An Inconvenient Elephant

by Judy Reene Singer

From the author of Still Life with Elephant comes the story of one woman and her quest to save a majestic animal.

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Africa, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Adult

Paperback

First published July 27, 2010

About the author

Born in Alabama and raised in New York, Judy Reene Singer is a former high school English teacher. When not writing or riding horses, she donates her time to animal rescue. She is the author of Horseplay (Random House, 2004), Still Life with Elephant (Morrow, 2009) and An Inconvenient Elephant (Morrow, 2010).

Reviews

[Sharon M Bressen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Inconvenient Elephant
By Judy Reene Singer

I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for a review.

The beginning of the book and other sections were a somewhat difficult to follow. The story line of attempting to save elephants under unbelievable circumstances ran the gambit of irritating to hilarious.

The author outlines her unconditional love of elephants and her determination to save these elephants from slaughter. She has previously written “Still Life with Elephant” about this devotion...but you do not need to read the prequel to enjoy her second book.

Woven into this storyline is the unconventional new fearless girlfriend, Diamond-Rose and her past wealthy lover, Tom. Both bring much humor and sympathy to the engaging tale.

I recommend this book to animal lovers and those people who are courageous enough to tackle those seemingly impossible endeavors. Enjoy this easy to read book that will fill your heart with hope and a happy ending.

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman. Two friends. A man. Rescuing elephants. This is a wonderful read about a woman and a man who rescue elephants, two friends who love the wilds of Africa and elephants who need their help. Neelie's life is full of exs - exhusband, exhouse, exdog, exhorse and now exlover. She retreats to caring for baby elephants. Forced to leave her babies in Kenya because of civil turmoil, she meets Diamond-Rose, another New Yorker, fleeing Kenya. The two become involved in an attempted rescue of two male elephants but the adventure is only beginning. To succeed in the rescue, Neelie must enlist the help of the exlover. The story moves quickly and the interpersonal relationships become more tangled. This is a most enjoyable tale.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad that I chose this book to read. How clever the author was in combining a story about saving animals that were in need with just the right amount of romance. The story made me sad to realize that there are probably alot of animals out there that just are not getting the help that they need to survive. Several parts of the story really had me feeling the sadness that the characters must have been feeling - emotions that, I am sure, the author intended for us to feel. That is one of the signs of a really good writer - they can make you feel the different emotions that they are describing in the story. This one definitely deserved the four stars that I gave it.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though not strictly a memoir, one can see the author's life experiences adding a marvelous palatte to the book. Infused with Kenyan axioms, chocked full of wit and humor, interspersed with animal behavior observations, painted with scenes of Kenya, Zimbabwe, upstate New York and Texas, this book has it all: friendship, romance, travel, strong women, and stronger bonds with the passion of finding a meaningful life's work. I read it aloud to my 32 year old son on a road trip, and he loved it, too. Highly recommended.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

For whatever reason, I thought this book was a memoir, and after a few dozen pages, I kept thinking "this is so weird." Then, the sun finally rose on marblehead (=me), and I read the cover and learned it was fiction. That made so much sense. Once I realized this, the main character, who I found annoying and childish, became less so. Then, I could just relax and go with the story.

This book failed me in terms of the character development, but I got into the plot. The climax is the rescue of an elephant and other poor creatures from Texas where they are illegally being kept on a pseudo safari ranch that offers exotic prey to shady millionaires.

The narrator and main character, a woman named Neelie, is a lover of elephants and animals in general. But her behavior just doesn't seem connected to her personality, and I couldn't really buy into the hissy fits. She just did not come across as a plausible character.

The romantic plot line was shallow and stupid, not needed, unwelcome. It all seemed half assed and jammed in because, god forbid, a woman doesn't have some man to be in love with. I really hated that part of this book.

But elephants are really awesome.

[Billie Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure I would have liked this book more if I read the book before that introduced some of the characters and their relationships or if I was a reader who enjoyed romance/relationship stories. So while I was looking more for an animal story than a people story, I can recognize that the author presented a well written people story. The characters were well development, especially capturing their flaws. Unfortunately, those flaws were frustrating when poor decision situations repeated themselves so much they hindered the story from moving forward. The book also very informative regarding some of the politics hindering good intentions and did explore the lengths rescuers are forced to go to in order to save animal lives, but it did not feel like the focus of the story.

