Water for Elephants

Jul 07, 2011

Rachel rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooked

I think I expected too much out of this novel and therefore had room only for disappointment. Though I finished the book in its entirety, I wrote a short review on my blog about halfway through, expounding on the aspects of the book that irritated me. I have adapted it herein.

First, the main "heroine," Marlena, is incredibly flat & boring. The narrator/main character, Jacob, is clearly infatuated with her, but I'm not sure why other than she looks good in pink sequins. ...moreI think I expected too much out of this novel and therefore had room only for disappointment. Though I finished the book in its entirety, I wrote a short review on my blog about halfway through, expounding on the aspects of the book that irritated me. I have adapted it herein.

First, the main "heroine," Marlena, is incredibly flat & boring. The narrator/main character, Jacob, is clearly infatuated with her, but I'm not sure why other than she looks good in pink sequins. She's married to her arrogant, bipolar boss, so maybe there's some sort of damsel-in-distress complex triggered in our hero. Regardless, I don't care about her. She doesn't engage me or hold any allure. The novel really ends up being more of a romance tale, and to be honest I think it would be just as interesting (more so?) without Marlena.

There were several instances of explicit sexual encounters fairly close together that annoyed me. Perhaps I'm too modest but I got tired of the sex. Not even actual sex as much as "sexual elements." The instances of it are over-the-top and slightly grotesque to the point of distraction. It's like the author was trying to prove something: "Look, I can write like a man: men think about sex all the time!" I'm not sure what exactly she was trying to prove, but it was distracting. The grotesque sexual aspects calmed down after a bit, but it distracted me through the center of the novel.

Furthermore, I'm not even sure the narrator is believable/realistic. It takes him too long to figure things out; he likes to describe a scene in excruciating detail before he "realizes what's going on." If I had been standing next to him, by the time he "realizes what's going on," I would have smacked him over the head and left. Too often he encounters situations in a total stupor. OK, so people don't always react instantaneously. But when you describe it in exhaustive detail, it doesn't make me think something is happening quickly. Additionally, I can't quite reconcile the young Jacob to the 90/93-year-old Jacob. A lot can change in 70 years, but I can't see the sensitive, humble Jacob I meet in large stretches of the novel with the bitter, crotchety old Jacob I meet in shorter excerpts.

Speaking of descriptions, every strong smell is described as "overwhelming." Really, is that the best adjective you've got?

The story has so much potential in its unique setting: Depression/Prohibition-era traveling circus. This alone kept me reading because I was curious at least to see where the narration was going. Will it end with Jacob's death or something else? How long does he stay on the circus, etc? So I guess kudos to the author for that: at least the uniqueness of the setting & atmosphere keeps me intrigued.

Maybe I expected too much. Still, I give the book credit: despite my disappointment, I was curious to the end.(less)

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Nov 15, 2007

Sammy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: a-the-best

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. SPOILERS IN MY REVIEW! I'M SORRY ABOUT SPOILING IT FOR PEOPLE, REALLY I AM, IT WAS NEVER INTENTIONAL. BUT AS WITH ALL REVIEWS (ESPECIALLY MINE) THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS. I DELETED ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE HARASSING ME ABOUT ACCIDENTLY SPOILING THE BOOK. SERIOUSLY, I'M SORRY, BUT PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO BE COMPLETE AND UTTER ASSHOLES ABOUT IT. NOT EVERYONE, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NICE, I REALLY AM SORRY THAT I SPOILED THE BOOK. I FORGET THAT GOODREADS DOESN'T HAVE A WAY OF HIDING SPO...moreSPOILERS IN MY REVIEW! I'M SORRY ABOUT SPOILING IT FOR PEOPLE, REALLY I AM, IT WAS NEVER INTENTIONAL. BUT AS WITH ALL REVIEWS (ESPECIALLY MINE) THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS. I DELETED ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE HARASSING ME ABOUT ACCIDENTLY SPOILING THE BOOK. SERIOUSLY, I'M SORRY, BUT PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO BE COMPLETE AND UTTER ASSHOLES ABOUT IT. NOT EVERYONE, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NICE, I REALLY AM SORRY THAT I SPOILED THE BOOK. I FORGET THAT GOODREADS DOESN'T HAVE A WAY OF HIDING SPOILERS... THEY SHOULD. IF I COULD GIVE YOU A COOKIE TO MAKEUP FOR THE FACT THAT I GAVE AWAY SOME STUFF. GOOD READS OBVIOUSLY DELETED MY FIRST REVIEW, BUT THIS IS THE SAME EXACT THING I HAD WRITTEN BEFORE... SO ONCE AGAIN, DON'T READ THE NON-CAPSLOCKED STUFF BELOW THIS BECAUSE IT DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS. SO IF YOU LEAVE ME A COMMENT THIS TIME AROUND BITCHING ABOUT SPOILERS YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF TO BITCH AT BECAUSE I FRIGGIN' WARNED YOU. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

I could not put this book down. I disagree with the statement that the ending was predictable. On the contrary I was pleasantly surprised that Jacob and Marlena ended up together because I thought the book was going to follow the format of those "never meant to be" loves. You know, where they hook up, yearn for each other, but can't grow old together.

I think the biggest disappointment I had with the book was Marlena's relative weakness. I think I would have loved the book even more had she been written as a stronger woman. Though I think her nature reflected that of most women back in the 30s. Still, I got annoyed by the frequent crying she did. I was proud of her for standing up to August in the end. Even so, Marlena's weakness didn't stop me from loving the book.

