Oh how I adored this book. The characters and setting are so rich and well written that I literally couldn't put it down. I created the scenes in my head in immense detail and could see, hear, and even smell and feel the words as they jumped off the page at me.
I must admit that several parts were very difficult for me to read. Gruen writes about the life of circus animals in a way that made me extremely... uncomfortable. However, it wouldn't be as honest and believable as it is without those aspects and truths. I fell in love with the animal characters, Queenie and Rosie especially.
What I think I enjoyed most about this story were the relationships. Not just that of Jacob and Marlena but also between Camel, Kinko, Rosemary and Jacob (to name a few). The bonds and fights and intense emotion made them fascinating to read about. I could really imagine old Jacob reliving these scenes as he contemplates his life.
I truly loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone for while. A rock solid tale of love, adventure, choice and life. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and go pick it up. Personally, I can't wait to read more from Gruen in the very near future.
