As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and for Jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was ultimately their only hope for survival.
(Image and Description from Goodreads.com)
Thumbs Up!
I
really enjoyed it (and this came as a huge surprise to me).
I
have never read anything, fictional or otherwise, about circuses or depression
era America (although I am a huge lover of films like ‘The Greatest Show on
Earth’ etc and it has nothing to do with Charlton Heston…Ok, maybe a little) so
it was a huge eye opener. There was definitely a dark side to the bright
costumes and candyfloss and I don’t think I will ever look at Dumbo the same
way again.
I
loved the insight to the times as well as the flashes of Jacob’s life in the
nursing home and his frustration and anger at his situation. This book did not
just deal with the happily ever after and life of a young man in his prime but
seventy years on too.
The
whole book was like I had been given a backstage, nothing bared pass to the
circus (well, the 1930s circus anyway) and I enjoyed every page of it.
Thumbs Down!
There
were definitely some things that made me a bit squirmy.
There
is animal abuse that we know is going on and a few times when we ‘see’ it
happening.
Mental
and emotional abuse is also touched on (but violence and abuse towards women always makes me uncomfortable in books even though it wasn't very much IN your face, I was aware something more was going on).
Final Thoughts!
I
thoroughly enjoyed Water for Elephants. It caught me up and I was finished
before I knew it. I am really glad I got around to reading it.
“She looks at her watch – a real one, with arms. Those digital ones came and went, thank God. When will people learn that just because you can make something it doesn’t mean you should?”
I have never been interested in this book...but your review makes me want to read it. I hate abuse against women, too, especially if the book seems to glorify it. I hope to someday pick this up :)
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