About the Book:

Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski’s ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out – orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive ‘ship of fools’. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn’t have an act – in fact, she couldn’t even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

My sister-in-law called me today, and asked if I thought she would like this particular book.  As an animal lover, I was quick to tell her that I was certain of it.  This book is beautifully written, and it captivates the reader from the very beginning.  This is a book that I put off reading for months, even though everyone I knew kept telling me I simply had to read it.  I finally broke down, and took it on the family vacation — after all the twelve hour drive to California is the perfect time to get in reading.  (And no — I wasn’t driving at the time.)

This story, set during The Great Depression, is beautiful in both its descriptions and the over all feel of the time period.  This was a time of great frustration, with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, and an even greater desire to escape from the horrors of the everyday world.  It was these feelings that add so dramatically to the setting of this book.  And yet the third rate circus of this story provides another interesting look into human nature, and the need for human acceptance and belonging.   Jacob finds himself among a group of circus freaks, and those that are both bizarre, and even more isolated from the world than he is.  Through the effective presentation of this book, we as readers come to know what it truly feels like to not fit in, except among the disavowed.  This setting adds a great deal of emotional structure to the book, and makes it easy for the reader to get wrapped up in an excellent story.

The real strength of this book, however, is in the development of the relationships, and the comparisons of the different types of love that exist in the world.  There are several different relationships explored in this book.  That of Jacob and Marlena; Jacob and Rosie; and even the familial type relationships of the various members of the circus.  All of these relationships represent a different type of interaction, each of them significant.  The book helps us to realize that the bonds that we each have to others are more than important — they are imperative.  These relationships are not exclusive to just people.  Animals can share these bonds with us, and they give us much in emotional support.  Added to that is the similarity between the love we share for our fellow men, and the love we have for the animals that enliven our world, and we come to appreciate that we each have a need for love and emotional bonding that are necessary for our mental health.   Gruen presents this theme very powerfully, and each of the characters adds a great deal to the presentation of these interactions.

But the best part of this book is the interaction between the Rosie and Jacob.  The beauty that exists when we learn to include animals in our lives, while at the same time striving to understand them on their terms adds a great deal of dimension to each of us.  They have the capacity to bring us love, joy, and companionship — no matter how unusual they may appear.  And they have the ability to make emotional connections with people beyond our capacity to understand.  Gruen has done an excellent job of presenting this aspect of interactions between people and animals — especially elephants.  But on a deeper level the character of Rosie reminds us that animals are not accidental creations on this earth, but rather active participants of life that have the ability to add depth and dimension.

Tags: Animals, Depression, Elephants, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Love, Pets, The Great Depression

Category: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Uncategorized