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Fabian's Reviews > Water for Elephants
Water for Elephants
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It's truly admirable to place the plot on a moving train and its roving fairgrounds... it's like living in a cotton candy cloud. There were plenty of chances to dash the reader away, to make poetry out of the circus workers' vagrant conditions, to use the animals as characters, not just decor... to avoid cliche. This novel is written concisely, but with often description so vague the reader just glides over it. Also, the narrator is absolutely unreliable... oftentimes he seems more hero than human, perhaps the 90+ year old man got all of his story mixed up with local history. Sara Gruen is herself a historian, and a lover of the "Moulin Rouge" star-crossed lovers parable. The result is a breezy, whimsical book that evokes the wonderment of the circus itself: there are fake lights, funny events, dashing drama, but its all definitely been seen before.
NEW RETROSPECTIVE RATING: 4**** (2017: "for even artichokes have h...")
NEW RETROSPECTIVE RATING: 4**** (2017: "for even artichokes have h...")
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Water for Elephants.
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Reading Progress
November 3, 2010
–
Started Reading
November 3, 2010
– Shelved
November 3, 2010
–
Finished Reading
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Terri
(new)
Nov 10, 2010 10:55AM
I got this at the used book store. i will read it now...
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Hey Mrs. Flick! I am totally loving the UTEP MFA... reading a lot! Hope you are doing good.F.
Oh yeah, I got this book at a thrift store too- the alameda one. Go early in the week and you can find most books $1.
thanks for the tip. hope you are doing well!
I love Gruen. This one is probably my third favourite one by her...I liked your review, Fab.
Erin wrote: "I love Gruen. This one is probably my third favourite one by her...I liked your review, Fab."Thanks! F
I have such a conflicted view on this book, because looking back I think the story was too predictable and cliche, but the setting was so intriguing that I almost don't mind.
