Incredible....
I take issue when reviewers on sites like Amazon.com or BN.com write extremely detailed reviews of excellent novels, such as this one, so I advise not to read all the long detailed reviews others have written, and just take a chance with this book- you will not be disappointed!
I am ashamed to admit that I saw this book in a few different bookstores under the "recommended reading" sections/tables, but never purchased it since it didn't seem to interest me. It was only after it kept appearing on my personal "recommendations" through Amazon.com that I decided to give it a shot, since the recommendations I get are usually pretty good. Thankfully I did, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I LOVED this novel!
"Water For Elephants" is truly a rare find- meticulously researched and beautifully written, it manages to educate the reader (about circus life, Depresssion-era America, etc) while at the same time captures your heart with stories of love and loss and the reality of growing old. I fell in love with the characters and the author's writing style and truly hope to read more of her work - she has such a natural gift!
I HIGHLY recommend this novel to absolutely anyone - I think people of all ages, backgrounds and interests will find something in it to relate to and to learn from.
