Water For Elephants creates magical
circus during hard times in America

By Mariah Doty
Hawknews Writer

    “He fell to his knees and then toppled into the straw. I was too stunned to move, even as a young orangutan flung its elastic arms around my leg.”
    The book Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen is set in America during Prohibition. Sara Gruen has written several other books including Riding Lesson's and Ape House. Gruen has a passion for animals which reflects not only her writing, but in her personal life as well. Gruen has seven animals, among which she has a goat. She lives in Canada with her husband and two kids, and of course her beloved animals.
    As Jacob Jankowski tries to cope with recent tragedies, he stumbles into unexpected territory. Jacob must now decide what his next move. The words in this book jump off the page and perform their skit right in front of my eyes. As Jacob, Marlena, Kinko, Uncle Al, Rosie, and Rosmary tell me their story it seems like I cannot get enough. I want to know more and more about each and every one of the characters. What made them the way they are, and how did they get where they are now? Sara Gruen did an outstanding job intertwining details into her words that bring the book to life. Gruen gave readers just what they wanted: a book written with passion that gives you the information about each character that you want, but still leaves you wondering more about how these characters came to be. 
    Jacob Jankowski sits day after day in a nursing home trying to bring his youth back to life. Water for Elephants is Jacob's story in which he continuously slips from reality into his past. Jacob's youthful story starts with him taking his final exams to become a veterinarian. He is informed of his parents’ unexpected death. He returns home from college burdened with the fact that he has nothing, and everything his parents had now belongs to the bank. After storming out of of his final exam, Jacob wanders off into oblivion. The next thing Jacob knows he is throwing himself onto a moving train and working for the circus, helping set up, guard, and tear down tents. Soon he is working in the high end of the circus with the performers, but as a vet for the menagerie, a large tent full of animals. Jacob finds himself drooling over the circus manager's wife, getting his arm bitten by a lion, and growing very fond of a particular elephant. Jacob's life is turned upside down as he goes from high society Cornell College to rough and tumble for the circus. Jacob struggles to keep calm while witnessing assault, animal abuse, love, anger, red-lighting (in more than one sense), and death.
    There are two sections in this novel that were what most would call indecent (and I would too.) Together, or even separately, these portions qualify this book as an adult read. They are explicit and detailed.
    On the other hand, a part of Water for Elephants that I very much enjoyed is when Mr. Jankowski runs away to join the circus. Although this would not be the first time, it brings a whole new sense of life to the story, not to mention gives a new meaning to the saying “ran away to join the circus”. 
    During Jacob's time of drooling over the manager’s wife Marlena, he does some very foolish things in the name of love. Including, but not limited to, jumping from moving railway cars, getting into a fist fight, escaping a speakeasy, jumping from railway cars while heavily intoxicated, and getting painted like a clown.
    In 2011, Fox Entertainment created a movie adaption from Gruen's book Water for Elephants. In its first week the movie made nearly $17.5 million. Fox cast Robert Pattinson as Jacob and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena. The movie's primary target was young women, either fans of the book or those who follow Pattinson like a religion. I have heard many people say that “the book is way better than the movie! In the movie they skipped details that made the movie significant.” I have also heard reports from others that state, “the movie 'Water for Elephants' was exceptional. They really did a good job of following the book.” This is one of those books where I am afraid to watch the move in fear that it might ruin the picturesque qualities of the text.
    Water for Elephants is an outstanding book filled with laughter and love. Personally the only flaws I found were the two indecent sections of the book, let's just say those two sections of the book could be less descriptive. I believe at this point in time, it is too early to tell if Water for Elephants will be a book people pick up and read in 50 years. The book might end up being very well known, but since modern America has a thing for ruining good books by making them into movies, we will only know with time. This book comes highly recommended from me if you are looking for adventure, love, and a hint of mystery.
    “I finished the book last night and was amazed at the detail! I look back at the book I previously read before Water for Elephants and thought 'Wow, that was truly amateur writing'”