Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants

I always feel like I'm cheating just a little when I review a New York Times bestseller. It's essentially been reviewed by thousands already right? Anyway, this was another book club pick for my book group and I was pleasantly surprised. A young college student loses everything and literally runs away and joins the circus. This is the era of prohibition and the traveling circus, where freak shows are the big money makers and elephants are rare and wondrous beasts. I was a bit put off by the main character for the first quarter of the book. Can you say "goody two shoes"? But by the time he finally admits his lust for the menagerie manager's wife (the wife of his boss I might add), I was hooked and my interest in him improved considerably. My book group hasn't met to discuss it yet, but I doubt the discussion will get very deep. I did enjoy reading this, and it was a glimpse into a fascinating world, but as for a literary discussion, I doubt there is much there.