Water for ElephantsWater for Elephants
Score Modern
What it's about
Jacob Jankowski is ninety, or ninety-three, and living in a nursing home when the circus comes to town and brings back 1931. That year, with his parents suddenly dead and his veterinary degree unfinished, he jumped onto a passing train belonging to a struggling circus. He became its vet, fell for Marlena, the star horse rider, and learned to fear her husband, August, the violent animal trainer. Then the circus bought an elephant named Rosie.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and became a film and a Broadway musical. It's a love story wrapped in the gritty, colorful world of Depression-era traveling circuses.
You'll love it if you liked
Memoirs of a Geisha
The Help
OutlanderGood to know
There is animal cruelty and violence. The 2011 film stars Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller91 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #25 of the 233 romances we rank
- #37 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #197 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #389 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
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Quick answers
Is Water for Elephants worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and became a film and a Broadway musical. It ranks #389 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Water for Elephants about?
Jacob Jankowski is ninety, or ninety-three, and living in a nursing home when the circus comes to town and brings back 1931. That year, with his parents suddenly dead and his veterinary degree unfinished, he jumped onto a passing train belonging to a struggling circus. He became its vet, fell for Marlena, the star horse rider, and learned to fear her husband, August, the violent animal trainer. Then the circus bought an elephant named Rosie.
How long does it take to read Water for Elephants?
About 9 hours (350 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Water for Elephants?
If you liked it, try Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, The Help by Kathryn Stockett or Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.