Water for Elephants

[Midnight Palace]

I've been toying with the idea of getting this book. Has anyone read it?

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

 

[Viola]

I read it, and loved it. It's just a great read, really sucks you into the scene and the time period.

Its a little dark and moody so if that bothers you I guess that could be bad, but ultra-chipper Depression-era would creep me out more, personally.

 

[Smyat]

It's decent. I have a fascination with carnie life and this resonated nicely with much of the factual stuff I know.

It seemed to lose steam about 2/3 through but that might have been me.

 

[Midnight Palace]

I read it, and loved it. It's just a great read, really sucks you into the scene and the time period.

Its a little dark and moody so if that bothers you I guess that could be bad, but ultra-chipper Depression-era would creep me out more, personally.

Dark and moody doesn't bother me at all, in fact, I prefer it when dealing with circus stories. It might be because Freaks set the tone for me lol

 

[Midnight Palace]

It's decent. I have a fascination with carnie life and this resonated nicely with much of the factual stuff I know.

It seemed to lose steam about 2/3 through but that might have been me.

Lost steam in what way?

 

[pigeon toe]

It looks excellent. I've been looking for a good read lately, hopefully its in my school's library.

 

[The Shirt]

I thought it was a charming story. Not particularly intellectual or difficult. Just a simple, entertaining read. I thought it was worth the $10 and the few nights it took to read.

 

[Smyat]

Lost steam in what way?

I'm not sure. It could have been because of my reading (e.g. while tired, distracted, etc.) but my first take was that it was following "film story" style rather than novel-story.

I am sensitive - perhaps hypersensitive - to novels written as film treatments, or at least in film-treatment style. They've become more and more prevalent in recent years, especially on the best-seller lists.

The more or less standard storytelling style, no matter what other literary options are chosen, is to visualize the story and write it down. The film-treatment style is to visualize it playing on a screen in front of you and transcribe it. Michael Crichton has, regrettably, become a past master at this, and Robert Crais follows in his footsteps... there are many others.

I can't bring enough of WfE to mind to be specific, but the too-clever dovetailing of the present and past segments, the use of flashback structure for the whole novel in the first place, and the story evolving in cinematic terms rather than novel terms led to my disappointment with it. It is difficult to bring a novel to a satisfying written peak if the 'third act' is meant to play out wonderfully up on the screen. Next time you read a novel that seems to go all diffuse in the last third, I'd bet old-fashioned greenbacks that this is the reason.

 

[Girl Friday]

It totally reminded me of the HBO series Carnivale...which I liked a lot.

It was pretty good. And I've heard her other book Riding Lessons is pretty good too, if you liked Water for Elephants.

I guess what I am trying to say is, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova was much better...totally different subject...

 

[Brooksie]

I bought the book a while back but I have yet to read it - been way to busy to read anything. I bought it because I LOVE carnival stories.

Brooksie

 

[texasgirl]

They are making this into a movie!

Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz. Not sure about Robert- only know of him from Twilight, but the other 2 should be fantastic.

 

[Brooksie]

I bought the book a while back but I have yet to read it - been way to busy to read anything. I bought it because I LOVE carnival stories.

Brooksie

I did finally read it and I liked it. Interesting that they are making a movie out of it, that will be fun to see.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Fabulous book...!

I hope the film will be as good. Details on IMDB.