Book Reviews

Once a month UMC.org publishes a critical review of a recently released book, generally a work of fiction. A critical review is one in which the writer describes and evaluates the book and supports this evaluation with evidence from the text. What makes the UMC.org Book Review unique is that it pays special attention to the spiritual elements of the narrative. Books are reviewed through a kind of spiritual lens, as opposed to focusing on the art of writing itself; we look for what the work seems to be saying about relationships, values and the human condition. Each review includes a study guide, complete with questions and activities for further exploration. These study guides are developed for the individual or small groups.

Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006
Page Count: 331

The circus! What an engaging and intense microcosm, full of exotic characters and drama—both staged and real. Sara Gruen’s third novel is as generously infused with love as with the hard realities of of Depression-era circus life. The Bernini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth travels through Depression-era Midwestern towns bringing sequins and fantasy pouring out of railroad cars and parading down Main Street. Unemployment and hunger have made such a distraction irresistible for the “rubes” who come to see the show. Beyond the vivid distractions of the big top, Gruen deftly pulls aside the tent flaps to show readers something of the unadorned lives inside. Actual circus photos of the time enhance the story’s feel of authenticity.

A family catastrophe leaves Jacob Jankowski homeless, penniless, and numb just before taking his final veterinarian exams. In desperation, he literally grabs the first opportunity that comes along—a slow-moving circus train. His expertise with animals is quickly apparent to Marlena, the top performer, and also to Uncle Al, the relentless opportunist and owner of the show. Marlena’s sadistic husband, August, resents Jacob’s intrusion into his circus menagerie, and his violence ignites the plot. [More]