I finished reading my Valentine's Day gift from Matt the other night; Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
I couldn't really decide if I liked it, but then I went to the author's website and found out she's Canadian. Since I've been infatuated with Canada and all things Canadian since the Olympics, I decided that I at least like the author.
Miss Gruen's book is about a 93 year old widower named Jacob. When the circus pulls in across the street from his nursing home, his mind wanders back to the day that he joined the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular after his parents were both killed in a car accident. During his stint with the circus, Jacob falls in love, gets the crap beaten out of him and acquires a polish speaking elephant named Rosie. My favorite part was definitely the ending, but not because I was anxious for it to end. It was a happy ending to what seemed like a depressing life for an old man.
I've never been to a circus like those of the Benzini Brothers, so the whole time I was reading this book, I kept thinking about a movie I saw when I was younger called The Greatest Show on Earth.
I can't remember that much about it so I am dying to Netflix it. What I do remember is that that clown is not really a clown at all, but a murderer! He killed his wife and joined the circus to hide from the FBI. I'm pretty sure this is where I gained my fear of clowns from.
Next on my reading list is The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. I've heard it's great and it has caught my eye the last 3 times I've been to the bookstore. Our local library currently has 268 copies on hold so I'm either going to have to wait till next year to read it or break down and buy a copy.
What have your been reading lately?
4 comments:
I finished reading that book about a month ago. I couldn't decided if I liked it too! However, the more I mulled it over, I decided that it was a wonderful depiction of the lifestyle and culture of the traveling circus. If you like to people watch and observe people, it's an enjoyable book. I am glad you had the same feelings about it!
did you hear stephanie meyer has new book coming out in June?
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
It's a companion novel to Eclipse. Maybe we get on the library waiting list early ;)
I read it and absolutely LOVED it, even if I thought I knew 'whodunnit' from the start. :)
I loved that book! Can't wait to read her next one!
Kelly
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