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Jul 07, 2011

Rachel rated it:

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. More...

38 comments like (175 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Sammy rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

48 comments like (137 people liked it)

Dec 29, 2007

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

* * 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...

38 comments like (184 people liked it)

Jun 11, 2008

Kevin rated it:

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 More...

44 comments like (172 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

RJ rated it:

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 More...

13 comments like (77 people liked it)

Jul 02, 2008

Matt rated it:

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 More...

5 comments like (64 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Michele rated it:

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...

3 comments like (63 people liked it)

May 06, 2011

Buggy rated it:

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 More...

41 comments like (31 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Tracy rated it:

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 More...

5 comments like (27 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Brenda rated it:

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...

6 comments like (36 people liked it)

Oct 09, 2011

Sparrow rated it:

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 More...

6 comments like (19 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Tory rated it:

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...

4 comments like (36 people liked it)

Apr 11, 2011

Izetta Autumn rated it:

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 More...

4 comments like (26 people liked it)

Aug 26, 2011

Janina rated it:

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...

16 comments like (16 people liked it)

Aug 08, 2008

Beth F. rated it:

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 More...

9 comments like (64 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Holly rated it:

Absolutely wonderful.

1 comment like (19 people liked it)

Jul 27, 2011

Lora rated it:

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...

7 comments like (12 people liked it)

Jan 22, 2011

oliviasbooks rated it:

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...

18 comments like (13 people liked it)

Feb 14, 2011

Joyzi rated it:

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...

34 comments like (16 people liked it)

Oct 19, 2007

Tiffany rated it:

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...

9 comments like (15 people liked it)

May 15, 2011

Thomas rated it:

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...

1 comment like (9 people liked it)

Mar 03, 2011

~Tina~ rated it:

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...

23 comments like (11 people liked it)

Oct 09, 2011

Bonnie rated it:

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...

0 comments like (9 people liked it)

Apr 15, 2008

Lain rated it:

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.

3 comments like (17 people liked it)

Mar 05, 2008

Emily rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

1 comment like (6 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Heidi rated it:

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...

2 comments like (14 people liked it)

Aug 18, 2007

Fanny rated it:

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...

0 comments like (9 people liked it)

Jun 29, 2007

marg rated it:

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 More...

14 comments like (6 people liked it)

Sep 25, 2007

Kristen rated it:

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.

5 comments like (38 people liked it)

May 08, 2011

Lou rated it:

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...

12 comments like (6 people liked it)