What drew me in the most was our flash forwards to 93-year-old (or is it 90?) Jacob. With the exception of his grouchiness everything about him reminded me of my grandfather, who past away last Thanksgiving at 97. It was the fact that he was failing physically but was holding on strong mentally that kept making me think of this man I admired so much. Also, Jacob's undying love for his wife was extremely remeniscent of my grandfather's relationship with my grandmother. If you have elderly loved ones this is just another reason for you to pick up this book. It will probably make you want to call up said loved one and talk to them about their past and their memories. Hopefully it will also strike a note to those who have ignored/forgotten/set aside their loved ones for so long, as Jacob's family has done with him.

Animal lovers beware with this book. As much as Jacob loves and has a passion for the animals he cares for, there is also a lot of animal abuse that takes place throughout the novel. Being a huge animal rights activist and just all around animal lover, I knew that the animals probably weren't going to be treated very well seeing as 70 years ago animals in the circus were only taken care of as long as they were bringing in a profit, even then... But despite having prepared myself, I was still caught of guard often. So just know that upon picking up this book. The happy animal moments do outweigh the cruelty, though, and if you know animal behavior at all you'll find yourself giggling and cheering quite a bit.

On a final note, this book is being praised as a romance novel, but it's so much more than that. There are so many layers and characters in this book that to shove it in that one exclusive category could turn away a lot of potential readers who will love this book. If you're a lover of animals, the elderly, adventure, circuses, the Great Depression, or even drunks, pick up this book and you'll find yourself hooked.(less)

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Dec 29, 2007

. r a c h a b e t h . rated it

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Recommends it for: romance lovers

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, anti-recs, novels

* * REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS * *

I really wanted to like this book. I think my low opinion is partially my fault, because I drove into the story with high expectations due to rave reviews. I need to learn not to do that.

The beginning of this novel was excellent. A Ivy League dropout, who formerly studied to be a vet, runs away and joins the circus. The time period? The Depression and Prohibition America - a historical era of uncertainty and chaos. I was looking for ...more* * REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS * *

I really wanted to like this book. I think my low opinion is partially my fault, because I drove into the story with high expectations due to rave reviews. I need to learn not to do that.

The beginning of this novel was excellent. A Ivy League dropout, who formerly studied to be a vet, runs away and joins the circus. The time period? The Depression and Prohibition America - a historical era of uncertainty and chaos. I was looking for an intriguing tale of a college youth thrust into an unfamiliar world, along with a dose of touching animal stories. What I got was a romance. Pure and simple.

A major issue in this novel is the characterization. The characters, with the exception of Walter (aka Kinko) and his dear Queenie, were flat and predictable. Marlena and August bothered me the most - Marlena being beautiful and kind and boring, and August being a cruel husband due to his mental illness. Besides the hackneyed stereotype of the mentally ill being violent, August's schizophrenia appeared to be a plot device to bring Jacob and Marlena together without making them look like bad people for cheating. I didn't buy it for half a second. I think the affair would've been much more interesting if August was...well, basically a normal husband who was maybe a little too obsessed with his own accomplishments.

The romance between Jacob and Marlena made me yawn. While Jacob was a fairly developed character, Marlena was the epitome of a side-female love interest: gorgeous with little beneath the surface. Barbara, the "cooch girl", had more depth than her. If Marlena were developed further (and if she had a flaw or two), I could buy their love story. And hey, maybe one day I'll appreciate where the characters ended up. Today is not that day. On a similar note, I've heard some people complain about the sex scenes, and while the descriptions are a bit odd, I had no problem with there being sex in the book. The setting is a circus, there is booze everywhere, and sex is gonna happen.

Again - I think I went into this novel with high expectations and if I'm getting the wrong idea or whatever, that's my own doing. I'll probably pick it up again in the future to see if I think differently then.(less)

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Jun 11, 2008

Kevin rated it

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I wanted to like this book. I really did. I even enjoyed the first couple of chapters and was prepared for an entertaining summer read Eventually, however, the lack of imagination, melodrama, and just plain bad writing did it in for me. At the risk of beating a dead horse (albeit a dead horse with tremendous appeal to book clubs across the United States), let me enumerate the problems (spoiler alert – not that I suggest you read this book anyway):

1. Neither the narrator, nor any of t...moreI wanted to like this book. I really did. I even enjoyed the first couple of chapters and was prepared for an entertaining summer read Eventually, however, the lack of imagination, melodrama, and just plain bad writing did it in for me. At the risk of beating a dead horse (albeit a dead horse with tremendous appeal to book clubs across the United States), let me enumerate the problems (spoiler alert – not that I suggest you read this book anyway):

1. Neither the narrator, nor any of the other characters in Water for Elephants, for that matter, even remotely sound like they live in the 1930s, nor does the old man sound like an old man in the present-day chapters (in fact, he sounds exactly like he did as a 22-year old in the 1930s chapters). This indicates that the author has either a completely tin ear for a dialogue or not enough imagination to put her self into the minds of her characters.

2. In the movie version of this book (which surely must the on the way), our narrator Jacob surely must be played by Alan Alda, age difference be damned. He is, without a doubt, the nicest, most sensitive character to appear in any book I have the memory of reading (and I’m counting the Bible). On at least half-a-dozen occasions, he breaks down in tears at the cruel injustice of the world, including becoming comatose for over an hour (yes, over an hour – the author is explicit) after putting down a sick horse – despite being a veterinarian. Perhaps rethinking his line of work is in order.

