Woohoo! At the beginning of the school year my kids came home with great news, their school started a parents book club. Of course the very first book was The Help and I already read it but I really enjoyed our first meeting. We met at Owen and Ollies, had a drink, socialized, talked about how great the book was and opened up our minds to different views. After, we all gave suggestions for the next book, voted, and this month Water for Elephants was chosen. I can't say I was all that excited about this choice because I picked up this novel before and it didn't appeal to me. I guess this is the bad part of being in a book club, or as I see it now the good part because I ended up enjoying this book very much!
Set in the early 1900's, the young Jacob Jankoski was aspiring to be a Veterinarian just like his father. While away at an ivy league college, his parents died in an unfortunate car accident. He soon found out that his parents were broke and everything including the house would belong to the bank. Jacob found himself grieving, homeless and without a plan. In just a matter of months Jacob is learning to be a survivor traveling with a train circus. He falls in love with the lovely Marlena who is also married to the schizophrenic August. Jacob bridges social gaps and earns respect from many after paying his dues. After a fight erupted between Marlena, Jacob and August his life is now on the line. Keep your friends close and enemies closer.
The first half of this book is admittedly slow but steady. If it wasn't for the book club I may have given up but I am so glad I didn't. As the story developed I wanted to read more and more, the end had me not wanting to stop reading. I love the characters and truly loved the history of this era. I look forward to tomorrows book club meeting and more so watching the adaptation to film! I give this book a 7.5 :)
