Play Book Tag discussion

The main character of Leaving Time is Jenna, Alice and Thomas Metcalf's 13-year-old daughter, who at the novel’s beginning sets out to uncover what happened to her mother. Research scientist Alice Metcalf has devoted her professional life to investigating how elephants experience grief. After a tragedy occurs at the New Hampshire Elephant Sanctuary, Alice disappears, and that’s the novel’s central mystery. Jenna cannot accept that someone who spent her career researching the behavior of grief, especially the special bond between mother and offspring, could possibly abandon her own three-year-old child with no logical explanation. Her father, currently living in a psychiatric facility, is no help. All Jenna has left of her mother is her research journals.

The author uses the narratives of four characters (Jenna; Alice; burned out cop, Virgil; and flamboyant, pink-haired Serenity, was once a TV celebrity psychic) to tell her story. At the heart of the book is the story of elephant behavior. I was more fascinated by the elephants than by the characters. I came away with a whole new philosophy regarding zoos and circuses.

The author manages to blend all of these diverse elements into a very compelling story, even though some of it is painful to read. I defy any reader to finish this book and forget what they learned about elephants. You'll never look at them again and not acknowledge how similar they are to us, especially when it comes to saying goodbye to those they love.

I’m so glad you loved it too, You’re right! I read this long ago and I still remember many of the elephant details. That made me cry. I really loved it and so did hubby. I don’t know why more people don’t talk about it.

NancyJ wrote: "I’m so glad you loved it too, You’re right! I read this long ago and I still remember many of the elephant details. That made me cry. I really loved it and so did hubby. I don’t know why more peopl..."

She always has some interesting surprises in her stories. It was a genuine tear jerker for me.