3. Melodrama and sentimentality, offered with the utmost sincerity, dominates all the action in the book. Chapters are dotted with multiple fights, murders, stampedes and other calamities, creating not drama but rather a creeping sense of incredulousness in the reader. To illustrate with two examples: At the end of the 1930s storyline, following a deadly stampede in which the villain is murdered (yes, murdered) by an elephant (yes, an elephant), the narrator marries the girl (thus rescuing her from an abusive relationship) and takes from the recently failed circus 12 horses, a dog, a monkey, and an elephant (yes, an elephant!) to live with him and his wife happily ever after. This is not played for laughs. We are meant to be moved by the noble sacrifice, I think. At the end of the present-day storyline, our same narrator, now widowed and without his menagerie, runs off to join the circus (again) and the age of 93, in what has all the makings of a Hallmark movie.

4. Modern-day, therapy-driven (dare I say “touchy-feely”) sentiment pervades the entire story, especially those parts set in the 1930s. The book teaches (and remember, this is a book meant for adults, not children) such valuable lessons as: treating the elderly with respect is important; racism and antisemitism are wrong; violence against women is wrong; being cruel to animals (or even thinking of them as less important than people) is wrong; all people are important, not matter what there is; little people (dwarfs) have a difficult time in the world and deserve or respect; etc. By keeping her story in bondage to these platitudes, Gruen creates exceptionally one-dimensional characters who either support modern and politically correct values (and thus are good) or don’t (and thus are bad, unless of course they suffers from mental illness and the stings of antisemitism, in which case they are to be pitied). I can’t count the number of times I rolled my eyes, as the narrator, recently orphaned, covered in horse shit, and practically starving during the Great Depression, takes the time to think of those less fortunate. A narrator with a little bit more dirt on his soul would have been much more believable and ultimately more sympathetic.

N.B. – To continue my rant: The blurb that accompanies this book on the New York Times bestseller list reads something to the effect “Young man and an elephant save Depression-era circus.” Did the person who wrote that event read the book? The circus collapses into a spasm of chaos and violence at the end of the book.
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Oct 02, 2007

RJ McGill rated it

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Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: reviewed

Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants is one of those rare novels, that will be read and re-read, discussed and enjoyed for many years, by old and young alike. Destined to be passed between family and friends and back again, until the tattered, time worn pages resemble the books beloved central character and narrator.Jacob Jankowski, just days from the final exams at Cornell University that would have attached the respectable Dr. of Veterinary medicine forever to his name, had his world forever alter...moreSara Gruen’s Water for Elephants is one of those rare novels, that will be read and re-read, discussed and enjoyed for many years, by old and young alike. Destined to be passed between family and friends and back again, until the tattered, time worn pages resemble the books beloved central character and narrator.Jacob Jankowski, just days from the final exams at Cornell University that would have attached the respectable Dr. of Veterinary medicine forever to his name, had his world forever altered when his parents were killed in an auto accident. Alone, frightened and penniless, the 23 hopped a train, never intending to “run away with the circus”… although, looking back, as he sat in the nursing home telling his story, it seemed fate didn’t much care about intentions, especially during the depression. It was hard life, the Benzini Brothers Circus, hailed as the Most Spectacular Show On Earth - which of course meant, it wasn’t Ringling and anything that wasn’t Ringling… well, wasn’t Ringling. And so it went, from town to town, day after day — set it up, tear it down - the freaks and geeks, midgets and clowns worked, ate, performed, lived and often died together. The harsh conditions are made even more unbearable at times, by the greedy manager, Uncle Al and his insane animal trainer, August. Yet somehow, in the midst of despair friendships and laughter persevered. Although much of the laughter was alcohol induced, during the height of the depression and prohibition, you took what you could get.

The narrator’s transition from the young circus vet, to the elderly, cantankerous nursing home resident is a well crafted, bi-lateral view that pulls the reader into this fictional world and never lets go. Whether in his twenties admiring beautiful, equestrian performer, Marlena and caring for the animals he loved so dearly or in his nineties mulling over where to have breakfast and the indignities of old age, the warm, quick wit comes through loud and clear. From the big top to the nursing facility Gruen’s sharp, three dimensional, fictionally fluid characters will have you laughing out loud one minute, mouth agape in sheer terror the next.

Hurry, hurry, step right up, readers and book lovers everywhere - if you hunger for a reading experience chock full of every conceivable emotion, beautifully written and wholly engrossing, Water for Elephants is a wondrous world, where fact and fiction combine, delivering the most memorable and pleasurable hours, you will be spend with a book. Characters so sharply drawn and wrought with emotion that there nearly flow off the page. Sara Gruen’s depictions of depression era America is as beautiful as it is haunting. From unspeakable cruelty and brutality, to selfless acts of kindness, Water for Elephants not has it all, but delivers it with unapologetic honesty and genuine heart felt passion.

Happy Reading!
-Rj(less)

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Jul 02, 2008

Matt rated it

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Shelves: contemporary-literature

April 24, 2008 edition of Coastal View News

The glitz and grit, glam and sham of depression-era circus life limps along in Sara Gruen’s “Water for Elephants” with little aid from her shoddy prose, predictable plot and underdeveloped metaphor. Although the book has a flashy appearance and is easily digested, it offers less nutritional value than promised.

When his parents suddenly and tragically die, Jacob Jankowski quits veterinarian school at Cornell University just before...moreApril 24, 2008 edition of Coastal View News

The glitz and grit, glam and sham of depression-era circus life limps along in Sara Gruen’s “Water for Elephants” with little aid from her shoddy prose, predictable plot and underdeveloped metaphor. Although the book has a flashy appearance and is easily digested, it offers less nutritional value than promised.

