Old Mr. Jankowski recalls his life working as a veterinarian in a circus. His story alternates between life at a show and the nursing home days of a 93-year-old man. Between the period as an old man and the memories he relives, the reader discovers the life of Jacob Jankowski.

I began reading the novel Water for Elephants: A Novel, written by Sara Gruen, with no idea of what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find an unconventional fiction story centered around the life of a man reflecting on his time working for the circus. Each chapter left me ready for more and anxious to know the outcome.

The book begins in a nursing home with the protagonist, Jacob Jankowski; as a 93-year-old man, he hates his life and body. In the second chapter, the story jumps into the beginning of his circus career. He remembers his past because the cicus has come to set up across from his nursing home.

After skipping his final college exam, Jacob Jankowski jumps onto a circus train. The circus, called “The Benzini Brothers’ Most Spectacular Show on Earth,” becomes his home after the deaths of both of his parents. He begins with jobs only a hungry man would perform: cleaning stables and feeding the animals. Soon, however, he makes a name for himself and officially is hired as the vet.

His boss, August, is head of the animal department and is married to the lovely Marlena. From the moment Jacob sees Marlena, he falls in love with her, and their love grows throughout the story.

From the beginning, the reader sees two sides of the circus: the show itself, where the performers smile and wave to the audience; and the poor state of the workmen, animals and funds involved in the event.

Jacob’s commitment to the circus starts with the end of the Fox Brothers’ show, which was a rival circus. The Benzini brothers come to scrap together what is left of the ruined circus. The ringmaster and boss, Uncle Al, finds what he has been searching for: a bull named Rosie.

August receives a warning that Rosie is a dumb animal who is incapable of doing anything. He finds out all too quickly that this is true. Later, Jacob discovers that Rosie is not stupid, but only responds to commands given in Polish. After this discovery, Jacob’s experience at the circus improves.

Since Jacob speaks Polish, he teaches Marlena and August the right words in order to perform with Rosie in the big top. Over time, the reader uncovers explanations and information about characters to reveal the roots of their personalities.

The plot of Water for Elephants easily kept me entertained, and was an engaging story to follow. Every few chapters, a slow section shows up when the reader is brought back to the old Mr. Jankowski in the nursing home. Although these chapters are important, I often was annoyed at the interruption from the story I was so involved in.

The reality put into this book makes it all the more interesting. Each description of the tents and train cars brings a tone of detail to the story. The changing settings as the circus moves from town to town keep the story fresh and new. The time the characters spend as a “family” was interesting to me because it shows how much they depend on each other.

Though there are many positive aspects in this book, there are also some negatives. For one, a few chapters contain sexual content that I was unprepared for. These scenes are unnecessary and pointless in the overall theme of the book. In addition, foul language appears in random spurts.

In Water for Elephants, I enjoyed the plot and the story itself, but considering the language and sexual content, I would not recommend this novel to my friends. This book, though well-written and compelling, seems more appropriate for adults than for teens. However, in the end, the book left me smiling.

Water for Elephants, spanning 350 pages, is available at Amazon.com and at most local bookstores for about $15 hardcover or $8 paperback.

Water for Elephants is also being made into a movie. The release is set for April 22, 2011.

For more book reviews, read the Jan. 12 article, ‘Boy Who Came Back from Heaven’ studies spirituality.

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