Sara Gruen writes historical and contemporary fiction, often placing characters inside unusual closed communities or demanding physical environments. Water for Elephants is set largely in a travelling American circus during the Great Depression and follows veterinary student Jacob Jankowski after he joins the Benzini Brothers show and becomes involved with performer Marlena and the elephant Rosie. Ape House turns to bonobos capable of communicating through sign language and the researchers, media figures and activists surrounding them, while At the Water's Edge follows privileged Americans searching for the Loch Ness Monster during the Second World War. Gruen's novels are character-led and accessible, with animals frequently playing an important role in the human story. Her work fits historical fiction, animal-centred fiction and relationship-driven historical drama, alongside writers such as Kristin Hannah and Christina Baker Kline. Read more Less
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