There's nothing groundbreaking here, and the prose is good but not amazing, but the story caught me from the first chapter and never let go.
In the Q&A at the back of the version I read, author Sara Gruen says she meticulously researched the world of the traveling circus before writing the first word and I believe her. The world in these pages is alive, every detail is vibrant, and proves to be an elegant wrapper for the gritty mystery that unfolds.
Water for Elephants is a simple, fun read that is mysterious enough to make it interesting all the way through.
Christmas this year comes with a little guilt, and a lesson learned. Shopping for gifts for distant relatives has made me realize just how distant they are, and how out of touch with them I've grown.
Sadie and I bit the bullet last weekend and headed to the mall to shop for gifts. We're shopping primarily for our parents, brothers and sisters, and the associated in-laws. We wandered from one store to the next, bleary-eyed and empty handed. Nothing stood out. Nothing screamed "Buy Me! They'll love it!" After two hours we left the mall with one gift, and the feeling that it will be mediocre at best.
Everyone on our shopping lists is 800 miles away in Louisiana. This Christmas is the fourth since we've moved, and in this year we've seen our family the least since moving away. Our families have almost become strangers, and it's nobody's fault but our own. Without asking them for a list of things they want, scratching everyone off our list will prove difficult. Simply picking something off a list is so impersonal.
I'm unsure of what the solution for this year will be, but next year I'm going to attempt staying in touch more. I hope to go beyond email and Facebook too. I'm going to try phone calls, and letters. If it takes scheduling that time into iCal to do it regularly then that's what I'll do. I'm very anti-phone call. Talking to my mother once a week is a chore, but feeling this way about my family is worse. A few extra hours a month on the phone will be worth it if the next time a birthday or Christmas rolls around and I'll instinctively know what they want.
I miss these people, and I don't want the distance between us to loom so large. I want to buy gifts for dear friends and relatives, not strangers.
