An Elephant In The Garden (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
From one elephant story to the next, however this is quite a different tale from the last one I read. This heartwarming story shows how people from two different side of the war can help each other. The trust between them puts a smile on your face because the war was all about death and the worst of people but even though this may not have happened it shows that there are genuine people.All that said the group of people fleeing from their burnt city also includes a elephant which complicates matters somewhat as a elephant is difficult to hide. The characters in the story are well written though it is quite a small book and their journey is extraordinary. An Elephant In The Garden is a very sweet, well written book. The story is told by Lizzie, from a bed in her nursing home, to a nurse and her son. It's the story of a family in Germany during WWII and their flight from their home in Dresden as bombs began to fall and their hometown was set ablaze. It is a story of resiliency, determination, and love. The elephant of the title, Marlene, mostly plays the role of inspiration as "Mutti" and her two children, Elizabeth and Karli, flee with 4-year-old Marlene, rescued from the zoo where Mutti worked, in tow.SPOILER ALERT! My only complaint about this book regards the ending. As the fleeing family approached an area occupied by the Allies, the military activity spooked Marlene who ran off and was not reunited with the family. Years later, at a circus in Canada, Elizabeth recognizes Marlene and Marlene also recognizes Elizabeth, who was sitting in the front row. Now, my problem is not with them recognizing each other. That is 100% believable, especially since elephants are known for their incredible memories. My problem is with Marlene's new life in the circus being portrayed as a happy ending. I would've known better anyway, but reading this book immediately after reading Last Chain On Billie by Carol Bradley made the ending of An Elephant In The Garden a bit less satisfying. An elephant in the circus is not a happy elephant. My objection is to the laying of the foundation for youngsters (hey, I'm an old guy!) to think animals belong in the circus.Except for that one detail, this book was delightful and well worth reading....
What do You think about An Elephant In The Garden (2010)?
Unique story from a great author. The elephant stole the show!
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