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Mighty Mary
Mary was a circus elephant. The Star of the West. She could dance, play the trumpet and pleased crowds wherever she went.
In 1916, after a disastrous Wild West show in Erwin Tennessee, acts against Mary the five-ton Indian elephant would go down in history as one of the most disturbing bizarre cases of animal cruelty the world has ever seen.
But, Mary had a life before the circus. She was free once. Part of a wild herd.
During the British Raj, she was captured, trained and sent to America to become a spectacle. Along the way, she loved, she lost, she made friends and formed bonds. She suffered heartache and experienced ecstasy. She was a living being.
This is her story.
In 1916, after a disastrous Wild West show in Erwin Tennessee, acts against Mary the five-ton Indian elephant would go down in history as one of the most disturbing bizarre cases of animal cruelty the world has ever seen.
But, Mary had a life before the circus. She was free once. Part of a wild herd.
During the British Raj, she was captured, trained and sent to America to become a spectacle. Along the way, she loved, she lost, she made friends and formed bonds. She suffered heartache and experienced ecstasy. She was a living being.
This is her story.
450 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2018
655 people want to read
About the author
Max Davine
10 books56 followersMax Davine is an Australian author, educator, and former actor. He was born Southeast Melbourne in 1989 and in 2008 learned about screenwriting and film production on the fly in Los Angeles. From 2010 to 2012 he studied acting at the Melbourne Actor’s Lab before publishing his first novel in November of 2012. Five other novels followed before he took time off to earn a Master of Literature in 2017. In 2018 he returned to publishing with Mighty Mary before again taking time to earn a Master of Education in 2021, the same year he published Spirits of the Ice Forest. While his work is most noted for its graphic violence and emotionally wrought content, his novels often convey messages of hope and courage in the face of adversity.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 29, 2019
Max Davine is a masterful storyteller; this book keeps you captivated until the heart-wrenching end.
This is the story of Mighty Mary, an elephant, who in infancy is ruthlessly taken from her world and raised in America to become one of the most celebrated circus performers.
This reminds me of Ernest Thompson Seton’s wildlife animal stories. We can look at the world through the animal’s eyes and understanding that they are not at all that different from us – they also have feelings and emotions, capable of complicated thought and reasoning. They are capable of imagination and love. But this is not a kids story, there are some very dark sides to it. The innocence of the animals makes people’s actions look even more monstrous.
From the first few pages, Mary gets our sympathy. There are wonderfully poignant words about Mary’s longing for her mother, her past life and her friends. It tugs at the heartstrings. Descriptions of nature and animals are full of poetic metaphors and similes. In contrast, the world of people is full of suffering, injustice, and cruelty. Even the ones who think to be kind are inadvertently cruel.
We get to know how Mary’s life changes and how she changes with it. It is a long way, and it doesn’t become easier for her.
We encounter many interesting characters. Mary formes an unusual connection with rebellious circus performer Christine. They have a deeper understanding of each other, sharing almost the same fate, trapped in the world they cannot control performing tricks to avoid pain.
But ultimately we are learning about ourselves, about the human world. There are some very astute observations, which will keep you thinking.
I truly enjoyed this book, even though I was often in tears. It is beautifully written and I highly recommend it.
This is the story of Mighty Mary, an elephant, who in infancy is ruthlessly taken from her world and raised in America to become one of the most celebrated circus performers.
This reminds me of Ernest Thompson Seton’s wildlife animal stories. We can look at the world through the animal’s eyes and understanding that they are not at all that different from us – they also have feelings and emotions, capable of complicated thought and reasoning. They are capable of imagination and love. But this is not a kids story, there are some very dark sides to it. The innocence of the animals makes people’s actions look even more monstrous.
From the first few pages, Mary gets our sympathy. There are wonderfully poignant words about Mary’s longing for her mother, her past life and her friends. It tugs at the heartstrings. Descriptions of nature and animals are full of poetic metaphors and similes. In contrast, the world of people is full of suffering, injustice, and cruelty. Even the ones who think to be kind are inadvertently cruel.
We get to know how Mary’s life changes and how she changes with it. It is a long way, and it doesn’t become easier for her.
We encounter many interesting characters. Mary formes an unusual connection with rebellious circus performer Christine. They have a deeper understanding of each other, sharing almost the same fate, trapped in the world they cannot control performing tricks to avoid pain.
But ultimately we are learning about ourselves, about the human world. There are some very astute observations, which will keep you thinking.
I truly enjoyed this book, even though I was often in tears. It is beautifully written and I highly recommend it.
