Mrs Readalot Reads Water for Elephants (Book Club + Linky)

It has been quite a while since Mrs Readalot fell totally in ♥ with a book. Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen was such a book.

A quote on the cover of the books sums it up nicely: "An utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life..."

Have you ever read a book about an olde-timey travelling circus?

Did you know that in the "olden days" circuses travelled around by train? They would set up, do their show and be on to the next stop within a mere twenty-four hours.

Remember the Disney Movie, Dumbo?? That was a Train Circus.
And this unique setting is the backdrop for a gripping story...

I'll let Mrs Readalot tell you about it in her own words...

Mrs Readalot says:

Firstly I fell in love with the setting: a Depression-era travelling circus? Absolutely fascinating.

The book opens with drama and action - murder - right off the bat.

"She was cool, languid. Smiling even. I started pushing my way toward her, but something about her expression stopped me cold.
That son of a bitch was standing with his back to her, red-faced and bellowing, flapping his arms and swinging his silver-tipped cane...
"She reached for something... an iron stake. She held it loosely, resting its end on the hard dirt. She looked back at me again, bemused. Then her gaze shifted to the back of his head.
..."I stumbled forward, screaming though there was no hope of my voice reaching her. 'Don't do it! Don't do it!'
She lifted the stake high in the air and brought it down, splitting his head like a watermelon... He fell to his knees and toppled forward into the straw.
I was too stunned to move, even as a young orangutan flung its elastic arms around my legs.
So long ago. So long. But still it haunts me..."

But don't be fooled. This is not a whodunnit. Not a murder-mystery. It's original in every way. Intriguing, exciting - the writer draws you in and sets the scene for a fast-paced adventure, while at the same time introducing you to three-dimensional characters who feel real and are very relatable.

Next you find yourself in a sleepy nursing home, where Old Folks dribble into their food and the central character, Jacob, is frustrated at being locked inside his aging body, whilst in him still beats the heart of a young man.

Throughout the book we alternate between Jacob's present and his past memories of the circus.

Through it all runs a puzzle, the thread of a mystery; pieces of the story not quite made clear in that tumultuous opening chapter.

At the end - a neat twist and a satisfying conclusion. *sigh*

Such an easy-to-devour book. My only complaint is that Water for Elephants wasn't longer - because I loved it so much I didn't want it to end!

This book was gobbled up in less than two days. It was one worth staying up for; a real eyelid drooper - my favourite kinda book.

I've been recommending this book to friends left and right.

Now I'm almost scared to see the movie... can it live up to the beauty of the book??
We shall see.

Water for Elephants is a Must-Read. And for the first time ever, I am going to give it FIVE HEARTS because I loved loved LOVED it.

Must. Read. Water. For. Elephants.

Mrs Readalot rates Water for Elephants:
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Now its your turn.

Have you read any good books lately?

Write a review and link up below.

If you've read Water for Elephants, share your thoughts. Have you seen the Movie yet? How do they compare?

You can either read and review the Book of the Month, or review and link up any other book of your choice.

If you don't have a blog, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. Go visit the links and see what other people are reading... you might get some great suggestions for reading material... and some great new blogs to follow!

Next Month the Book Club will be Hosted by Helen over at One Trick Pony.

Helen's choice for June's Book of the Month is: Novel About My Wife by Emily Perkins, which sounds like it will be full of mystery/suspense!

The next linky will be up on Thursday June 30 over at One Trick Pony along with Helen's review. Mrs Readalot's post will point you in the right direction, so don't worry about getting lost ♥