The Elephant Keeper

The Elephant Keeper, set in 18^th century England, tells the story of Tom Page, a horse trainer who suddenly finds himself the caretaker of two young elephants (Jenny and Timothy). I was initially intrigued by the deep connection that develops between Tom and the elephants, particularly Jenny, in this coming-of-age tale. Christopher Nicholson’s crisp writing style allows the reader to believe that the communication taking place between these two characters is similar to communication that humans are capable of having (can Jenny actually understand Tom and speak to him?).

However, as the story progresses, Nicholson seems to lose focus. The book ends without any sense of finality, leaving the reader to wonder what really happened (and not in a good way, either).

If you love elephants, I think you’d enjoy this book, as it’s filled with interesting facts about the creatures (and other animals that were fairly foreign to most of the world’s population during the late 1700s). Otherwise, skip this one and instead grab a copy of The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.