to be read

2007 ( )

This is story about a young guy who runs off and serendipitously joins a Depression-era circus that travels by train. And I'm often a sucker for a good circus story. The young man, Jacob, is a veterinarian who hasn't yet become a licensed doctor (which is of little concern to the characters who run the Benzini Brothers circus). This is a richly detailed story with occasional dashes of excitement and romance, but dramatic throughout and it's essentially a fast, rewarding summer read. The story moves along briskly and the writing is of a quality that's so good you don't really notice it. Some great characters here, but Jacob is the best and most interesting. ( )

I thought this was a great story, brimming with life. The split narration between the older Jacob and himself as a young man was superb, although I must say I liked the 93 year old better. The bizarre occurences lent a bright humour to this romantic adventure and gave me a case of the giggles. ( )

Een prachtig verhaal over Jacob Jankowski, wiens gewone leven op de kop komt te staan als zijn beide ouders omkomen. Al zijn dromen over studeren gaan in rook op als blijkt dat er geen geld meer is. Hij sluit zich aan bij een circus, waar hij verliefd wordt. Alleen blijkt dat gevaarlijker dan gedacht. ( )