[patricia c marinelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed sequel

The mai character acted like a 2 year old throwing temper tantrums in the first book but you could over look it because there was a lot of discussion of the animals. This book concentrated more on her and her awful behavior. The other characters were funny and engaging. Why she made the main female irritating and did not focus more on a animals is beyond me. Not worth the money.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Elephants

A quick read about rescuing elephants and what beautiful animals they are. So demoralizing to read about wild animals starved and mistreated just so someone can get a trophy!

[Diedra Eby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

This is a well-written story about elephant rescue that beautifully described Africa and her amazing animals and the horrible choices animal rescuers have to make. This is the best book I've read so far this year.

[Abby Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5. Different type of book than I would normally pick up- I learned a lot about elephant conservation while following an enjoyable storyline. I lost steam in the middle for awhile but thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and end!

[DJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a spoiled, selfish, self-centered main character. Most of her problems could have been solved much more easily if she’d ever stopped to listen to people before throwing a shouting fit. The elephants deserved better.

[Karen M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and all the details of Africa were outstanding. My very favorite character was Diamond and of course the Elephants. Well worth the read, but be sure to read the 1st part of the story before reading this book.

[Bonnie Von dollen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, it was a sequel to Still Life With Elephant which I will definitely read soon.

[Robin Tuthill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Learning about the elephants in Africa was interesting, but would have liked much more character plausibility. Reads mostly like a romance novel.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting, easy read. I enjoyed the story but found the romantic thread oh so predictable.

[Kristin May · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the part of the story that spoke to animals I really didn’t enjoy the main character. Terribly self centered and petulant.

[Bookventures Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Inconvenient Elephant is a touching tale about discovering one’s self and the importance of family. Ideally the use of elephants as the central figures in the story was also used to emphasis this theme since elephants are phratric animals and their units are developed in unconventional ways. Similarly, the main characters formed these family units emphasizing the notion that family does not necessarily mean blood related. Other themes that rose from the story were the modern debate about rehabilitation of animals and striking a balance between your professional goals and the goals that are set for you by society. The latter theme is more prevalent among women in this decade who seek to fulfill their career dreams and strive for independence as oppose to starting a family. All of the themes were integrated into the story very well and made it a real joy to read.

The story is also lightly coloured with humor which contributed to its ‘unputdownable’ factor. There were many times when I found myself laughing out loud at Diamond teaching a Cockatoo to swear or the lovable but seriously neurotic Mrs. Wycliff. The humor is very witty and grown-up but relevant and totally unexpected which made me enjoy the story even more. An Inconvenient Elephant was also touching because you got a first-hand view into the perils that wild animals face and how these animals are rescued. I certainly became more appreciative of all the work done by animal activist around the world.

Many of the reviews that I have read so far state that the plot was a bit obvious but I have to disagree. Perhaps I wasn’t paying much attention but I found that there was an element of uncertainty to the story especially when it came to rescuing the elephants. I also appreciated the linguistic artistry in many of the chapters by the author. Often times she started them with literal devices and then meshes them with the overall story and plot. I think that by employing this tactic, the author gave us another level in which to understand the difficulties that the characters were facing and it sort of forces you to think about how you would cope if you were in a similar situation.

The characters were like a mixed bag of nuts if you look at them closely. Neelie, the Jane Goodall of Elephants is a nice character though sometimes I found that she was a bit erratic and just too sensitive. She is the main character who ironically is learning some of life’s most important lesson from elephants. Diamond was a great character to get to know. She draws a constant reference to her life in Africa which shows up the rich culture that exists there. One might argue that there were some characters who were a bit stereotypical such as Jungle Jim ( a representation of many of the male animal activist we see on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel) yet there presence in the story was really overshadowed by the animals and their daring rescue.

Animal lovers and non-animals lovers will enjoy this story because of its overall themes, good plot and storyline and its wit and humor. And I look forward to hearing more from Judy Reene Singer.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, and learning more about elephants. When I got this book, I thought it was non-fiction, but it's not. In fact, the main character, and many of the others, are pretty kooky, and ended of reminding me of the characters in a Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" book. Once I readjusted my expectations accordingly, I liked the book a lot more.

The story is stronger than the writing, which is a bit overwrought. The protagonist has life-altering experiences on a molecular level every few pages in the first few chapters, like when she gets to Victoria Falls:

"It was as thought the falls were rearranging my molecules, laying me open, pores, heart, and soul, preparing me so that I could absorb the essence of Africa...I was unraveling, being torn into pieces that didn't fit together anymore..."

This is after she's spent over a year in Africa. She has a similar experience whenever she sees an elephant. But she settles down when she gets back to the States.