When his parents suddenly and tragically die, Jacob Jankowski quits veterinarian school at Cornell University just before graduation and finds himself aboard a circus train. The Great Depression is in full swing, jobs are scarce and the likelihood of Jacob being offered a position aboard the second-rate Benzini Brothers circus is even slimmer. Luckily the circus is in need of a veterinarian and Al, the greedy and miserly ringmaster of the circus, decides not to pass up the opportunity to underpay his “Cornell-trained” vet.

Jacob quickly earns his keep by maintaining the menagerie, but because his position is awkwardly located somewhere in-between the working crew and the performers, he grapples with the sharp divide between labor and the elite. He works with both classes, and thus appreciates the benefits of associating with the higher society while at the same time sympathizes with the less-fortunate workers.

Ultimately it is two sets of relationships that define Jacob’s story, a story which “parallels the Biblical story of Jacob.” The first defining relationship is between Jacob and Marlena, who is a performer in the circus and wife to August, a bipolar and oft-violent man. Jacob is enamored with Marlena from the moment he sets eyes on her, but his up-and-down relationship with August results in repeated attempts by Jacob to suppress his urge to act on his desires. Only once does Jacob fail to control himself, and although August is not justified in suspecting the truth of Jacob’s feelings, his on-again off-again rage puts everyone in a pickle.

Meanwhile, Jacob is also fostering a second relationship, this one with an apparently obstinate bull elephant named Rosie, who is purchased by Al when another circus goes under. Jacob’s natural affection for animals and his Polish background leave him uniquely equipped to handle this once passed-over beast and to turn her into a star.

As the behind-the-scenes drama in the Benzini Brothers circus is developed, the perspective in the novel switches back and forth between Jacob in the central story and Jacob as an old man of “90. Or 93. One or the other.” The younger Jacob is caring and cordial, while the older Jacob is cranky and more obstinate than a thousand elephants.

Gruen sets her story in a depression-era circus, a second-rate one at that, in an attempt to redeem the freak show, the workingman and the downtrodden; to show that the fine line between illusion and reality is finer than most people imagine. The book described by one critic as an “escapist fairytale” embraces the impulse to flee the dingy world of reality to participate in all that is glittery.

These may be interesting ideas, but in “Water for Elephants” Gruen fails to develop them to a point of profundity. One need not have a penchant for self-spoiling to predict what is going to happen next in this book, with the unintentional red herrings—the death of Jacob’s parents and the story of two forgotten comrades—falling into nothingness. The prose is pedestrian and the plot is implausible in the most obnoxious sort of way. Astute readers might not doubt whether the events in this novel could possibly develop, but they should doubt whether such is the way people think, act and interact.

The redeeming quality of this book is a fanciful look at circus life the way it used to be. There must be something intrinsically interesting in the big top—the fat lady, the elephant and the clowns—because the intrigue in “Water for Elephants” does not come from within.(less)

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Feb 09, 2008

Michele rated it

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Now THIS is a Good Book!
When I finished reading Water for Elephants, goose bumps covered my skin. Now this is a good book! Immediately engrossed, I had a hard time putting it down as I read the story of Jacob Jankowski and his reminiscence of days with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth--otherwise known as a train circus in 1930's America.

A talented writer and storyteller, Sara Gruen takes readers on a bumpy and tense train ride through history. This tale defin...more

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May 06, 2011

Buggy rated it

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Shelves: awesomeness, fiction, historical, shelf-10, love-story

In the beginning of Water For Elephants Jacob Jankowski tells us that he is ninety or ninety-three. One or the other. He's not really sure anymore. His body betrayed him years ago and Jacob now fears that his mind isn’t far behind. Shuffling along miserably behind his walker, he’s living out his final days in the nursing home and hating every minute of it. Just another invisible senior citizen who’s family and the world as a whole has forgotten about.

When the circus comes to town an...moreIn the beginning of Water For Elephants Jacob Jankowski tells us that he is ninety or ninety-three. One or the other. He's not really sure anymore. His body betrayed him years ago and Jacob now fears that his mind isn’t far behind. Shuffling along miserably behind his walker, he’s living out his final days in the nursing home and hating every minute of it. Just another invisible senior citizen who’s family and the world as a whole has forgotten about.

When the circus comes to town and sets up its Big Top tents across the street Jacob comes alive and through a series of flashbacks begins to tell us his life’s story. Taking us back to when he joined the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show On Earth, a traveling circus he toured with during the great depression. So step right up folks because this old man has quite the story to tell.

At the age of 23 Jacob had a predictable future set out ahead of him, one that certainly didn’t involve joining the circus. However with his parents untimely death and the bank foreclosing on his family home Jacob soon finds himself homeless, heartbroken and mentally quite unable to sit his final veterinary exams. When an exotic, animal filled train steams toward him Jacob doesn’t even think. Flinging himself aboard the boxcar and inadvertently changing his destiny forever.

I absolutely adored this book, alternately falling in love with both Jacob, the crotchety old man and Jacob, the young, moral and penniless circus veterinarian. Water For Elephants transported me to another time and quickly became one of those books I never wanted to end.

Author Sara Gruen has researched the depression era circus life down to the smallest of details and I feel that this captivating and vivid story will appeal to almost anyone. Filled with action, adventure and a sweet forbidden romance there is also a fascinating sideshow of secondary characters including a clever Polish Elephant, a grouchy little person as Jacob’s roommate and a cruel and schizophrenic animal trainer whose wife Jacob just happens to fall in love with. All of this has been wrapped together with a compelling and innovative behind the scenes look aboard a travelling circus train. Showing us more often then not the darker side of circus life after the big top closes down. This is a love story, a life story, an animal lover’s story but above all it’s a circus story and who of us hasn’t dreamed about running away and joining the circus at some point in our lives? And the ending… *sigh*

I can't say enough good about this book, its easily one of my favourite reads this year and with Robert Pattison now taking on the upcoming movie role version of Jacob, I was able to picture him while reading, making it all the more sweeter. Cheers!

