Customer Reviews

Elephant Winter

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How could any reader fail to be impressed by the originality and beauty of Ms. Eichlin's novel? A friend who has devoted his life to elephants gave me the book in Botswana's Okavango. I was immediately captivated by the author's almost mystical feeling for elephants. Her dictionary of elephant sounds is a triumph which several people who have spent their lives around elephants attest to. Altogether, this is a breathtaking opening act for a talent who will be around for a long long time.

A fine story, wonderfully told, by a truly accomplished writer. Deeply moving tale seems more real than fiction. About a young woman who returns home to help her mother go through the last dying stages of cancer and herself becomes involved with a small herd of captive elephants living nearby at a private tourist attraction. I won't give away the details but urge you to read this book if you enjoy elephants and experiencing emotions.

'Elephant Winter' is about a young woman who returns home to Canada to look after her ailing mother. Her mother is dying of cancer but is determined to continue to do things she would normally do. The daughter, tired of being inside the house with artwork and bugies, soon becomes friends with Jo, the keeper of the elephants. He's a quiet, shallow man who worms his way into Sophie's effections.
A novel about love, lust, family and elephants, it is amazing to see the sameness that mammels and humans have. I loved Saba, Keiaz and Lear, the elephants. The elephants were not protrayed as animals but as humans with feelings and understandings.
It would be so lovely to be an owner of an elephant and feel the fingers of the trunk on your skin. To become to understand this great beast of nature.
The majestic creatures were interpreted by Echlin through sounds and songs. I particularly enjoyed the dictionary that she provided so that we could learn along with her. Although we will never be able to understand an elephant, it was interesting to learn nonetheless.
The relationship between Jo and Sophie was incredible, rich with agony and love. Nearly pure love.
Read this tale for yourself and you too will fall in love with Echlin and elephants.

I read this book a few years back and loved it. Have recommended it to many friends. A beautifully told and moving story.

I anticipated loving this book. I love Canada and I love winter, and I love good fiction. But I didn't love this book. I think the idea behind it is precious, but I was not satisfied by the content. The elephant dictionary was painful. The autopsy was shocking and dark, but not dark enough. The prose was not haunting or lyrical. So much more could have been described with the budgies and the artwork. The mute character was not developed to be dark until the end of the book. I was not suspicious of him in the least. The love interest Jo, what a shallow character. I would have omitted the dictionary and developed all the characters and visuals more. Rather than tell me what happened, I would have loved to have been able to feel the cold and taste the smells.