Synopsis: As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charasmatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, the untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. I heard such great things about this book. My friend, Basia gave me her copy to read so we could go see the movie afterwards. I mean who passes up a movie starring Robert Pattenson? She gave it to me in May to read and the slow reader that I am had took forever to read it. I finally asked for a deadline and I finished on time, July 4th on the beach! Bottom line, the movie is no longer in the theaters and we will now have to rent the movie. Sorry Basia :( So about the book. It talks of bonds and relationships, but I didn't buy it. I mean the book grabbed me in the beginning with depressing event after depressing event. But somewhere along the lines I got bored. There were ups and downs of events, and being set in the great Depression, it sure was a depressing book. Most people I talk to love this book, so I do recommend it. I just don't think it was my taste. I still am curious to see the movie but I am worried that the movie will be changed a lot. Even the main character that Reese Witherspoon plays is a brunette in the book. Maybe this is a minor detail, but when I read a book I look forward to see the characters I have envisioned after several hundred pages portrayed on the big screen.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars. 
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