She: "What are you reading?" Me: "Water For Elephants - and I am nearing the end." "Oh! Have you cried yet?" "No, but I haven't finished. The ending is sad?" "You should have cried by now! My god, you must be heartless." And so ended last night's conversation. This book has evoked some strong feelings, it seems.

Water For Elephants is a novel set in the 1930's depression and follows the trials and tribulations of a young, virginal Jacob Jankowski. Jacobs winds up on a circus as a veterinarian. (Mostly heartbreaking) Drama ensues.

Now, I'm not afraid of a good cry, but I never got too emotionally invested in this story. For one thing, I felt the attempted tugs-at-heartstrings were a little too calculated. Let's make an inventory of verbal tear gas: [reveal spoiler][hide spoiler] Dead parents, dead horses, dead best friends, lost puppies, abuse of women, abuse of animals, sudden loss of legs, and, of course, the poor old man forgotten at the nursing home. Did I miss any? Granted, some stories are just sad. Fair enough. I would be more forgiving if it weren't for the prologue. I'm on to you, Gruen!

Let it be understood: This is a well-written and well-crafted story. Gruen's descriptions make her colorful characters and their sepia hued surroundings easy to imagine, which is probably why I assume this will hit the big screen imminently. Circus life makes for fascinating fiction: the wackiest characters and situations seem entirely believeable. The plot is pretty tight and the characters make suitable choices. When it comes to the descriptions, I have one complaint: The bullhook. This tool (of torture) is nearly as prominant as a main character, but I never really knew what it looked like or exactly how it inflicted pain.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a splash of interesting circus history. I think your response to this read will really depend on what you look for in a book. This is not a work of classic literature that will endure for generations. If you want to pass the morning commute with a page-turner, Water For Elephants is great.