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May 25, 2007

Tracy Rhodes rated it

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I do like a good vintage-travelling-circus story - "Geek Love", HBO's "Carnivale" (which I was really sad to see cancelled), etc... In fact, this book reminded me of "Carnivale" - I had a hard time believing the author's idea to write the book wasn't inspired by the series.

I liked the perspective from which the story was told - a feisty 90-something old man reflecting in flashbacks on his adventures in a travelling circus 70 years earlier, while lamenti...moreI do like a good vintage-travelling-circus story - "Geek Love", HBO's "Carnivale" (which I was really sad to see cancelled), etc... In fact, this book reminded me of "Carnivale" - I had a hard time believing the author's idea to write the book wasn't inspired by the series.

I liked the perspective from which the story was told - a feisty 90-something old man reflecting in flashbacks on his adventures in a travelling circus 70 years earlier, while lamenting the indignities of his current nursing-home existence. The characters of this book were mostly well-rendered and interesting, especially the circus folks, and the author did an awesome job of depicting the down and dirty details of circus life in the Depression era. She said she took a lot of anecdotes out of actual circus diaries and oral histories, and I think that sense of authenticity is apparent.

The flashback plot itself is pretty standard, somewhat uninspired "young hero falls in love at first sight with damsel in distress in thrall to dastardly villain" kind of stuff. A certain level of disbelief suspension is required throughout the book, for things like how the hero in question gets hooked up with the circus in the first place, and for various parts of the storyline relating to the elephant they pick up along the way (like - spoiler alert! - how she only understands Polish... And who just happens to speak Polish? Why, our hero!). The storyline of the hero as an old man, with his failing body and mind but a tenacious spirit, is poignant stuff. However much you're rooting for something good to happen to him, though, and as charming as the ending of the story is, what does occur is still pretty hard to swallow.

Overall, I thought the story was well-paced and the transitions from the past to current day perspectives were smoothly handled. The author's writing style is engaging, and I found myself carried along by the story and missing the book when I had to set it down to go to work. Good stuff, all told.(less)

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Jul 29, 2007

Brenda rated it

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Recommends it for: cotton candy junkies

I just finished reading "Water for Elephants" out on my deck. Just boo. That's my review. Boo. Not a loud boo, or an emphatic boo, just your average boo. Water for Elephants equals boo.

Why do I give this a boo rating? Mostly for the dialogue. The author tries to explain 1930s carnival vernacular through a green carnie's questions about the world around him. And the questions come out over simplified and make for unrealistic and stilted conversations.

Sa...more

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Apr 26, 2009

Sparrow rated it

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Shelves: punching-tour, reviewed

I have a problem with books when the nicest thing people can think of to say about them is, "It is based on a true story," or, "At least it was well researched." It is the same as saying a woman "has a great personality" or a man is "super sweet". In the case of fiction, as with these backwards insults to humans, the "based on a true story" and "well researched" labels actually mean that the books are ugly or stupid. That is not to s...moreI have a problem with books when the nicest thing people can think of to say about them is, "It is based on a true story," or, "At least it was well researched." It is the same as saying a woman "has a great personality" or a man is "super sweet". In the case of fiction, as with these backwards insults to humans, the "based on a true story" and "well researched" labels actually mean that the books are ugly or stupid. That is not to say I am against true stories or research, but if it's the nicest thing you can say about a novel I'm probably not going to want to read it. When, while reading Water for Elephants, I found myself sighing and thinking, "At least it's obviously well researched, and I bet some of this really happened," I knew Sara Gruen and I had a problem.

Perhaps it is the fact that the characters of this book are completely un-like the author that makes every conversation and event in this story ring false. The dust jacket on this book tells me that Sara Gruen is in her early- to mid-thirties and lives in an environmental community north of Chicago. The central character of Water for Elephants, Jacob Jankowski, is a man who appears in the story as both a twenty-one year old and a ninety-something year old. He is a vet, who joins a circus in the 1930s, during the depression, and gets to go on some nasty adventures that involve a lot of vomit, blood, and erections. I have often in the past had problems with books written by men and told from a female character's point of view, but I don't remember ever being so distracted by the reverse as I was in this book. Jacob, both young and old, is constantly getting flustered, turning away to hide his emotion, getting cornered by other men who desperately want to know how he feels about his love interest, and voicing the emotional highs and lows of the animals he cares for. I am basically in favor of the human- and animal-rights message that I eventually thought might be the point of this book. However, when Jacob would describe how all of the animals and people liked him better than everyone else, it just made him come off like a pipsqueak rather than bringing home the point that humane treatment brings positive results.

It is, frankly, beyond me why Ms. Gruen chose to write this book from a male perspective. The only conclusion I can come up with is that she thought it was the best way, in some kind of perverse, Annie Proulx thought pattern to make the descriptions, and specifically everything relating to sex, moderately unpleasant. Mission accomplished.

