Water for Elephants: A Novel
by Sara Gruen
List Price:
Our Price: $4.88
You Save: $9.07 (65%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.48 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Sara GruenEdition: Paperback
Published: 2007-04-09
ISBN: 1565125606
Number of pages: 350
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Book Reviews of Water for Elephants: A Novel
Book Review: A nice way to pass a few hours...
Summary: 4 Stars
Water for Elephants is primarily a romance set in a travelling circus in the 1930s, but we do also see the main character Jacob Janowski as he is in old age in an old folks Home.
The novel was obvoiusly well researached, many of the events in the novel are based on real happenings, and for this reason it was very enjoyable. I learned about 'red-lighting' and the etiquette of the time surrounding performers fratenising with circus hands!
I did have some difficulty with the book being written as a first person narration. I think that Gruen gave herself unnecessary problems writing in this way, with Jacob witnessing conversations that it was unlikely he would have been involved in and making observations that seemed a little unlikely with what we knew about his character and experience. However this is a minor critisism.
I loved Rosie the elephant and Queenie the terrier, but animal lovers should be warned there is some pretty nasty animal cruelty in the book. It's well written but a little difficult to stomach.
All in all, a great book with a satisfying conclusion to both the young and the old Jacob storylines. I have deducted one star only because although I enjoyed the book, I wasn't really swept away.
Enjoy!
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in My favorite books
My Sister's Keeper: A Novelby Jodi Picoult
Washington Square Press; Published: 2005-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.59
Price in other shops:
The Memory Keeper's Daughterby Kim Edwards
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2006-05-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.50
Price in other shops:
Pride and Prejudice (Enriched Classics)by Jane Austen
Pocket; Published: 2004-04-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.82
Price in other shops:
The Pillars of the Earthby Ken Follett
NAL Trade; Published: 2002-02-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.97
Price in other shops:
Girl with a Pearl Earingby Tracy Chevalier
Dutton; Published: 2000; Hardcover; Book
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuationby Lynne Truss
Gotham; Published: 2006-04-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.60
Price in other shops:
Water for Elephants: A Novelby Sara Gruen
Algonquin Books; Published: 2007-04-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.27
Price in other shops:
The Time Traveler's Wifeby Audrey Niffenegger
Harvest Books; Published: 2004-05-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.14
Price in other shops:
The Lovely Bonesby Alice Sebold
Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown and Company; Release date: 2002-08-07; Published: 2002-08-07; Kindle Edition; eBooks
Best price: $7.96
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Secrets of a Fire King: Storiesby Kim Edwards
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2007-05-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
Five Quarters of the Orange: A Novel (P.S.)by Joanne Harris
Harper Perennial; Published: 2007-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.20
Price in other shops:
The Floor of the Sky (Flyover Fiction)by Pamela Carter Joern
Bison Books; Published: 2006-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.75
Price in other shops:
Sinners & Social Workersby Norah S. Bernard
Heloro Publishing Group; Published: 2007-07-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.36
Price in other shops:
Winter in Kandaharby Steven E. Wilson
Hailey-Grey Books; Published: 2003-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.98
Price in other shops:
Adios, Havana: A Memoirby Andrew J. Rodriguez
Outskirts Press; Published: 2005-08-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.11
Price in other shops:
Suite Francaise (Large Print Press)by Irene Nemirovsky
Large Print Press; Published: 2007-04-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.92
Price in other shops:
Flying Changes: A Novelby Sara Gruen
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 2007-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.97
Price in other shops:
Ascent from Darknessby Steven E. Wilson
H-G Books; Published: 2007-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.29
Price in other shops:
Riding Lessons: A Novelby Sara Gruen
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 2007-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops: