water for elephants

I love when a stranger in a bookstore will recommend a book to me - it's like an acknowledgement that we are both in the community of booklovers and know the eagerness to press a favorite book on someone. "You must read this...!"

While persuing the shelves at Target, a woman told me I had to read "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. I didn't immediately take her advice, somewhat put off by the idea of reading about unsavory circus freaks, but I finally succumbed. And she was right, it's excellent. The first section of the book details the fascinating world of a second-rate circus in the Depression - the survival by one's wits. Once the love story heats up, I was totally captured - penniless but sincere young man falls for beautiful showgirl married to psychopath. Shades of Moulin Rouge. The novel reminded me of Dickens in that the characters are utterly wicked or noble-hearted and the ending provides an old-fashioned sense of satisfaction.

Gruen is particularly adept at describing animals. I loved the moment when Jacob, the circus vet, hands an orangutan a piece of fruit. "She wraps her long fingers around it, then lets go. She sits on her haunches and peels her orange. I stare in amazement. She was thanking me." (p 118)

Lastly, the book has a gorgeous cover by Honi Werner.