Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Water for Elephants: A Novel
Book Review: solid 4 out of 5
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book in one day. Not necessarily because it was a "can't put it down page-turner", but more because I had a Sunday with nothing else to do. I am always a fan of well-researched work, and Gruen has definitely done her work here. I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of details in character development and/or setting, but that's just a personal preference. I have read some other reviews that say the book was drawn out and too lengthy, but I disagree. I feel that it moved rather well and flowed. My biggest problem with the book was the last chapter. It seemed to be a bit too fanciful and didn't really match the tone of the rest of the book. Still definitely worth reading though.Book Review: I finished it BUT.....
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is well written, well researched, and overall an interesting story. That said, without a doubt I would have closed it and never finished it due to the abuse of the animals, but I read until the end it because it was a book club choice. This is not a book for animal lovers and I found it to be incredibly painful. Those who torture animals are the scum of the earth in my opinion and I don't enjoy reading about them. Nothing personal Sara Gruen, you are a good writer. Book Review: 911 People Liked This Book as Much as I Did...
Summary: 5 Stars
...so all I can do is add my voice to chorus.
Gruen writes an incredible dual-novel. The tale of one man, both fresh out of college and fresh into a nursing home. The character development is impeccable, with every player on the stage being exposed to the reader to the precise level needed for their role. As for the plot...this is such a fresh story, I had no idea where it might be going. This was the first book in a long time I hadn't figured out ahead of time.
If you enjoy fiction, read this book. Possibly the best written novel I've read in years.
Book Review: Water for Elephants
Summary: 5 Stars
It is one of the best books I have ever read. The story from now and than was easy to follow. I passed this book to my family members and 4 or 5 friends and everybody enjoyed it & and recomended it to someone else. Actualy a few want to read it again before I get rid of it. I will read it againBook Review: "It's Not His Fault....He's A Paragon Schnitzophonic."
Summary: 5 Stars
I almost exclusively read nonfiction, with perhaps one or two novels a year thrown in for a diversion. This book was given to me and came with highest recommendations, so I started reading it on a plane trip. I am normally not especially captivated by fiction, but suffice it to say that I read the book over the course of one day because I enjoyed the characters so much. The book is told in flashbacks by a 93 year old man, and addresses his years as the vet on a circus train. I found the wraparound scenes of Jacob useful for the introduction and the wonderful conclusion, but if there was one thing I would have changed about the story it was the incessant excursions to the present sprinkled throughout the story which really don't advance the plot other than to explain some issues about senior care in an assisted living community.
The book begins with a delightfully deceptive prologue, setting the reader up for a surprise at the climax. I must admit that I had my suspicions about the murder in question, but found the execution to be more skillful than I had imagined. The victim, August, is a megalomaniac with a temper and forms one point in a love triangle with the protagonists, Jacob and Marlena. The circus, run by slimy vermin "Uncle Al" is well fleshed out with interesting characters and terminology that Gruen incorporates flawlessly into the book. I found the character of Walter (Kinko the Clown) to be the perfect complement to play off of Jacob and their relationship was one of the most interesting parts of the novel for me.
Gruen handles difficult situations well, even delving into dreams vividly, as when she relates Jacob's nightmare of struggling to get back on the train while pursued by malevolent animals ("Behind us, a wall of badgers. In front of us, a dozen alligators.") Her turn of phrase and tendency to sly understatement is notable throughout, and adds to the story as much by omission as by overt statements. The pivotal murder is one of the most brilliant ever concocted, and the subtlety of its telling, particularly in contrast to the version in the prologue is exquisite: the wording was changed very slightly to enlighten the reader to a plot twist that may or may not have been expected, but nonetheless was wonderfully executed. The ending of the book was likewise unexpected inasmuch as the reader is so focused on the story of Jacob in the circus, they aren't giving as much consideration to the 93 year old who is actually narrating the book.
As I mentioned before, there is more narration here than is absolutely necessary (but then again I normally read technical nonfiction), and as an animal lover the cruelty to animals is appalling (even if it's fiction, and despite it being historically based) although admittedly necessary to develop the plot. I mention this as the book may not be suitable for some younger readers for this reason. I found Gruen's choice of the name Jacob, and the obvious Biblical references to Jacob found in Genesis compelling and one of the things that separates this book from most contemporary fiction.
Although light reading on one level, this book also deals skillfully with difficult issues, has excellent character development, and a couple of great plot twists. Also included are interviews with the author and a set of book group discussion questions, which were not written by Gruen, and which I found contrived and dull.
"Water For Elephants" did what a good novel is supposed to do: it captivated my interest from start to finish, and I couldn't put it down. I recommend it without reservation for anyone wanting to read a wonderful contemporary novel about true love, murder, and reflection.