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A review by talyasoytas
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I let this book drag along for SO long and then read it in two days because the story is SO GOOD. I absolutely ate up the circus setting, the descriptions, the people and the animals that were a part of the show… The dual timeline in Jacob’s life (in his youth and then in his 90s) really hammerred home his character and made me tear up at times.
With other characters, there was a mix of good and not enough development. Particularly I expected a little more work going into the romantic partner other than her looks and general demeanor. Also, I can say the mental disorder representation was a product of its time - both the book’s and the story’s.
Overall, I think this is an incredible read if you want to dive into a unique, colorful, yet dark world of a travelling circus and I think it would make for a very fun read for a weekend.
With other characters, there was a mix of good and not enough development. Particularly I expected a little more work going into the romantic partner other than her looks and general demeanor. Also, I can say the mental disorder representation was a product of its time - both the book’s and the story’s.
Overall, I think this is an incredible read if you want to dive into a unique, colorful, yet dark world of a travelling circus and I think it would make for a very fun read for a weekend.