Shelfari: The Site for Books & ReadersShelfari Logo

Water for Elephants: A Novel
 

Water for Elephants: A Novel

by Sara Gruen

Jacob Jankowski says: "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other." At the beginning of Water for Elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating every second of it. His life wasn't always like this, however, because Jacob ran away and joined the circus when he was twenty-one. It wasn't a romantic, carefree decision, to be sure. His parents were killed in an auto... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  circus,  historical fiction,  contemporary fiction,  elephants (all tags)

Readers

Groups

  • History - Fiction Discussion Group
  • World Lit Discussion Group
  • Books I have read so far in 2007 Discussion Group
  • What are you reading? Discussion Group
  • Bestseller's Browsers Discussion Group
  • Modern Classic Book Club Discussion Group

Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

6 of 6 members found this review helpful.
Ma Titwonky
  • Rated 5 stars

“When this book was published, I avoided it because I didn't think I'd be interested in reading a story about a circus. I'd been to the circus as a child, and I hated it. But when Good Reads, a Shelfari group I belong to, chose this book as their monthly selection, I broke down and bought it. I'm very glad I did.

The story concerns that of a young man in college about to take his test to graduate as a veterinarian when everything in his life is turned upside down. All of sudden his...”

Ma Titwonky’s full review »
more reviews »

Didn’t Like It

8 of 11 members found this review helpful.
Lucy's Grandma
  • Rated 2 stars

“I read this for a book club and our members were divided between those who loved it and those who didn't like it at all. I was among those who didn't like it. Gruen gives her readers a look at the seamy side of circus life. If you choose to read it, be prepared for descriptions of cruelty to animals, gratuitous sex that adds nothing to the plot, and gross-out anecdotes about the adulteration of food served at the circus.”

Lucy's Grandma’s full review »
more reviews »
Community:
  • Rated 4.205123 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.5 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Alizabeth S

    alizabeth s said:

    “I loved this book. What does everyone else think? What literary features did you notice? Metaphors? Style? Etc.”

    posted 13 days ago ( | view 1 reply )
  • Kathy P

    kathy p said:

    “Did anyone really enjoy reading Water for Elephants? I am sorry to say it is at the bottom of my list.”

    posted Thursday, August 7 2008 ( | view 2 replies )
  • Kristin s

    kristin s said:

    “This book was fabulous. I've always been in love with the circus and the chaos that seems to come with it. This man's life begins in a structured environment of planing and goals, and then he throws caution to the wind when he jumps on that train. The animal cruelty and sex scenes that someone mentioned as having nothing to do with the plot have every bit to do with it. They were all a part of the craziness of life: the ups and downs and chaos of it all. As a whole I found this to be a very entertaining and inventive book. One of my favorites :). ”

    posted Wednesday, August 6 2008 ( | view 1 reply )
  • Stefanie R

    stefanie r said:

    “I really want to read this but I'm concerned about the cruelty to animals stuff. Is it bad?”

    posted Tuesday, August 5 2008 ( | view 6 replies )
  • saradoodles m

    saradoodles m said:

    “this book has alot of things happening all at once (i love that) it makes u think and remember it gets u into the book and keeps u there unlike other books that u can put down at night u cant put this 1 down it holds u ”

    posted Sunday, August 3 2008
© 2008 Tastemakers, Inc. | Portions of Shelfari.com are Copyright © 1996-2008 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy