Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants" on audio

Been listening to Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants on audiobook the past few days, since I was starting to believe I was one of about eight people on the planet who hadn't yet read it. So far I'm enjoying the story of young Jacob Jankowski, the Cornell vet student whose parents' deaths send him running off (somewhat inadvertently) to join the circus.

The book is set during Prohibition, and the narration flips between young Jacob and an elderly Jacob in an assisted living facility, where he's remembering his days with the Benzini Brothers circus and the young performer, Marlena, with whom he is quite obviously going to fall in love. The audiobook smartly uses two different narrators to tell Jacob's story, and the younger narrator provides excellent distinct voices for all the characters.

  A film version of Gruen's book has recently started production, with Robert "Twilight" Pattinson as Jacob and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena, casting that had me fairly uninterested. But imdb.com - one of my best online friends - informs me that Oscar winner Christoph Waltz of Inglourious Basterds is playing Marlena's abusive husband/ringmaster August. Which in turn has me excited as hell about seeing the movie.

Gruen's next book, Ape House, is due out in September.

Comments

[CarolK]

This book shines in audio due to the excellent narrators, David Ledoux and John Randolph Jones. I have handed this one to anyone and everyone! It's an exciting, magical tale, with great characters you'll love and a story that lures you in.

[A Facebook User]

I started reading it within hours after seeing her at the Miami Book Fair. Shame on you Connie for waiting so long. The book will make a great movie, it's such a good story, as long as the producers don't wreck it. But with Waltz, I'm with you, it's a must-see.

[Connie]

Absolutely. Not sure how interested I would've been otherwise. Meanwhile, I have 2 CDs to go...I'm really ripping through it pretty fast. And I'm glad I waited, because as Carol points out, the readers are quite good.

[Connie]

How I love Rosie!