current day Jacob, an old man in a nursing home, waiting out the end of his days, when the circus comes to town....
I loved the way the two stories were woven together at the end of the book, but I'm not going to give anything away. You'll have to read it!
My book of the year this year was Joanne Harris's "Gentlemen and Players", but at the last minute I think this book has pipped her to the post!
Jacob Jancowski is studying for his final exams in veterinary medicine when the death of his parents leaves him in dire straits, both mentally and financially. In his confusion and despair he finds himself wandering, and before he comes to his senses he's jumped a train and entered a new life. It's a life full of highs and lows, a fast learning curve for a fresh faced lad from an Ivy League University.
Jacob, however, finds his niche and so unravels a wonderful story of an unknown time in a traveling circus.
Alongside this runs the current day Jacob, an old man in a nursing home, waiting out the end of his days, when the circus comes to town....
I loved the way the two stories were woven together at the end of the book, but I'm not going to give anything away. You'll have to read it!
My book of the year this year was Joanne Harris's "Gentlemen and Players", but at the last minute I think this book has pipped her to the post!
79 of 82 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Quite simply Water for Elephants is an exceptional read and one that any reader should not miss out on. Briefly the novel is about a circus struggling to survive the Depression-era years in America, or more specifically circus life from the perspective of an ad hoc `vetinarian' - Jacob Jankowski, who jumped on the Benzini Brothers circus train by chance, one evening.
The action in Water for Elephants is fast-paced; more than sufficient to keep the reader glued to the pages. `Pit stops' to the action comes in the form of the story reverting back to the nursing home of the present-day, where Jacob is finding his aged infirmity almost intolerable. These respites back to present-day are brief though, and inevitably the narrative shoots back quickly to Jacob's circus days where the action regains its breakneck speed.
Gruen has really done her `homework' while researching for this novel. She's created a circus world that's wholly believable; one that you feel right in the midst of (especially when she intersperses the chapters with contemporary circus photos). Gruen tells us in the `author's note' at the back of the novel that she had researched extensively for Water for Elephants and it shows! So much so that you can almost smell the menagerie, and the sawdust of the circus ring.
What really makes Water for Elephants special for me though (aside from the great storyline) is the characters. Gruen has done a remarkable job of creating some truly colourful and memorable people in the pages of her novel. Uncle Al (the circus boss) and August (the animal trainer) are characters you're going to love to hate. Marlena, Kinko the Clown aka Walter, and Camel are character's you're just going to love. You're going to love the chief protagonist Jacob Jankowski too. Personally I found him more endearing in his role as the `present day' Nonagenarian, but his struggle to fit into circus life, gain acceptance from his peers and deal with the urges of his love interest, make him a hugely engaging character.
In summing up I'd say that that Water for Elephants is one of these rare novels that will both thrill you and shock you at the same time. I really want to tell you everything about the story because it's so good, but also I don't want to tell you anything, because it will spoil the thrilling `ride' you're going to find yourself on when you read this novel. Sufficed to say that the story grips and twists almost ceaselessly on its way towards a quite thrilling climax. Miss this at your own peril!
Note: I should probably point out that the novel does contain some sexual content which could be considered for the more mature audience, so I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 15. On the other hand I may just be being a little prudish, so perhaps you may want to check out the mature content yourself before passing the book on to any juniors (chap 3. pp.44-47, chap 8 p.97 and chap 10 pp.133-135 contain the `offending' material).
The action in Water for Elephants is fast-paced; more than sufficient to keep the reader glued to the pages. `Pit stops' to the action comes in the form of the story reverting back to the nursing home of the present-day, where Jacob is finding his aged infirmity almost intolerable. These respites back to present-day are brief though, and inevitably the narrative shoots back quickly to Jacob's circus days where the action regains its breakneck speed.
Gruen has really done her `homework' while researching for this novel. She's created a circus world that's wholly believable; one that you feel right in the midst of (especially when she intersperses the chapters with contemporary circus photos). Gruen tells us in the `author's note' at the back of the novel that she had researched extensively for Water for Elephants and it shows! So much so that you can almost smell the menagerie, and the sawdust of the circus ring.
What really makes Water for Elephants special for me though (aside from the great storyline) is the characters. Gruen has done a remarkable job of creating some truly colourful and memorable people in the pages of her novel. Uncle Al (the circus boss) and August (the animal trainer) are characters you're going to love to hate. Marlena, Kinko the Clown aka Walter, and Camel are character's you're just going to love. You're going to love the chief protagonist Jacob Jankowski too. Personally I found him more endearing in his role as the `present day' Nonagenarian, but his struggle to fit into circus life, gain acceptance from his peers and deal with the urges of his love interest, make him a hugely engaging character.
