Review: Water for Elephants

Title: Water for Elephants by Sarah Guren
Source: Downloaded from Barned & Noble
LendMe Status: Available!

Synopsis - From Barnes & Noble:

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, now ninety, the circus world he remembers 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 one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

*****

I know, I know - I've come to this party a bit late, but I LOVED this novel! The great weaving of Jacob's amazing past with the regretful attitude towards his present, and who could dislike a love story! I read it as if Jacob were a grandfather figure finally sharing his life story with me, which of course - made me cry a few times at how unhappy he was in his current situation "stuck" in the nursing home. I was so glad he got his chance to "break free" at the end.

And - just as a side note - I see there's a movie in the works!! Robert Pattison as Jacob... should be interesting :)