My advice, if you plan to read this book, is to read it with the voice of Dr. Archibald from Veggie Tales - a sort of silly, mid-Atlantic whine: ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfxBRc9Ow... ). I found this much more enjoyable toward the end. These are a few sample sentences from the book to use for practicing the voice before you start the book: "Those were the salad days, the halcyon years!" and "And then I laugh, because it's all so ridiculous and so gorgeous and it's all I can do to not melt into a fit of giggles." I don't know if the writing is supposed to be funny and odd in a Jack Handy way, but I sense that it's not, and that makes me think "some of this is probably based on a true story . . . and at least it seems well researched."(less)

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Sep 16, 2007

Tory rated it

· review of another edition

This is a very good example of why one should have no expectations when going into a book. I wanted this book to be great. I thought this book was going to be great. A depression era traveling circus and all that entails? Awesome! The author’s voice being likened to Mr. Irving? Awesome! The fact that damn near everyone LOVED it? Promising! The only other circus book I’ve read was GEEK LOVE, and holy shit. Awesome! All of this lead me to believe that I was about to be blown away.

But, ...more

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Jul 12, 2007

Izetta Autumn rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-tome, general-fiction

Somehow I feel that I have to defend why I liked this book, even though there's no one saying why I shouldn't have enjoyed it. Here's what I found most touching: the author took an fantastic premise - an orphan running away to the circus, a love triangle, an elephant, and the Great Depression and weaved a tale that doesn't make you say "bullocks," at every page. Gruen outlines use of anachronistic story telling is effective and she is skilled at moving the story along, even more adept ...moreSomehow I feel that I have to defend why I liked this book, even though there's no one saying why I shouldn't have enjoyed it. Here's what I found most touching: the author took an fantastic premise - an orphan running away to the circus, a love triangle, an elephant, and the Great Depression and weaved a tale that doesn't make you say "bullocks," at every page. Gruen outlines use of anachronistic story telling is effective and she is skilled at moving the story along, even more adept at highlighting an aging man who is recalling his prime. Because Gruen juxtaposes her novel against the Great Depression, careful readers will find an interesting opportunity for retrospection around how we treat elders today and during the depression and where we put our "unwanteds."

The book is fantastical and clearly well researched, with the exception of one character being misdiagnosed as "paranoid schizoprenic." This inaccuracy can be forgiven. Gruen also works hard to show the layers of social dynamics, acknowledging in the book: segregation, racism, ability and others who are "queered out," poverty, capitalism, and elder care. That's a lot to put comfortably in a book - and to Gruen's credit I didn't feel overcrowded. I am most impressed with Gruen's technique; its the details in the craft of her writing that makes the story possible.

My only complaint would be that while most all of the characters are quite believable, the female protagonist, I found to be a little flat. I don't feel that Gruen inhabited her as the writer - she didn't quite come to life for me, I didn't find her realistic or understand her. I also am still thinking through a casual (and perhaps unintended) parallel the author draws between Rosie the elephant and the Black female nurse who Jacob so appreciates. I have to revisit that.

After reading the book I am certainly more interested in reading historic accounts of the circus - definitely an intereting topic; had me yearning for a certain X-Files episode featuring the circus - but I digress... ;-D(less)

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Jun 06, 2011

Janina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historic-fiction, read-in-2011, given-away, let-me-down, male-pov, lovestory-romance, adult-fiction

Sadly, this book was a bit of a disappointment for me. I really enjoyed it at the beginning, and the writing definitely had a great flow. Also, the overall atmosphere of the 1920s, the circus, the animals in the menagerie, the rivalry between workers and performers were exceptionally well done.

Unfortunately, though, the main aspect of the book - the romance - fell completely flat for me. Marlena was such a flat character and I couldn't bring up any sympathy for her or her sitution. ...more

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Aug 08, 2008

Beth F. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, historical-fiction, general-fiction, i-reviewed-this-bad-boy

Just to put it out there, I’ll admit straight off the bat that I’m one of the people who enjoyed this book. It was a fast read (which I always appreciate, because I’m perpetually drowning in a list of books TBR) and it was fairly easy to get through. I also didn’t see the end coming until a few pages before it actually happened, which probably added immensely to my enjoyment factor.

I’ve been reading all the criticisms of this book in an attempt to organize my opinions after reading...moreJust to put it out there, I’ll admit straight off the bat that I’m one of the people who enjoyed this book. It was a fast read (which I always appreciate, because I’m perpetually drowning in a list of books TBR) and it was fairly easy to get through. I also didn’t see the end coming until a few pages before it actually happened, which probably added immensely to my enjoyment factor.

I’ve been reading all the criticisms of this book in an attempt to organize my opinions after reading this book. It seems like most of the complaints have to do with cruelty to humans and animals in the story and the sex scenes sprinkled throughout Jacob’s experience with the circus.

I do not feel that the sex described in these books was inappropriate or gratuitous. In all instances (namely Barbra’s strip scene, Jacob’s deflowering with the circus prostitutes and the scene where he and Marlena finally made love), these descriptions helped to move the plot and create human experiences and reactions, which is what makes a book worth reading. Very few of us who will ever read this book can say that we were involved in a Depression-era circus, however, must of us has some concept or experience of our own with sex. In the case of this book, I feel that the sex in the book permits us to draw a parallel to these characters that we might otherwise never identify with (because they are truly from another world).

I won’t lie. There were several uncomfortable scenes where Rosie the elephant was brutally beat by August, and I cringed during those scenes. I was also extremely discomfited by the scenes where the big cats were fed rotting meat and other circus animals. The instances of redlighting were also appalling.

However, this is because I am 29-years-old. I was born in 1979. Not 1929. That time in American history is FOREIGN to me. FOREIGN, FOREIGN, FOREIGN. It’s hard for me to fathom sometimes that people actually had experiences like that so recently in the past. I have a grandmother who is 101-years-old. My father is 73-years-old. To listen to them describe life when they were my age is mind-blowing to me, because some of the stories they tell me fall into the same category of shock that I felt while reading this story.