January 19, 2019
One of the most poignant and eloquent reads I have had in long time . The way in which the author has captured the voice and imagination of a baby elephant calf , and brought in to life in the human mind is absolutely amazing. I felt every emotion , every heart break and every triumph. Mighty Mary is a book that will stay with me forever. Thankyou Max Davine for giving one of our most beautiful and intelligent, yet most mistreated and disrespected wild animals, such a strong and powerful voice. Anyone who reads this book will never forget how it made them feel, or will they ever see an elephant through the same eyes
December 18, 2018
Max gives Mary a voice which resounds in your heart long after you've finished the story. Extremely poignant in our time where disregard for these beautiful creatures and the planet should jog us to think of our eventual demise along with theirs.
July 2, 2019
This was an eye opening book that shows what animals truly go through when they are taken from the wild and put in shows and circuses. I found that I will never be able to look at any of those sorts of circuses the same way again. The author did a great job in balancing both fact and fiction in this book.
March 20, 2019
2.5/5.0
“Mighty Mary” is an eloquently written story about an innocent animal taken from her home and mother, bringing a voice to an otherwise voiceless elephant.
Read full review in the 2019 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
“Mighty Mary” is an eloquently written story about an innocent animal taken from her home and mother, bringing a voice to an otherwise voiceless elephant.
Read full review in the 2019 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
July 14, 2019
Mary's story is amazing - part harrowing, part delightful. As an animal rights activist, this was one of the more daunting reads I've done, and I loved it. Max Davine has created a collection of amazing characters to bring Mary's life to the page. And he's done a brilliant job of making the reader feel as one with this amazing circus elephant. It touches on aspect of humanity that are so relevant today, despite it being set around the turn of the last century. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it.
September 16, 2020
Mighty Mary is the story of an Indian elephant who was captured and transported to American to be trained as a performer. After disaster struck in Erwin, Tennessee, just after the turn of the century, her case would become one of the most famous surrounding animal cruelty.
This story is the emotional depiction of Mary's life as a member of her mother's herd, her eventual capture and transport. Mary's story is one of love and loss, told in an engaging detail. Mary is an empathetic and captivating character. Davine does a wonderful job of humanizing his protagonist. This is an emotional telling of the harm abuse causes; an emotional depiction of animal injustice.
This story is the emotional depiction of Mary's life as a member of her mother's herd, her eventual capture and transport. Mary's story is one of love and loss, told in an engaging detail. Mary is an empathetic and captivating character. Davine does a wonderful job of humanizing his protagonist. This is an emotional telling of the harm abuse causes; an emotional depiction of animal injustice.
February 3, 2019
Max Davine is, no doubts, one of the finest Australian writers of today. His book “Mighty Mary” is powerfully written, mastering the words in such a way that a reader feels every sorrow, pain, joy, desire, struggle of at first a free and protected by her herd baby and soon an alert, observant, intuitive, grown into a 5 tonne elephant, called Mary. Based on the historical event of 1916, the story takes us through Mary’s experience of life and understanding the world with humans in it. She quickly learns that the instincts set out for things in the Wilde do not apply in the humans’ world. “The animals do not have a soul” was the standard belief of the people. This book makes us realise what a long way we, humans, evolved from the time of Mary’s living although still have to deal with the cruelty of a different kind in treating animals. Prepare to cry throughout the book.
After reading “Mighty Mary” you would want to read more books by Max Davine.
After reading “Mighty Mary” you would want to read more books by Max Davine.
July 4, 2019
A herd of elephants roams peacefully around India in the late 1800's under the watchful eye of their matriarch. The matriarch recently gave birth and her baby watches mom carefully as she makes friends, plays and watches for predators. As the herd migrates, they notice that the funny apes keep getting closer to them and are building structures and making lots of noise. One day while the matriarch is protecting the herd from a tiger the pale apes intervene, killing the tiger and the matriarch. Her baby is left crying by her side. The baby is taken and chained by the white apes, which she learns are people. The baby named Mary and treated cruelly, punished until she learns to do what the people want. Mary is eventually sold to Sparks World Famous Circus where she learns to perform and is hurt less often. She learns to think of the circus performers as her herd. However, her memory of all of the past cruelty and her life as a wild elephant never leave her. The day comes where Mary can not take the pain and loneliness. Mary's actions that day will go down in history.