In summing up I'd say that that Water for Elephants is one of these rare novels that will both thrill you and shock you at the same time. I really want to tell you everything about the story because it's so good, but also I don't want to tell you anything, because it will spoil the thrilling `ride' you're going to find yourself on when you read this novel. Sufficed to say that the story grips and twists almost ceaselessly on its way towards a quite thrilling climax. Miss this at your own peril!
Note: I should probably point out that the novel does contain some sexual content which could be considered for the more mature audience, so I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 15. On the other hand I may just be being a little prudish, so perhaps you may want to check out the mature content yourself before passing the book on to any juniors (chap 3. pp.44-47, chap 8 p.97 and chap 10 pp.133-135 contain the `offending' material).
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Water for Elephants is primarily a romance set in a travelling circus in the 1930s, but we do also see the main character Jacob Janowski as he is in old age in an old folks Home.
The novel was obvoiusly well researached, many of the events in the novel are based on real happenings, and for this reason it was very enjoyable. I learned about 'red-lighting' and the etiquette of the time surrounding performers fratenising with circus hands!
I did have some difficulty with the book being written as a first person narration. I think that Gruen gave herself unnecessary problems writing in this way, with Jacob witnessing conversations that it was unlikely he would have been involved in and making observations that seemed a little unlikely with what we knew about his character and experience. However this is a minor critisism.
I loved Rosie the elephant and Queenie the terrier, but animal lovers should be warned there is some pretty nasty animal cruelty in the book. It's well written but a little difficult to stomach.
All in all, a great book with a satisfying conclusion to both the young and the old Jacob storylines. I have deducted one star only because although I enjoyed the book, I wasn't really swept away.
Enjoy!
The novel was obvoiusly well researached, many of the events in the novel are based on real happenings, and for this reason it was very enjoyable. I learned about 'red-lighting' and the etiquette of the time surrounding performers fratenising with circus hands!
I did have some difficulty with the book being written as a first person narration. I think that Gruen gave herself unnecessary problems writing in this way, with Jacob witnessing conversations that it was unlikely he would have been involved in and making observations that seemed a little unlikely with what we knew about his character and experience. However this is a minor critisism.
I loved Rosie the elephant and Queenie the terrier, but animal lovers should be warned there is some pretty nasty animal cruelty in the book. It's well written but a little difficult to stomach.
All in all, a great book with a satisfying conclusion to both the young and the old Jacob storylines. I have deducted one star only because although I enjoyed the book, I wasn't really swept away.
Enjoy!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Better book than film
I really enjoyed reading this book and can recommend it. However I was given the DVD for Christmas and I found it disappointing. The book is much better than the film.
Published 11 days ago by charliegirl
Water for elephants by Sarah Gruen
Had to read this book for my book club and we all found it an easy and enjoyable read. Nice contrast between circus life and his current life in an old people's home. Read more
Published 15 days ago by ValMH
Fantastic
One of my favourite reads and certainly different. Jacob runs away and joins a circus, it changes his life forever. Very moving and sad in places, but a real page turner. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Carol
A wonderful read
I tried this because of the good reviews, and was not disappointed. Switching time frames was done cleverly and the observations on how an old person feels was wonderful!
Published 19 days ago by bookworm
Hooked from start
I could not put this book down once I had started reading it, full of action! I would definitnely recommend it.
Published 29 days ago by JJ Wilkinson
A great read.
I had watched the film first and enjoyed it so I purchased the book on my kindle. I finished the book last night and it is absolutely brilliant. Read more
Published 1 month ago by SarSinky
Water for Elephants
I enjoyed the insight into a life of a circus in early last century. Aloso the interchange between when the main caracter when young and then being over 90. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mary Hill
Good book
It took me a while to get into this book as it kept jumping from when he was old & then back to him being a boy,but once I realised that it was a very good read.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. A. S. Southwood
Water for Elephants
Thoroughly enjoyed the book , which was recommended to me by my granddaughter, interesting insight into circus life and sympathetic towards understanding of elephants. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Annandtheking
great read
Couldn't put this book down. Lovely story but at the same time heart wrenching. Wonderfully written. A must read! The story just gets better and better.
Published 1 month ago by PipiLove
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