My 87-year-old grandmother has told me stories about going to their family’s beach house in the summers and how her mother would lock her inside the house whenever the Chicago gangster’s had committed a big heist (there were several who would spend time in Minnesota and Wisconsin) while they were waiting for things to cool down. My father has stories about chasing trains and jumping on them to go for a ride out of boredom.

And so it’s my opinion that sex and animal cruelty were not the themes of the story and that to get hung up on them means missing out on something bigger. Life was different then, so we can’t apply our same logic to those events and have them still make sense. They were tangential ideas peppered throughout the story to support the actual point of the story, which I felt had to do with the aging of a human being.

The fact that the story was not just ABOUT the circus supports this. If the story was ABOUT the circus, there would have been no need to include details about Jacob as a 93-year-old man. Or to share conversations he has with the nurses in the assisted living home and with the other patients.

Aging is a very real, very human experience that none of us can escape. Even if someone dies as a young person, they won’t escape the issues that come with aging because there are people in our lives who WILL age and we will be there to witness it. I’ve already seen grandparents go through that transformation of a vital, independent adult to an old, frail being that needs help with even the most basic of a function, who can’t remember names of family members and who eventually dies.

The drastic comparison between Jacob’s life at the assisted living center and his flashbacks to his time spent at the circus give an extremely compelling glance at the passage of time and how it affects us all.

Now, all that being said. There were several instances of the author’s “modern voice” creeping in. The one that bothered me most was the reference to August’s diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. In 1933? Um, nope. It wasn’t recognized as a legitimate disease or even named until the 70’s (I think, which was when my oldest brother was diagnosed with it. If they’d known more about it at the time, he might be better off today, but there just wasn’t enough information or research available, even in the late 70’s). (less)

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Aug 14, 2008

Holly rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: suggestions-for-anna

Absolutely wonderful.

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Mar 20, 2011

Lora rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: favorites, book-to-movie, lib-audiobooks, adult-lit, g-hist-fic

Note: This is a review for the audio version of Water for Elephants. So I'll be incorporating my thoughts on the novel itself as well as the quality of the audio.

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent."--- Theodor Seuss Geisel, Horton Hatches the Egg

That is the quote at the opening of Water for Elephants. And it couldn't be more fitting.

The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth may very we...more

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Jan 22, 2011

oliviasbooks rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to oliviasbooks by: Morgan, Tina, Kim

Shelves: contemporary_fiction, historic_fiction, read-2011, love-story, stays-with-me, favorites, low-expectations, male-point-of-view, love-triangle, favorites-of-2011, scb-challenge-2011

This is one of those books I would not have read without the "help" of Goodreads. A lot of my friends here had been reading it last year and discussed it again and again. It made me curious and I picked up a battered and cheap copy at some point thinking "Well, at this price it won't hurt to give it a go". After the purchase my poor copy slumbered for a few months on my to-read shelf - wedged between constantly changing neighbors whose attention-clamoring-skills were somehow ...more

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Nov 03, 2010

Joyzi rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: 18 years old and above, Crazy Rob Pat fans

Recommended to Joyzi by: clevvertv

Shelves: e-book, adult, books-to-movies, fiction, reviewed, historical-fiction, chick-lit, realistic-fiction, contemporary-fiction, favorites, contemporary-romance

Book Review for Water for Elephants

Caution: Folks as much as I want everybody to read this book I have to say that this is definitely not a YA book. It contains offensive language, violence and over the top sex.

Before anything else, I'm going to share this song Satisfy by Vedera because some guy in Youtube make this a soundtrack for the book and I think the song captures the emotions in the book accurately.

♫♪If there was a way to try and make it back
...more

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Oct 19, 2007

Tiffany rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fiction lovers

Wow! That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book. It was pure magic for me. I grabbed it from the library as soon as I saw it on the shelf. I must admit that I had never heard of the book or the author, but was attracted to the colors on the cover. Now I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but in this case I did. The cover gives no synopsis, just some blurbs and quotes from people who have read it. I didn't know what to expect, but after the first chapter I w...more

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Sep 10, 2009

Thomas rated it

· review of another edition

Great setting - loved the American circus atmosphere carried through the novel. I didn't feel for the characters though, and thus didn't enjoy the story. The plot seemed forced at points, almost verging on melodrama - maybe that was the characters' fault, still, I was left disappointed by this one.

I wrote a whopping review for this book a couple of years ago and decided that it was horrible, so I changed it to this concise little summary of my original thoughts. Sorry to everyone who...more

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Apr 05, 2010

~Tina~ rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: lib, adults, read-2010, historical

Water For Elephants, walks the memories of ninety (or is it ninety-three) year old Jacob Jancowski, who recalls his younger self in the days of circus life. The illusions, the scandals, the friendship, The hardships, the bonds and the secrets he's kept...

I found myself completely fascinated by this world. Seriously didn't think I'd love this book as much as I did. I only wanted to read it cause my favorite actor is staring in it.
But hey, there it is.

Water For Elepha...more

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Apr 03, 2008

Bonnie rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone

I enjoyed this book for several reasons. I liked the fact that a 90 or 93 year old was looking back on his life. The flashbacks were well done. And although the portrayal of the circus life and experience was well done, my favorite part of the book was seeing how the main character was treated in a nursing home facility. It was sad but so very on target -- what do we do with our elderly family members once they have outlived their mates, once they have become a "burden." Too bad n...more

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Apr 15, 2008

Lain rated it

· review of another edition

If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. It has everything one could want -- romance, intrigue, mystery, a murder, and a little bit of humor. The characters are instantly real, and the plot is fresh.

