Helpful Score: 1
I guess you could say that this book was about running away to join the circus. The story centers around Jacob Jankowski, now in a retirement home, remembering how he joined a circus as a vet during the 1930s.
The book, which is largely dialog-driven, describes how Jacob had to feel his way around the strong hierarchy of circus-workers, often a very brutal bunch, both to each other and to the animals. Some people will be disturbed by the description of cruelty to the animals.
It's also a romance. Jacob falls in love with Marlena, a horseback rider and wife of August, a manic-depressive animal-trainer who abuses his wife and animals alike one moment, and who is absolutely charming the next.
There's also a thread of brotherly bonding here. Jacob is forced to board with Walter, a dwarf clown, who is very cold to him at first, but Jacob wins him over after treating his dog. Other circus workers also bond with Jacob after demonstrations of kindness.
For many readers of this book, the relationship that will be remembered most will be that of Jacob with Rosie, an elephant that the circus buys, who is thought to be stupid, until Jacob makes a discovery!
One nice touch was the series of photographs of circus life in the 1930s, and it appears that it was the discovery of these kinds of photos that inspired the author to write this novel.
In the end, the book does become uplifting, despite its sometimes dark themes. If I had any complaints it might be that some of the characters were a little simplistic.
The book, which is largely dialog-driven, describes how Jacob had to feel his way around the strong hierarchy of circus-workers, often a very brutal bunch, both to each other and to the animals. Some people will be disturbed by the description of cruelty to the animals.
It's also a romance. Jacob falls in love with Marlena, a horseback rider and wife of August, a manic-depressive animal-trainer who abuses his wife and animals alike one moment, and who is absolutely charming the next.
There's also a thread of brotherly bonding here. Jacob is forced to board with Walter, a dwarf clown, who is very cold to him at first, but Jacob wins him over after treating his dog. Other circus workers also bond with Jacob after demonstrations of kindness.
For many readers of this book, the relationship that will be remembered most will be that of Jacob with Rosie, an elephant that the circus buys, who is thought to be stupid, until Jacob makes a discovery!
One nice touch was the series of photographs of circus life in the 1930s, and it appears that it was the discovery of these kinds of photos that inspired the author to write this novel.
In the end, the book does become uplifting, despite its sometimes dark themes. If I had any complaints it might be that some of the characters were a little simplistic.
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