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 really, really liked this story. The story is broken out into memories from an aging Jacob. There are moments in the present where he is old and in a nursing home and moments where he is young and in the midst of the circus life.
The grit is strong in this one though. It is definitely an adult story. A movie is currently in production (more on that later), but if they didn't edit this book, it would end up being a porn...not just a normal movie. So be prepared for that when you go into this book. It is quiet unnecessary, but the story itself overshadows these parts and makes it work getting through them.
When I got to the last 100 pages of the book, I couldn't close it. I was in love with this story and just had to finish it. I even stayed up until 2am to finish it...which is very unlike me.
Now about that movie!!! It's stars Robert Pattinson as Jacob (swoon) and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena (sigh). I think they will both be fantastic in the film and I cannot wait to see this book brought to life. (Release date is set for April 2011.) Click HERE to read more about the film.
1 comment:
I am SOo glad the 2 of us have been on a good book roll! Hope I didn't jinks us! haha
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