Saturday, August 26, 2006

Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen

This was a fun book to read. Set in the Depression, Jacob, who has just lost his parents, hops a train and finds that it is owned by the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Although he has not finished veterinary school the circus hires him as their vet and he soon finds himself in the company of quirky characters, evil circus owners, beautiful performers, brutish husbands and the clever and lovable elephant. Anytime you add an animal to the mix she soon overshadows the other characters and that was certainly true in this case. By the end of the book, the elephant becomes the most engaging character in the book and keeps you turning pages to see how it all turns out.

I really liked this book but found it somewhat predictable and didn't think that it was complex enough to merit a Notable rating.

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