Customer Reviews

The Elephant Keeper

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This lyrical and moving story explores the relationship of human to captive animal with a depth and intensity that makes it a must-read for any animal lover. The story is narrated by Tom Page who is well-launched on a career working with horses when his master buys two baby elephants, both ill from the long voyage to England. Tom devotedly nurses them back to health and at first all is well.

But as the male elephant reaches sexual maturity a change comes over his personality and he becomes harder to control. Also Tom's master finds the expense of feeding the elephants too much for his purse. First the male is sold to a distant nobleman. With a wrench of conscience, Tom Page chooses to stay with the more timid female, because he is afraid the head groom will maltreat her in his absence. When the female is sold, Tom faces an even greater wrench. Does he abandon his animal charge to stay with his sweetheart? Obviously, for the sake of the story, he does stays with the elephant that he has mentally dubbed Jenny, and thereby hangs the tale...

As the story progresses, the reader wonders who is keeping whom? Jenny the Elephant is a captivating character, holding her keeper by her side and the reader in thrall. Do the long conversations that Tom has with her represent real communication or are the the result of an internal monologue? Without Jenny, these thoughts would never occur to Tom.

This subtle historical novel opens around 1766 and the fictional events transpire as the American Revolution unfolds and Great Britain builds an empire. However, events in the larger world have little place in this story. Tom only mentions such things as touch directly upon him or his charges. This close focus gives the book unexpected depth. The moment I finished the book, I wanted to read it again. The author challenged me with his mode of ending it. On one hand, this seems to be a way of making the story less bleak, but on the other, it's risky for the author to inject himself into the narrative. Does this ending justify the author's means? I invite other animal lovers to read this excellent work with close attention and decide the answer for themselves.

'THE ELEPHANT KEEPER,' is a very unusual, animal driven, historical tale, evoking 18th century grandeur, as well as the sad reality of the Peasant class---those who were as much beasts-of-burden, as any other perceived sub-species. The chief protagonist is Tom Page, a groomsman's son, who becomes the caretaker of two elephants upon their arrival to Bristol, from the West Indies. The adventure chronicles their struggles, as they are moved from an environment of kindness and security, on an opulent estate, to situations tolerable only by the deep love and bond between them, that Tom refuses to break. The elephants', Timothy and Jenny, are clearly the stars in this relatively slow, and frequently sad read, making up for some moments of contrived and illogical plotting.

The writing, itself, is top notch, utilizing archaic terms and words, spattered throughout that set the time period adequately, while not being so overdone as to make the reading difficult, which is often the case. The settings are vividly described, without being wordy, and the characterization and personification of Jenny is superb. I suspect that every reader that ruminates about this novel, will think warmly of Jenny, first, even if they have grievances with the novel, as a whole.

Tom's bond with Jenny appears to be one of obsession and mental telepathy. They have some wonderful, humorous interactions, and, it is clear Jenny is a brilliant animal. But she also becomes the vehicle for Tom's unseemly fantasies and for projecting his undesirable feelings and emotions. This is where I began to have issues with Tom's development. Jenny appears to become Tom's conscience, as he struggles with good, over evil. At times, I thought he was on the brink of madness. There are elements of Tom's personality, when faced with increasing despair, that come in conflict with his earlier development, leading to some unsettling scenes, that just didn't fall into character, for this reader.

In spite of some reservations, I recommend this novel for anyone who has ever been fascinated by elephants. There is a wealth of information about this wonderful creature throughout this historical jaunt. It is also a good reminder, that humans and animals, alike, frequently share shackles. Tom was as much of a prisoner as his beloved elephants---his sacrifices, as great. The difference being, that Tom chose his role, the elephants weren't as fortunate.

The Elephant Keeper starts out as a magnificent novel, then fizzles about 3/4ths of the way through, to become a dark depressing book with none of the joy and wonder of the first part.

Tom and Jenny the elephant are wonderful, as is Timothy, but when Timothy goes into his rut, and is eventually sold, things go downhill rapidly in Tom the keeper's life.

The parts which describe the elephants are fascinating and fun, but Tom the keeper as the `hero' of the book is flat. The nonsense about looking for his lost love, and then her not being what he wants her to be when he finally gets the nerve to go back home, is disjointed and absurd.

