In the early years of the Great Depression, Water for Elephants follows twenty-three year old Jacob Jankowski who gets tangled up with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Told as a flash back from the present day through the eyes of ninety year old Jacob, he relives his days as a circus veterinarian filled with hard work, true love, cruel betrayal, and a beautiful elephant named Rosie.
The development of the characters in Gruen’s novel captivates readers by the range of situations that Jacob, the performers, and the crew manage to overcome or fail to overcome. The ever looming threat of murder hangs in the air as the Benzini Brothers start to feel the effects of the Depression weigh on them. Comic relief comes in the form of ninety year old Jacob enduring his days in a nursing home.
Unforgettable characters and unforeseen occurrences keep you on the edge and turning the page. This New York Times Bestseller captures the essence of real life situations of circus life in the 1930s in a well written novel that moves the reader to laugh, cry, and hope.