Water for Elephants

I've been absent. We went away for the weekend to the Grandma's birthday party (SOOO much fun!) and before that I was frantically trying to finish books and crochet projects that needed to be given to people this weekend.

To catch up:

1) I can finally show you the results of my first attempt at designing a pattern for my mother's birthday, since she now has the present.



2) My grandmother has not read the Odd Thomas books and was excited about them: "Look, Rena!! This will keep us busy for awhile!"


3) Spring has sprung officially in Phila, and there will be no going back *knock on wood*



4) Blogger is being a pain in the arse and not uploading pictures for some reason. (edit: finally got them to work!)


And finally, what you've been waiting for...
5) I finished Water for Elephants on the car ride to the Island.

I LOVED it!
For those of you who don't know, it's set during the Great Depression, in a traveling circus. Because the story is told as the memories of the main character as a very old man, you have a pretty good idea how it's going to end, from the very beginning. Also, Sara Gruen structures it with Faulkner-esque circumlocution, which I like. It hooks you immediately, and sucks you into what led up to that moment.

However, the fact that it is predictable doesn't matter. Her characters are WONDERFUL- she does such a good job of rounding out even the most minor characters, that you feel like you know them and are invested in what becomes of them.

Also, her writing style is great. I can't even say specifically what I liked about it, because I just got lost in the story. Maybe that's it- she pulls you into this whole other world with a great hook, and keeps you there, suspended in time very much like the old man who may or may not have Alzheimer's, until the end of the story.

Finishing it is like coming out of a very vivid dream.

So, go read it. If you feel the need to watch the movie, watch it first, because Robert Pattison's wooden face is going to KILL it, if you read the book first. I have no interest in seeing the movie now, for that reason. I'm pretty sure RPatz isn't even a real person...he's secretly Pinocchio.