The beginning of the book is 5 stars, about 120 pages of sheer brilliance, which I could not put down. The ending of the book becomes luridly Victorian, about a 2 star.

Once again, here is an author with clear talent who makes a poor choice, and allows their narrative structure to get in the way of what they are really trying to communicate. If you love elephants, you will love this book if you read only the first part of it. But we know what will happen--no one lives forever, after all. It is just a question of how and when. The author tries to explain it, but the last section in the modern period makes the whole thing end with a whimper, not a bang.

All in all, I loved the first part of the book and am glad I read it. The writing there positively sings with joy and enthusiasm. The parts in London, I really could have done without, they are so discordant.

Told by the caretaker, it is probably fair to say the story is more about him than about the elephant. But in another way this book reminded me very much of the classic "Black Beauty" by Anne Sewell. "The Elephant Keeper" follows the life of the elephant from location to location, experience to experience, and all the lessons therein about kindness, cruelty, friendship, regret. We never know the elephant as immediately or intimately as readers come to know Black Beauty, but I suspect that's because, after a strong entrance, the elephant is gently retired to the role of the keeper's own inner voice, becoming a symbol by the end of the story. (Being as I love animal stories, this treatment disappointed me.)

As far as recent (at the time of writing) stories about people-and-animals, I think I preferred "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" -- as in "The Elephant Keeper" the animals feature very strongly, but the story is about the human beings. "Edgar Sawtelle" is a little more complex and sophisticated than "Elephant Keeper" which is written in easy, accessible language that had me double-checking if it was YA (Young Adult) fiction. It isn't, and some of the themes are adult: sex, regret, and bitterness come to mind.

Like many other reviewers, I felt the downside to the book was its final third, where the author figuratively and literally cages the elephant and swaps focus to the keeper, who spontaneously erupts into behaviors that do not seem to fit his established character or the purpose or mood of the book up to that time. Then the very last few pages read like the author is just waving a white flag in surrender... To a deadline? To the failure of his imagination to complete the narrative? Seemingly unable to reach closure in the story, he abandons it and literally asks the reader to "imagine" closure. This was puzzling and unsatisfying after such a concrete tale.

If you are looking for an action packed story then this is not the book for you. However if you are looking for a character based novel then pull up a chair, get a drink and relax. This is a book that I found I was captivated by with really realising that I was. It follows a young man and how he ends up taking care of two elephants, in an age when no one had ever seen an elephant never mind know anything about them.

As the story unfolds it reveals a life of Tom Page who in many ways is as captive as the elephants he cares for. The male elephant is sold and Tom decided to stay with the female. As the pages turn you are lead through a dialogue that Tom has with the elephant, whether it is simply in his head or out loud you never know. Tom ponders ifs and buts on what could happen, on what he should have done etc. In many ways it is a love story between man and beast. You plod through the life on the elephant and his keeper get to the end of the book I found I was left longing for something more but yet I was satisfied with the ending.

I loved this book as, I could sit and feel as though Tom was talking to me. I feel in many ways I will never look at elephants quite the same way again.

A fictional story about what may have been the first elephants ever to make it to England alive made for an interesting read. "The Elephant Keeper" is a story that provides insights into the life of both upper and lower classes in 18th century England...a time when a person's family and circumstance usually limited their social and professional possibilities.

The main human character of the book, Tom Page, is the son of a groom that worked for a titled English gentleman. Tom accompanied his master to the docks one day and saw the most unusual thing he or anyone else there had ever seen - two young elephants from India. The elephants were listless and bordering on death. The gentleman agreed to pay for them, and young Tom was given charge over them.

The story centers on Tom's life-long association with and commitment to the elephants, regardless of who owns them at the time...in actuality whoever bought the elephants also got Tom as part of the deal.

I found the book to be well-written and an interesting glimpse into rural and urban life in 18th century England - certainly not all glamorous or even desirable, but interesting. The characters were believable, and so were their lives (in some cases sadly so!). I did find the storyline to be somewhat plodding at times, but it wasn't that big of a challenge to push through those parts and move on to other storyline developments.

