Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits -- the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth -- a second-rate travelling circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. Jacob, a veterinary student who almost earned his degree, 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. 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.

• ISBN10: 1417832401
• ISBN13: 9781417832408
• Publish Date: 1 January 2006
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 April 2021
• Imprint: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

Water for Elephants is a book that I probably wouldn’t have picked up if I hadn’t seen–and loved–the movie adaptation. I’m certainly glad I did though, because I really enjoyed it, too! For some reason, even though I’d never to go a real circus (I am terrified of clowns), I love reading about them. I guess it’s my way of experiencing them without the fear. But I’d only read about Fantasy circuses before, so it was really fun to read about a real one, especially one that’s trying to make it during the Depression era.

Water for Elephants alternates between the present day, where Jacob is 93 and in an assisted living facility, and the summer he was 23. He’s not happy where he is, because he still feels like a young man inside even though the evidence to the contrary is obvious on the outside. The final straw seems to be when another resident claims to have carried water for elephants during his days at a circus. Jacob knows there’s no such thing, and begins remember his youth and relives those days he spent working as a circus vet, and fell in love with Marlena.

The only thing that bothered me about Water for Elephants was that Marlena really had no personality before she and Jacob begin their affair. It’s almost as if she needed him to bring her out. I do not like this at all! It was also a bit frustrating because he falls in love with this amazing young woman, but we don’t really see her amazingness until later. Maybe I noticed this more because I watched the movie first, and really enjoyed Reese Witherspoon’s portrayal of her. She breathed life into an otherwise flat character.

I definitely enjoyed Water for Elephants. I find the time period fascinating, and loved seeing circus life (and some of the shows). I liked how Jacob was making the best of a bad situation, and tried to help those around him as well. And of course, Rosie! I freaking love that elephant and wish there had been more of her antics!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[cherryblossommj]

I was on a movie based on the book kick the other day when I was filling my netflix que and this was one that I was able to watch the other day. I was surprised, all I knew going in was that it was a book. I had not looked at the actors in it nor anything about the book. I was pleasantly surprised because I like those actors and experiencing such a story on hard times and the life in a carnival was very neat. Watching the film I'm not sure if I would like the book or not, because I think it might have lost my interest. However, it was very interesting and challenging in parts to watch. I would watch it again.

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

review to come

[Grace]

This book was utterly fantastic. I adore historical fiction, but I've been lingering on novels set in King Henry VIII's court and similar eras, and I'd been craving something set in the 20th century for a change. I received a copy of [b:Water for Elephants|43641|Water for Elephants|Sara Gruen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170161179s/43641.jpg|3441236] for my birthday, and it was so wonderful that as soon as I finished the last page, I seriously contemplated flipping back to the front and starting over again immediately.

The narrator is 90-year-old Jacob Jankowski, living in an old-folks' home and hating his life in between the increasingly-infrequent visits from his children and grandchildren. The only bright spot in his life right now is that the circus has come to town, and his family has promised to take him this weekend. This leads us back to the 1920s, during the Depression and Prohibition. A young Jacob drops out of veterinary school and ends up joining a traveling circus. The ringmaster, Uncle Al, doesn't mind that he doesn't have his degree; the animals in the circus are only good to him if they can perform or work. As Jacob tries to find his place in the complicated dynamic of the circus behind the scenes, he falls in love with Marlena, one of the performers. Unfortunately, she is married to August, the head animal trainer, who is charming one moment, and hysterically violent the next.

This book had everything I wanted: romance, heartbreak, murder, quirky characters... but most of all it took me to a period in time that I had not really been to yet. The behind-the-scenes look at a Depression-era circus was so fascinating. But the scenes with Jacob in the nursing home were splendid as well. I wanted this book to never end.

[kimbacaffeinate]

totally loved this book. Would recommend to everyone :)

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

So as soon as I finished At the Water’s Edge [read my review], I picked up a used copy of Water for Elephants. Since the characters and the plot in At the Water’s Edge left me wanting a bit more, I wanted to remind myself how Gruen pulled me in the first time.

I think the magic of Water for Elephants lies in how the story is told. Events in the present time trigger memories of the past and the reader is transported back in time with the main character, Jacob. To me, it is how many of us tell stories so it is at once a familiar storytelling style and new because often times we are journeying to a time we have never been. Stories told like this are some of my favorites.

Since this was a re-read for me, I was able to cruise through it. For me, I enjoyed my first read through more and the audiobook narration was so well done that I kept think I should have re-listened to this rather than re-read a physical copy.

Also, since the prologue of Water for Elephants starts out with a secret that sets the story moving forward, and I had read the book before, I knew the answer to the secret. As a result, the reveal was muted and the book wasn’t as shiny on this second read.

Water for Elephants is filled with colorful, complicated human characters and amazing animals. While several of us may have threatened to run off to join the circus as a kids, the circus life painted in Water for Elephants might easily change your mind. I would definitely recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction and have a fascination with circus history. The book doesn’t necessarily stand up on a re-read. And if you do enjoy audiobooks, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to listen to this one.


This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews

[ladygrey]

[b:Water for Elephants|43641|Water for Elephants|Sara Gruen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170161179s/43641.jpg|3441236] is strangely enjoyable. The story drew me in when I wasn't looking. Probably because the world is so authentic and well crafted. It's a little like Carnivale in that it almost doesn't matter what's happening because you're just a little fascinated just being there. It's a dirty, beautiful sort of world.

And once you fall into this world there's very much the sense of having jumped on a train and gotten caught up in these characters. I didn't love any of the characters the way I sometimes love a character. But I liked their story and I liked the sense of history and nostalgia it had by being told from Jacob's 93 year old point of view.

I would have preferred if the sex wasn't quite so blunt and graphic.

But other than that, it was a good book.

[inlibrisveritas]

I had been eying this book for around a year or so before finally picking it up for a group read on Goodreads. The style is flowing and solid through out the entire book, and gives it a sense of true reality. You can tell that the author did her homework on the circus of that time as well as the animals and people. Even though there is animal abuse toward the middle of the book it actually helps you to become attached to some characters all the while you develop other feelings for the rest. Very very good book.

[Eve1972]

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I first heard about it it didn't sound like something I would be interested in, but I kept hearing how amazing it was, so I thought I would give it a try and I am SO glad that I did! This was just an amazingly good read, rich in details, gritty, humorous, I basically finished it in two days! I was also very pleased to read that many of the events in the novel are based on real happenings, this made the book all that more enjoyable for me. I would most definitely recommend this book as a delightful read!