I could go on for days and days, but I am going to stop right now so you can go read this book. You MUST read this book.

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Mar 05, 2008

Emily rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-it, funky-fiction, hersday-book-club, what-i-read-in-2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a story about Jacob Jankowski and his short time with The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. The story is told in memory by Jacob from his 93 year old self in a nursing home. Just a week prior to graduating Cornell Veterinary School in the 193os, both of Jacob's parents are killed in a car accident. To distraught to finish his exams, Jacob jumps a train and realizes only afterwards that he has just run away with the circus. The leaders of th...more

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Aug 28, 2007

Heidi Lawson rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: quick_reads

I read this book in one day. It pulls you in.

I learned a lot about the old traveling circuses and life with them. That was really interesting.

But the most important thing I got from this book was the narrative from the perspective of Jacob as an old man. I have a hard time truly making myself realize that elderly people were once like me. They were young, with lives just like mine (in the important ways). When talking to elderly people, I spend my energy being sympathetic...more

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Aug 18, 2007

Fanny rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a quick, light read

I enjoyed this book but did not feel it quite lived up to the high ratings I based my purchase on. Part of its appeal was the promise of a circus story. And the story was very realistic in some ways, detailing how difficult and unrewarding (not to mention very dangerous)that life could be.

Some of the most interesting and moving parts of the book were actually those that took place in the nursing home that Jacob now lives in, remembering his youth with the circus. The author did a ...more

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Jun 29, 2007

marg rated it

· review of another edition

Wow, what a great read! It definitely had that Cavalier and Klay sort of feel, I felt like I stepped into a parallel universe - the writing was fantastic and the story just totally drew me in. In so many ways I felt the circus was a microchosm for all businesses, and all the more jarring because of the innocence and family element that is attached to it. You can tell this book is written well, as the predictability did not faze me for it was naturally brought about and neatly conveyed - and ul...moreWow, what a great read! It definitely had that Cavalier and Klay sort of feel, I felt like I stepped into a parallel universe - the writing was fantastic and the story just totally drew me in. In so many ways I felt the circus was a microchosm for all businesses, and all the more jarring because of the innocence and family element that is attached to it. You can tell this book is written well, as the predictability did not faze me for it was naturally brought about and neatly conveyed - and ultimately I was so captivated that I even wanted a happy ending -- that never happens!
Khay, I had some thoughts - like originally I felt that Barbara and Marlena were pinned against each other to sort of represent two different kinds of women, two different kinds of relationships, and perhaps the two elements of the circus - those who are real, those who are not, those who are good, those who are not. In addition, as I was saying to you before, I felt like Jacob is a somewhat unextraordinairy person who is put in an extraordinairy situation and emerges a hero - I felt like he impacted the circus as much as it impacted him - also, according to the dorky questions at the back of my book, it seems Gruen wanted Jacob to parallel his biblical namesake - she has a line where he lies down by the water on a flat stone ... I was trying to think how else - I guess he battles evil - has trouble getting the right girl - is in exile - loses his parents ... in some ways it did feel like your classic physical journey/internal journey... which is in some ways what bible jacob represents ...
One odd thing was that for all her focus on the train I had such a hard time getting a sense of place. I don;t know, I was just like, wait, they can walk to a hotel, but they dont have food, but theyre in some empty town ... or, I dont know, the distribution of wealth confused me - there seemed to be some holes in the story (not the least of which being that Marlena, for all her wealth and fancy scarves, only had ONE circus outfit??) ... I liked the deception Gruen goes for with who is the murderer ... I wasn't so fond of the very ending, I felt like it wasn't at all realistic and it was supposed to be a neat and tidy ending, yet how on earth could this be a good thing? If anything I see it being further disillusionment ... but I guess it was a point on how the elderly atrophy in homes more so than from old age and shouldn't be refused the right to go off where they want, or something ...
Anyway - she totally captured the flavor, the vernacular, the characters ... it was a fun and touching and funny read. Am on to The Road now which seems to have everyone talking but so far I don't really see why, I guess it's a bit of an inevitable let down...
(less)

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Sep 25, 2007

Kristen rated it

· review of another edition

This book is so terrible it made me physically angry. It's predictable, cliched and unimaginative. The good-hearted poor boy meets the good-hearted beautiful girl, who's involved with the bad-hearted, controlling man. Whatever will happen?

Seriously. Don't buy this book. I know the cover is pretty, and the title is intriguing, and the summary is enticing. It's all razzle-dazzle. Kinda like a circus itself.

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May 08, 2011

Lou rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: adapted-to-screen, may-read

Jacob in his 90's takes us back to when he was young and begins the story during the time of his parents death. He was unawares of the reality of life during the economic depression and it was a shock to his system to find out the sacrifices his parents made so he and others could have a better life.
His father was a veterinary surgeon and he follows in his footsteps in rather different way involving animals via the circus.
The story could have been much better was lacking in depth a...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Bookworm Bitches : March 2011 Book: Water for Elephants	30	69	12 hours, 33 min ago
Central Book Club: * February 2012: Water for Elephants	2	4	Feb 06, 2012 05:53pm
Basically Books!: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (February 2012 Group Read)	8	33	Feb 06, 2012 04:17pm
Ladies of the Woods: Water for Elephants	1	2	Feb 06, 2012 07:41am
Movie version???	32	170	Jan 31, 2012 03:25pm

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