If you enjoy historical fiction, English fiction, or animal stories you will probably enjoy this read. I could have done without details of some of Tom Page's side activities, such as his not infrequent visits to wh_re houses, etc., but all in all I'm glad I took the time to read this book.

4 solid stars.

Tom Page had been given an assignment, to write a history of the elephant. He was not to write a general history of the species, but one elephant in particular, Jenny. Tom was her keeper, and the first third of and the first third of Christopher Nicholson's novel "The Elephant Keeper" is Tom's history. The remaining two-thirds of Mr. Nicholson's novel though quickly grows darker as Jenny, and by extension Tom, is purchased by a series of owners.

Set in the tumultuous late 1700's of Georgian England, Mr. Nicholson has given his readers only the necessity of what his story requires. There is no mention of King George III or of the American Revolution. In fact, if only because of a scant mention here or there of the date, I dare say that Mr. Nicholson's readers could have placed his story in almost any century from the 18th to the 21st, as he has created a world, as if within a bubble, where external events have no consequence to the story. Georgian England was on the brink of an identity crisis, but that is not the England of Mr. Nicholson's novel.

As the remaining two thirds of "The Elephant Keeper" unfold, Tom and Jenny begin to communicate with each other, at first through commands and gestures, and slowly a sort of telepathic communication between the two emerges. Tom has grown to love Jenny, and has convinced himself that Jenny cannot survive without him. He pushes away the only girl who truly loves him to take care of his elephant. Is Tom the keeper of the elephant or is the elephant the keeper of Tom?

I was totally confused by the last chapter of Mr. Nicholson's novel. I had been jarred by the switch in tone from the first third of the book to the last two-thirds, but nothing prepared me for a 200+ year flash-forward stroll through a museum to find Jenny's articulated skeleton. Who is the chapter's narrator? Has Tom somehow survived 200 years? And what purpose does this last chapter serve other than to completely confuse the authors readers?

"The Elephant Keeper" started off well, then grew darker, and ends up bordering on the realm of science fiction and fantasy. In the end I was left confused as to Mr. Nicholson's purpose and theme of his story, and was left feeling unsatisfied when I finished reading it.

As many other reviewers have said.....this story starts out to be very interesting and fun to read. But..about half way through I found it slow, tiresome...well you get the picture. I may finish it but then....I may not. I 'll really have to force myself to pick it up again and with so many wonderful books waiting to be read....life's too short. Sorry.

The Elephant Keeper wrestles with a big idea - the relationship between human and animal: What makes humans humans and animals not? Until the last few pages, the theme is carried lightly with no sense of the novel being didactic. Except for these last few pages I would give the book a resounding five.

The book's conceit is that it is written by one Tom Page, elephant keeper extraordinaire who took charge of two elephants as "a mere lad" i.e. early teen or tween. Armed with hid father's knowledge of horses, a less than reliable source who had seen elephants in the Indies and Tom's own empathy for the elephants, Tom discovers how to care for elephants in a society that prefers to believe that animals neither reason nor feel emotion.

Fortunately, Christopher Nicholson does not carry the conceit to the point of Tom Page writing (or speaking) 18th century English. Rather, Nicholson writes in an engaging straight-forward style that allows the sense of time, location, and attitudes to shine. The reader's sense is that Nicholson has done his homework both with regards to elephants and with regards to historical setting.

While the book shows how far we have come in the treatment of "half-reasoning" animals, it also confronts us with how far we may have left to go - not in the sense of providing answers but in the sense of open questions. Excellently written and plotted, an engaging read, thought-provoking: what more can one ask of a novel?

I won an ARC of this book and really liked it. I loved the first half of the book in which Tom Page tells the story of how he became the elephant keeper. The second half of the story, in which Tom and Jenny become part of a zoo or menagerie is a much darker story that is only hinted at in the beginning. One isn't sure if it is the elephant keeper who has gone mad, or if he is just being lonely and fanciful. I was very engaged in the characters and in the plot, but I felt that there were two different novellas combined into one book, and the author had not really resolved the nature of the story being told. This is a tragic love story similar in flavor to "The Time Traveler's Wife" - I had the same emotional response to the story.

I am glad that I read it, and will definitely look for more works from this author, but I also feel the author has some room to improve in future works.