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July 2, 2007

Book Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

To the staff and fellow residents of his nursing home, Jacob Jankowski is just another cranky 90-something widower. What they don’t know—and what the reader soon discovers—is the story of Jacob’s incredible past as a circus veterinarian for the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. The novel focuses on Jacob’s memories of the summer of 1931, when he worked for the Benzini traveling circus until a bloody catastrophe shuttered the show forever. Gruen wonderfully evokes life under a Depression-era big top, filling her tale with romance, suspense and fascinating characters (including an unforgettable elephant named Rosie). With its compelling subject matter and satisfying ending, Water for Elephants is a book that stays with you long after you turn the final page.

Posted by hplreadingcorner at 4:04 PM