I never liked circuses all that much, but Sara Gruen’s book is certainly vastly different than Toby Tyler or Ten Days with a Circus that I read as a kid. Perhaps that was the last time I read a book about a circus. Given the human cruelty and animal abuse in Water for Elephants, that’s probably why. Nevertheless, I found this book amazingly readable despite its making me squirm at times.

The story opens with a murder, sort of the shadowy kind in which the reader has no understanding of its details. Following this, a 93-year-old man remembers, as a young man, having joined a travelling circus. His story is told in flashbacks with scenes moving from a nursing home back and forth to his circus experiences.

The cast of characters is interesting as well, but I loved none more than the old man himself who constantly wonders about his aging so quickly, his deteriorating body image, and his family’s distancing themselves. Reflecting back on his time at the Benzino Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, he remembers a beautiful, pink-sequined woman performer, a stereotypical “bad guy” circusmaster, a dog with a stumpy tail, and a performing elephant who only understands Polish. These are only the beginning of the book’s cast of characters.

This novel is easy to read and is accompanied by vintage black-and-white circus pictures which more clearly define life in a 1930’s circus. The story flows well and exhorts the reader to move along quickly to see what happens next. Not perfect by any means, as there were some situations which seemed a bit contrived or not entirely realistic, Water for Elephants certainly turned out to be a most engaging read, and a book I would highly recommend to others. ( )

This is based on the life of a man who joined the circus. The man tells his story while being confined to a nursing home. I didn't much care for the mistreatment of the circus animals but the story itself is good. The ending is quite good too. ( )

I enjoyed this book about circus life during the Great Depression. I especially like the way the author skillfully wove in historic facts such as an elephant not understanding English and the problem "jake leg" which was caused by tainted Jamaica ginger. ( )

amazing, moving, compelling.

A very good audiobook. This is a story of a way-of-life the is not often written about...the circus ... specifically during the depression. The descriptions are quite vivid and the characters well developed. The audiobook is well read with an wonderful contrast in the presentations between the old and young Jacob. Jacob at 23 weaves a fine tale of life in the circus. Jacob at 90..or is it 93...is a heart-wrenching portrayal of old age and its loss of abilities, facilities and dignity.  ( )