Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

So all the fuss about Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was right on track.  I just finished reading this book and thought it was wonderful.  The story is told by Jacob Jankowski, who at ninety or ninety-three recalls his youth working for a circus, the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show on Earth.  Jacob, who had studied to be a veterinarian but hadn’t taken the exams, was put in charge of the menagerie.  The story is propelled by a love affair between Jacob and Marlena, the married star of the liberty horses act. The novel also tells the story of the trust and love between the animals and Jacob.  I love animals and circuses so I thought this well-researched novel was fantastic.  The spare language is a departure from the style of writing I normally lean towards, but it serves the Depression-era plot well.  Every book I read is my new favorite, so I can’t yet say if this will be the winner for the year, but it is definitely a book I will reread in the future.

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