Book Review - Water for Elephants

Author : Sara Gruen

Paperback : 335 pages

ISBN : 1565125606

(ISBN13 : 9781565125605)

My Rating : ★★★☆☆

Book Description : "Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-somthing-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tosses by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with it's own narrow, irrational rules, it's own way of life, and it's own way of death. The world of the circus; to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell." Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act- in fact, she couldn't even follow instruction. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. 


My Thoughts : It's more of a 3 1/2 star book.
Although I have heard and seen this book everywhere since the book ever came out,
I never really heard anything great about it.
But nonetheless I thought I check it out because they were going to make a movie out of it ! And I always try to read a book first before watching the movie if I can help it.

It is a good read. I didn't waste time or anything reading this book.
But still, it was plain and a little dull. I kept waiting for the excitement, suspense, and the dark secret to revile itself but it never came.
And I SILL don't feel like there was much of them in there.

There is one secret, something that's happened at the beginning of the book.
And, it was pretty obvious what it was by taking a quite look at the title of the book.
It was nicely written, clean and simple. No drama or complication, and that's why I felt like just reading a circus memoir. (which isn't half bad)

I laughed a couple of times and it was certainly interesting to see what a life in a circus might be, but I don't think this book has not lived up to it's own reputation.


*here is a preview of the movie coming out April 15th 2011*