Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.


WATER FOR ELEPHANTS was first published in 2006 and was a best seller ~ due to an upcoming movie release it's having a new popularity BOOM

I am not particularly a fan of Rob Pattinson or Reese Witherspoon but I was intrigued to check out a best-selling critically acclaimed book set in the 30's back when circus's were a pretty big thing...


My thoughts?

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a frame story opening with Jacob as an old codger (in his 90's) in a nursing home ~ but the bulk of the story is set in the 1930's when Jacob is in his first months with the circus (in his 20's). I did find the present day story (nursing home) kind of boring* and interrupting to the flow of the circus stuff ~ but as a whole, I appreciated the added dimension this gives the story once I'd finished ~ gave it a more melancholy feel, which I liked. *(although I have heard that it is this part of the story that strongly resounds with people ~ great "book club discussion" issues about nursing homes and quality of life, etc...)

I was really impressed with the whole circus world Gruen created. This is one of those books where you feel transported to the time and place and at the end you are left feeling like you experienced the world. It was vibrant and messy and you can nearly smell, taste, feel and hear everything going on. 

My edition had photos from the old circus days ~ of animals and setting up the tents and of the train and of the sideshow "freaks" and I LOVED that. 

I also LOVED TO DEATH all the interesting little stories that were woven in from real circus trivia and events (Gruen talks about her months of research in an author's note at the end of the book). Stuff like the toothless lion, the way a few of the characters die, some of the animals antics, freak show people, the dead hippo on display as alive, etc. My son is always showing me stuff out of his Ripley's Believe It or Not books (mostly the gruesome freakish things) and in places this book was a little reminiscent of that ~ especially if you take time to read the author's note at the end ~ which I recommend, hey)

BUT HERE"S THE THING: 


Despite a gorgeous and intriguing era and setting...


I felt a more than a smidgen let down by the characters. Some were colourful and endearing and felt genuine, but most felt cliché or almost caricatures ~ like over-the-top cartoon characters. 


I was particularly Bored To Absolute Death with Marlena (Reese Witherspoon's character in the film). The romance was obviously a key plot point ~ but I just couldn't buy into it. Marlena seemed to have no personality ~ so I really wasn't rooting for her, you know? I was disappointed as I always like a bit of a funky/star-crossed romance ~ so major 'eye-rolling' let-down there.

Also ~ a discussion point: ~ I didn't like the prologue (a key scene from the climax of the novel ~ which gives away aspects of the ending). I would have preferred to not be clued into it at the beginning. And I felt in hindered me from that initial absorption into the story. You had to read a past tense chapter (but a future scene in the past), then present day chapter, then the past tense in the frame story. Ugh. What an opener. 

And as for the present day ending. LOL. Really? Ah, well, I guess some people dig a really cute hollywood ending ;) 

Okay, okay. So, overall ~ I am glad I read this one. I think the whole experience will stay with me. I recommend it and my tip is to give yourself a few chapters to settle into it. I did enjoy it but I cannot say I care about the characters. Harsh, but true, haha. 


As for the movie? It's not a hugely plot driven novel so I'm thinking it may be a tad either boring/overly sentimental or (depending on the screenplay) too melodramatic love story for me. It's not calling out to me but when my library gets the dvd I'll possibly check it out.


Here's the movie trailer:





Water For Elephants @ goodreads (it's booming there and rated much more highly than I gave it ~ I went with 3 stars).
Water For Elephants @ Rotten Tomatoes (OUCH! It's bombing out a bit, hey).

Have you read the book?

Seen the flick? (recently hit the big screen in the US ~ not yet in Australia)

Planning on doing either?