Water For Elephants - Book Review

Water for Elephants is a gritty historical romance taking place during the Great Depression in 1930’s America. We follow the protagonist, Jacob Jankowski, as his final veterinary school exam is interrupted by the tragic news of his parents’ untimely death. Jacob’s life is unravelling around him, unsure of his next actions he finds himself at the mercy of the famous Benzini Brothers’ travelling circus. Penniless and distraught, he meets strange new faces and even stranger hardships. He meets Marlena Rosenbluth, the beautiful star performer who is married to the tyrannical menagerie man, August.

If you’re into the dark, raw tales of tragedy and danger this is the novel for you. The plot pushes boundaries and delves into the macabre world of absurdity. The author has created a bold image of the fabulous freaks and talented acts who cling to the fringes of society. This is a tale of love, pain and the curiously bizarre.

Gruen’s writing is impeccable for the entirety of the story, building strong relationships between characters and keeping the reader in suspense right through to the bitter end – dying to know what other secrets are being concealed behind the curtain. With stellar description and complex emotive feeling, an other-worldly sideshow has been forged that leaves you desperate for more – whether its characters you LOVE or LOATHE. There’s another level of depth to Gruen’s penmanship as she manipulates the stories timeline - flicking from modern day where Jacob is a jaded old man reminiscing on his life, back to his hay days of working the circus’ in the 30’s.

I found ‘Water for Elephants’ to be striking and often I’d finish a chapter having to sit and think about what I’d just read. History is steeped in misfortune and cruelty. Through her writing, Gruen has retold what was reality for many in a beautifully intricate manner – capturing intimate tender moments alongside devastatingly brutal suffering.

I overall strongly recommend this read! Funky, freaky, weird and wonderful – this story has it all.

Happy reading : )