The book was a delight to read. Although there were scenes which contained great cruelty (to both circus animals and the workers), which I found difficult to read, I felt there was likely a great deal of truth to it that lent authenticity to the book. I loved the mix of comic relief that Ms. Gruen included in the story - seemed like it was a metaphor itself for the Great Depression. Amist a very dark time in history, individuals were able to find some light in their daily situations, likely helping them to cope and survive. Ms. Gruen does a fantastic job of telling the book from the first person male perspective - I would have thought the book was written by a man if I had not known who the author was. Kudos to Sara.