I saw this book first in movie form. I got a chance to rent the movie and sat around in my friend's bedroom, watching it while she and the rest of our friends partied the night away in the backyard. Anyway, I liked the movie. I appreciated Robert Pattinson far more here than in those Twilight flicks. I just recently moved to the area that I'm in now (all the way from Texas!) and not too long ago, I finally got the chance to check out the local library. Water for Elephants was definitely one of the first books that I jumped to grab off the shelf (literally jumped because I am short). Like most books turned into movies, I sort of knew what was going to happen already, but I also knew that there were infinitely more details that weren't in the movie and could only be found in the book. 
 Water for Elephants introduces us to Jacob Janowski, a 90-something year old man in a home, who's waiting for his turn to attend a circus that's rolled into town. As he's waiting, he recounts the days of his past - where he worked at a circus of his own in his early twenties/late teens. After his parents' sudden death, Jacob decides to throw in his towel in the middle of his veterinary education at Cornell University and hops aboard a train. Unbeknownst to him until later, the train belongs to a large circus group, traveling the states to bring their show to as many as they can - despite the fact that they're right in the middle of the Great Depression. 
 As he learns the ropes in the circus world, Jacob fights against his burgeoning relationship with Marlena, a performer in the circus and wife to August, a man who runs the show with a mean temper and bi-polar tendencies. Even though Jacob's interesting relationship with Marlena (who quites so obviously loves him as well) takes up a lot of the book, it's what the author doesn't completely focus on that I really liked. Jacob's relationship with the rest of the crew in the show, his fluctuating one with August, the way he lovse Rosie. There were also parts of the book I really didn't enjoy. 
 The scene where Rosie is getting beaten was upsetting. I didn't just cringe; my hands were repeatedly being clenched into fists because I wanted to reach through the book itself and strangle August where he stood. I also didn't like the description of feeding rotten meat to the lions, or how often people were being mistreated. But that was life. That IS life. I don't pretend to understand any of it because I never lived in that time, but I can appreciate the fact that times were hard enough as it was. Especially during the Great Depression where jobs and food were scarce. 
 I really enjoyed reading this book though. Sara Gruen's voice is loud and clear.