Summary
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen weaves a tale of love and adventure set against the backdrop of a Depression-era traveling circus. Published in 2006, this historical romance earned critical acclaim and quickly became a bestseller. Grounded in meticulous research, Gruen’s evocative prose brings to life the gritty world of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, complete with its cast of colorful characters, including performers, roustabouts, and a seemingly untrainable elephant named Rosie. The novel also stands out for its timeless exploration of love, loss, and redemption.
In 2011, Water for Elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz. A musical adaptation premiered on Broadway in 2024.
Plot
Water for Elephants opens with Jacob Jankowski at age 93 and confined to a nursing home, reminiscing about his colorful past. As a young veterinary student at Cornell University during the Great Depression, Jacob's life is upended when his parents die in a car accident. Grief-stricken and penniless, he impulsively jumps aboard a passing train that turns out to belong to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a struggling circus.
Jacob is taken under the wing of Camel, an elderly worker who helps him find odd jobs with the circus. When the owner discovers his veterinary background, Jacob is hired to care for the circus animals. He soon becomes entangled in the lives of August Rosenbluth, the charismatic but brutally cruel animal trainer, and his beautiful wife Marlena, the star of the equestrian act. As Jacob falls in love with Marlena, he witnesses August's increasingly violent behavior toward both animals and humans.
The arrival of Rosie, an apparently untrainable elephant, further complicates matters. Jacob discovers that Rosie understands commands in Polish, making her a valuable asset to the struggling circus. However, August's brutal treatment of Rosie horrifies Jacob and deepens the rift between August and Marlena. As tensions rise, Jacob and Marlena's forbidden romance blossoms, putting them both in danger from the volatile August.
The story climaxes during a chaotic circus performance where several abruptly fired workers return and release the animals, causing a stampede. In the ensuing panic, Rosie kills August with an iron stake. The Benzini Brothers circus is shut down, and Jacob and Marlena leave together, taking some of the circus animals with them. They join the Ringling Brothers Circus and eventually settle in Chicago, where Jacob becomes a zoo veterinarian. The novel ends with the elderly Jacob, now a widower, deciding to join a small circus that recently set up its tent near his nursing home, feeling he has finally come home.
Themes
Unexpected loss and grief
Love and romance in difficult circumstances
Animal welfare and ethical treatment
Resilience and survival during the Great Depression
Contrast between youth and old age
The allure and dark reality of circus life
Domestic abuse
Loyalty and friendship in unexpected places
Memory and the power of nostalgia
Setting
Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Water for Elephants transports readers to the gritty and enchanting world of a traveling circus in the 1930s. The story unfolds primarily on the railway and in the tents of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a second-rate circus struggling to survive in an era of economic hardship.
The narrative shifts between two time periods—the present day, where an elderly Jacob lives in a nursing home, and, through vivid memories, his youth spent with the circus. The bulk of the action takes place in various small towns across America, as the circus train crisscrosses the country, setting up its tents for one-night stands in countless nameless locales.
Within this nomadic microcosm, Gruen meticulously recreates the atmosphere of a Depression-era circus, complete with its cast of colorful characters, exotic animals, and the constant tension between the glittering spectacle presented to the public and the harsh realities behind the scenes. From the cramped living quarters on the circus train to the sawdust-covered big top, the setting reflects both the desperation and the dreams of those seeking refuge in this unconventional world.
Characters
Jacob Jankowski: The protagonist and narrator. As a young man during the Great Depression, he tragically loses his parents and impulsively joins the Benzini Brothers circus. Jacob is kindhearted and principled, serving as the circus veterinarian. In his 90s, he recounts his circus adventures from a nursing home.
Marlena Rosenbluth: Jacob’s love interest. The star performer of the equestrian act, Marlena is beautiful, talented, and compassionate towards animals. Trapped in an abusive marriage to August, she is increasingly drawn to Jacob.
August Rosenbluth: The equestrian director and animal trainer, and Marlena’s husband. August is charismatic but suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, leading to violent outbursts against both humans and animals. His volatile and abusive behavior drives a wedge between him and Marlena.
Rosie: An elephant acquired by the circus. Initially thought to be untrainable, Rosie responds to Polish commands and becomes a star attraction. She forms a bond with Jacob and plays a crucial role in the story's climax.
Uncle Al: The ruthless owner of the Benzini Brothers circus. He rules the circus with an iron fist and is known for “red-lighting” workers who displease him.
Walter (Kinko): A dwarf performer who becomes Jacob's roommate and friend. Initially hostile, Walter warms up to Jacob over time.
Camel: An elderly circus worker who befriends Jacob when he first joins the circus. Camel becomes ill from drinking “Jake” and is cared for by Jacob.
Quick facts
Water for Elephants was written as part of National Novel Writing Month in 2004.
Sara Gruen got the idea for her historical novel after seeing vintage circus photos in the Chicago Tribune.
Gruen conducted extensive research on circus history and interviewed former circus workers—many details in the book are based on real circus practices from the 1930s.
The character of Rosie the elephant was inspired by a real elephant named Topsy.
Water for Elephants spent 12 weeks on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list in 2006.
The paperback edition became a #1 New York Times bestseller in 2007.
Entertainment Weekly named Water for Elephants one of the Best Novels of 2006.
In 2007, the novel won an Alex Award, created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) to recognize adult books with special appeal to teen readers.
Robert Pattinson learned to work with elephants for his role as Jacob in the 2011 film adaptation.
Hal Holbrook, who played the older Jacob in the movie, was 85 years old during filming.
A musical adaptation opened on Broadway in 2024, starring Grant Gustin a
About the Author
Sara Gruen (1969-) is a bestselling author known for her novels featuring animals as central elements. A native of Vancouver, Canada, she moved to the United States in 1999, and, soon after, transitioned from technical writing to fiction. She made her publishing debut in 2004 with Riding Lessons, a tale of loss, healing, and renewal set against the primal world of horses. Her breakthrough came in 2006 with Water for Elephants, a historical romance revolving around circus life during the Great Depression. An international sensation, the novel was adapted into both a major film and a Broadway musical.
Gruen’s subsequent novels include Ape House (2010), following the lives of six bonobos who can communicate in sign language and the scientist who loves them, and At the Water’s Edge (2015), set in a tiny village in the Scottish Highlands during World War II and driven by a quest to hunt down the legendary Loch Ness monster. Her novels have been translated into more than 45 languages, selling millions of copies worldwide, and won accolades including the BookSense Book of the Year Award for Fiction and the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Alex Award.
Gruen actively supports various wildlife and animal welfare organizations. Currently residing in Asheville, North Carolina, Gruen shares her home with her family and a menagerie of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, and goats.
