Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants
The novel, told in flashback by nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures[...] He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers—a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for.

5 Stars - This is a spectacular book. It's easy to read, the characters are interesting and original, and you MUST read it. It's told entirely from the perspective of an old man in a nursing home that traveled with The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth after his parents die and he drops out of Cornell vet school. The animals in the book are my favorite characters by far and it was fascinating to see into the world of circuses when they were in their prime. I really enjoyed the glimpse back in time. The animals made everything more interesting and vivid - a perfect backdrop for mystery, romance, and a struggling business. Ah, I can't say enough about this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me really appreciate the time I have on earth and the adventures that I might end up living in the future. It also made me think that it might be fun to love one person your whole life - a grand adventure. Really - Life is a grand adventure in this book.

The Final Verdict : A Spectacular Adventure (arguably the best on earth =))