I have always had a hard time reading books like this and I knew that Mighty Mary would be no different. Especially since she was a real elephant and the terrible events that led to her death are true. Mighty Mary is mostly written from Mary's point of view and displays the emotional depth that Mary and all elephants are capable of as well as the psychological changes that happen when we take an animal from the wild and attempt to tame it. Mary's inner dialogue is heartbreaking as she is pulled from her mother and her home and dragged into the unknown to be cruelly treated, tormented, beaten and threatened with the bull stick that haunts her memories. Mary attempts to find any connection with any living thing, even the predators was wrenching to me and when she finally gave up and seemed to forget who she was, I knew it was the beginning of the end. Books like Mighty Mary remind me and all of us that we can do better for the animals that we share this world with and that any less is cruelty.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
I have always had a hard time reading books like this and I knew that Mighty Mary would be no different. Especially since she was a real elephant and the terrible events that led to her death are true. Mighty Mary is mostly written from Mary's point of view and displays the emotional depth that Mary and all elephants are capable of as well as the psychological changes that happen when we take an animal from the wild and attempt to tame it. Mary's inner dialogue is heartbreaking as she is pulled from her mother and her home and dragged into the unknown to be cruelly treated, tormented, beaten and threatened with the bull stick that haunts her memories. Mary attempts to find any connection with any living thing, even the predators was wrenching to me and when she finally gave up and seemed to forget who she was, I knew it was the beginning of the end. Books like Mighty Mary remind me and all of us that we can do better for the animals that we share this world with and that any less is cruelty.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
August 1, 2020
One needs to have a wider view of the world and its inhabitants in order to be able to write such a touching story about the life of the elephant in captivity as Max Davine has done. The elephant, Mighty Mary, used to live in the wild. So, she knew the difference. She was born free and in her early childhood she lived a life of enjoinment and fun. Then she was brough to the US and was raised as a circus animal.
Mary was a magnificent performer, but was it what she would really care about? The author understands that our ‘co-habitant’ in many ways are like us: they have feelings and emotions and they suffer from pain just like us.
This is a moving story making us, people, think and appreciate life in all its forms and embodiments.
Mary was a magnificent performer, but was it what she would really care about? The author understands that our ‘co-habitant’ in many ways are like us: they have feelings and emotions and they suffer from pain just like us.
This is a moving story making us, people, think and appreciate life in all its forms and embodiments.
September 1, 2021
A brilliant recollection of the historical telling of Mighty Mary keeping her story alive for generations to come... I too noticed a strong parallel to the human experience of abuse and trauma... You develop a strong connection to the main character Mary through an insight to her feelings and emotions and empathy for her plights throughout her life... I did not want to read the ending so as to keep her alive in my mind so I could see her shown the loving, kindness and caring she truly deserved. I fell in love with Mary and had great empathy for her suffering and joy for her happier days and relationships, I thoroughly enjoyed the extensive and cleverly crafted detail of a world experienced through her eyes and observations.
December 13, 2019
At a point I forgot that Mary is an elephant in this book because as the title has said “Mighty Mary” she is actually mighty in this book. She could dance, play the trummpet and pleased the crowds wherever she went. I felt so bad when she was captured and going through physical and emotional trauma. This book is a must read for all animal lovers and it will captivate any mother. Animals want to protect their little ones just like we do. Heartbreaking but worth the read.
July 4, 2019
Might Mary was a well written book that was filled with an emotional roller coaster of a story. The book really highlighted several things wrong with how the entertainment industry treats and handles animals. The book may have made me sad, but I'm glad I read it.
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February 2, 2019I really was thoroughly entertained by reading this novel. It was so skillfully and proficiently written, I felt. During the story I got so captivated by Mary herself, as well as, by her plight, and journey. The book had me very keen to discover more, about this elephants life.
Covered was cruelty that she had to endure at the hands of humans, which is something I feel so strongly about. Humans exploiting animals for their own entertainment and gain. Homo sapiens also exploited each other, but could decide upon that for themselves, whether knowly, or maybe out of awareness. It seemed more unfair for the animals in the circus, who didn't get any choices really.
This tale kept me on an emotional ride as there were highs and lows in Mary's life. These facets included fun, joy, love, fear, devastation, famine, and extreme hardship and mistreatment, to name but a few experiences she endured. As well as Mary's account's, feelings and raw emotions, there were the human narratives. The book described saga's from several points of view, of the animal kingdom, and personal accounts of the characters ( human kind). Finding it a fascinating read, there was certainly times of such sadness, in the story, and hardship that had me feeling so much for this precious elephant who seemed to have such difficult and very challenging trails. Thank you Max Davine for the amazing opportunity to read and review your latest book. Well worth the read, I say. Be prepared to have some heartwarming moments, and gut wrenching times, during, this "good read".
Covered was cruelty that she had to endure at the hands of humans, which is something I feel so strongly about. Humans exploiting animals for their own entertainment and gain. Homo sapiens also exploited each other, but could decide upon that for themselves, whether knowly, or maybe out of awareness. It seemed more unfair for the animals in the circus, who didn't get any choices really.
This tale kept me on an emotional ride as there were highs and lows in Mary's life. These facets included fun, joy, love, fear, devastation, famine, and extreme hardship and mistreatment, to name but a few experiences she endured. As well as Mary's account's, feelings and raw emotions, there were the human narratives. The book described saga's from several points of view, of the animal kingdom, and personal accounts of the characters ( human kind). Finding it a fascinating read, there was certainly times of such sadness, in the story, and hardship that had me feeling so much for this precious elephant who seemed to have such difficult and very challenging trails. Thank you Max Davine for the amazing opportunity to read and review your latest book. Well worth the read, I say. Be prepared to have some heartwarming moments, and gut wrenching times, during, this "good read".
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews