Water For Elephants Satiates Thirst for an Enjoyable Read Book Review
By Rebecca Sassoon '08
News Staff Reporter
Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants begins with Jacob Janowski saying, “I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” Jacob is in a nursing home and reflecting on his life. At twenty-one his parents died in a freak accident, leaving him nothing as they had mortgaged their house to pay for his education. Jacob returns to Cornell Veterinary School and is unable to finish his final exams. He leaves and joins a second rate circus, the Benzini Brothers, during the Depression when sideshows and such were a key source of societal entertainment.
The novel follows Jacob’s journey with the circus troupe –initially as a stall caretaker and finally as the leader of the menagerie. Through the eyes of the young veterinarian, Gruen spares no detail. The stalls are mangy, the animals exotic and untamed. His challenges go beyond the animals when he is confronted with the social issues of the circus community. He moves through the social ranks and finally comes into contact with the beautiful Marlena, the wife of the schizophrenic animal trainer, August. Gruen has obviously taken the time to research circus lingo, as she uses all of the correct vocabulary—grifters, roustabouts, cooch tents and more. The story is compelling as Jacob battles inner conflict about the beautiful Marlena and his abrupt departure from Cornell. There is also some conflict between Jacob, an educated professional, and the rest of the circus folk, giving the story an interesting perspective on the different people in the era of the Depression.
Water for Elephants is well written and captivating. Gruen pulls the reader in through Jacob’s trials and tribulations. The alternating shifts in time from past to present—memory to reality—combine the viewpoints of a naïve, reckless young man and a sage who has seen unbelievable feats in his lifetime. The spark that Gruen leaves in Jacob in his old age appeals to readers, familiarizing them with the character immediately. With exotic animals, riveting drama and gripping action, this page turner will not disappoint.