All in all, a quick, fun read.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always a sucker for a book about elephants. I love to read and learn about these amazing creatures, and I’m happy to share the experience through a good book since my current plans don’t include exploring the African jungles or relocating my family near an animal sanctuary.

Neelie loves animals, horses and elephants in particular. Neelie has troubled, complicated human relationships, but has been able to use her skills as a psychotherapist to help troubled animals, and seems to be able to build more successful relationships too.

As the story begins Neelie is forced to leave her beloved baby ellies in troubled Africa. On her precarious trip back to New York she meets an eccentric safari operator, Diamond-Rose Tremaine, and together they build a lasting friendship and manage to help endangered animals and each other.

I liked the characters, the adventure and of course, the elephants!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Inconvenient Elephant is the story of Neelie Sterling, an elephant rescuer who returns back to New York from spending a year in Africa working with baby elephants. Once in New York, Neelie and her friend Diamond-Rose try to raise enough funds to send for an elephant they had to leave behind in Zimbabwe. Her year in Africa is the subject of Still Life With Elephant. I haven't read that book but I didn't have any trouble jumping right into this book.

I enjoyed this book for the most part but Neelie started to get on my nerves about halfway through. She behaves and thinks a lot like a thirteen year old girl and I had trouble understanding what her love interest saw in her. I'm an animal lover but her obsession with elephants was beyond my understanding as well.

Overall this was a good story with elements of romance, adventure and humor.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I got this book as an Advanced Reader Copy for free

The story is about Neelie Sterling, an American who has spent a year in Africa taking care of baby elephants and, due to the volatile political climate in Africa, is forced to come back home. Only that “home” is filled with past skeletons of ex-husband, ex-house, ex-horse, etc. On her way she meets Diamond-Rose, who is not a stripper as her name might suggest, but a 20 year veteran safari tour guide who is also being forcefully evacuated. Along the way, the ladies get enamored by an elephant targeted for execution and, once back in the US, make it their mission to save him.

To see more please visit: http://manoflabook.blogspot.com/2010/...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read the prequel to this book, Still Life With Elephant, so I wasn't sure what to expect. An Inconvenient Elephant turned out to be a really enjoyable book! I especially liked that the story began in Kenya and Zimbabwe, which really helped me to understand who the characters are and why they do what they do. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting the book down. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the prequel now!

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book. It was not as good as Still Life with Elephant. The same main character, Neelie, was a little self-absorbed and annoying in the first book, but that seemed acceptable considering those circumstances with her husband and his affair. She is much worse in this book. I only finished it to find out what happens to the various animals that are in and out of her life.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I am getting picky in my old age, but I expect a lot from books. This one didn't measure up. It's an interesting story and it is well written but it didn't have enough meat on the bones to be satisfying. There were a couple of characters who were not well developed, and sometimes the story line got a little thin and implausible. Over all however, there were moments that were very very funny and the plot was inspiring so it got three stars!

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a special affinity for elephants so this book attracted me. Although it is the second book of a series, it was easy to read as a stand-alone. It's hard to think about the cruelty imposed on all animals but the elephant has taken a beating throughout the years by poachers, zoos and circuses. So it was refreshing to read a story about people who love, nurture and rescue these majestic animals. There's even some romance thrown in for good measure.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I vaguely remember the narrator from a previous novel. Despite her devotion to animal rescue, she comes off as self-centered and given to hyperbole. I'm not sure I buy into the whole "Africa as Eden" premise, either, although the author also takes care to mention the very serious problems that also exist there. Some of the secondary characters are intriguing and the question of what exactly constitutes civilization is always worth consideration.

[Briana Alzola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I actually liked this sequel better than the first one. I found the characters (especially Neelie, the protagonist) more likeable. The best characters in this novel, like in the previous one, were the animals. The ellies, in particular, were described lovingly by someone who is fascinated by them. In general, a very quick read that I enjoyed but don't think I would ever read again.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this writer....She makes me laugh, she makes me cry. Her books seem very real, I have to remember as I'm reading it that it is fiction. This book was a little heartwrenching at times, making me ashamed to be a human because of how some people treat animals. Makes me wish I could go rescue some ellies!!

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really well written book. Anyone who is an animal lover of any kind will thoroughly enjoy it and also learn some things about elephants and Africa, and how much wild animals are mistreated by greedy humans.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I knew this would be fluff, but man oh man, it was pretty awful. The characters were illogical, one-dimensional, and acted ridiculously. Elephants are cool, I'll give this book that, but wow...