Water for Elephants & my Tomatos!

I FINALLY finished Water for Elephants! I bought this book in February I think? After the book club I belong to introduced it as one of the titles for the month. I just never got into it because I was afraid of reading about the treatment of animals in the story. And while the love story was definitely beautiful, my trepidation was accurate. Hubby and I made plans to see it with another couple and somehow the guys managed to let just us girls go see the movie while they went to see The Hangover 2... Normally, I'd be a little peeved, but at least I don't have to sit through that movie with him now. Seeing Your Highness was plenty stupidity for me for the next couple of months. :)

I have a pretty sensative stomach when it comes to brutality and animals or individuals and the story is written so well that I couldn't tear my eyes away quick enough to save myself from reading certain points where the animals were harmed. It takes a lot for me to well up with tears over anything, much less a book or movie, but I cried for both with Water for Elephants! Yes, there are a lot of things different in the book than were shown on the screen (there were whole characters missing!), but I don't think anything that was left out took away from the story and it still made for a good movie. I was impressed with Robert Pattinson; Reese Witherspoon, not so much. I can't really put my finger on what I didn't like about her character in this movie. I guess I just didn't see her feeding into his infatuation and when they finally got together, I was confused as to why she would have liked him. In the book, there is much greater detail for their love.

Overall, I'd probably give the book an 7-8. But remember my rating as a lot to do with the fact that I don't like seeing much of anything in the way of harming animals. If you get a chance to go see it in the movies, I would definitely recommend. :)

On another note, my tomatoes are doing MUCH better! I bought a new "pot" for them as Lindsay suggested. And they are just thriving now! I'm so happy that was an easy fix. I'll have to take some pictures for the next post at how much they are growing now :)