REVIEW: “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen
All I can say is that I am sooooo glad my face-to-face book group chose this book to read together, or I may never have picked it up.
This is a really well-written story about a guy who, when faced with difficult times, jumps a train, and finds himself part of a travelling circus. From there, the circus becomes his life. He also meets a couple of women who become his focus and reason for living.
The book jumps between present day and the past, and –while I normally don’t really care for that– it was done well enough that I didn’t actually mind. I enjoyed both parts of the story, and wasn’t rushed to get back to one or the other.
Sure, there were parts that made the more sensitive reader in me raise my eyebrows… but you have to remember the context. These were working men, so yeah, there’s gonna be a bit of lewdness thrown in. It can’t be avoided. LOL.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this one. It was a great book that I had a really hard time putting down, and I’m sure the story is gonna stick with me for quite some time. I can’t wait to discuss this with my book club next month!
Rated: A-
I read a few reviews of this book, and I have mixed feeling about it. I normally don’t read books with “Lewdness” as you put it so nicely. Therefore, I probably won’t read it.
Ann — it talks alot about the male anatomy, so if you don’t like that sort of thing, then yeah, I’d say stay away from it. But, it doesn’t get more graphic than that.
There’s a lot of coarse language, though, too, so that’s another thing to be aware of.
~MizB
I love this book! It stuck with me long after I read it.
Great book, A movie is coming out in April of 2011, thanks! for sharing.
I had no intention of reading this until a friend of mine told me I ‘had to’. So glad I listened to her because I definitely enjoyed it
Sounds like an interesting book people are enjoying. I may have to pick it up at some point.
i have had this one on my bookshelf at home forever. i should just pick it up already!
I loved this one too. Would never have picked it on my own – the circus – who wants to read about the circus?! But it was my book club pick as well and I throougly enjoyed it!
I felt that about Water for Elephants, stayed with me for a long time, was hard to settle on another read after I finished it – she has a new book out called Ape House, which is on my wish list
I read a review, yesterday, of APE HOUSE, and it said to be prepared, if you’ve read WATER FOR ELEPHANTS — apparently the new book isn’t of near the same quality of writing. It isn’t nearly as good… Here’s the link: Review of APE HOUSE at Reading For Sanity.
~MizB