I got this book after a friend read it, she said it was good but not amazing. I have to say that I thought that throughout the whole book but then was pleasantly surprised at the end of the book. I loved how it came full circle, it even was a little emotional, and I really enjoyed the little surprise for the reader at the end. Aside from it having a few graphic scenes where I would just have to turn the whole page or two and skip over, I came to enjoy the book. I think a big pull for me was the nostalgia of the old carnival/circus days. Has anyone ever seen The Greatest Show on Earth with Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston and a few other greats? Perhaps because I grew up watching that fun show, featuring the Barnum and Bailey circus, I had a kinship with this book {I actually made my little sister watch it with me after I finished the book}. This book made me really want to go to the State Fair or some other type of carnival (but in the 30s or 40s ;). It's a good time to read the book because all of those State and County fairs are about to start.
the summary:
When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.
I give this book 3 stars. I liked it, it was a tad too crude for me but entertaining and very interesting.
1 comment:
i picked this one up at the book garden because i love the fair and carnivals and i think i'll give it a shot :)
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