Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel

I thoroughly enjoyed this book where an entire community slowly comes together to support each other and solve a mysterious disappearance . I also learned a lot about how amazing the octopus is and why we need to respect them and all marine life. It's got a feel good vibe that we so need now.

To be clear a 3 star rating for me doesn’t mean I dislike a book. As a whole I found this book sweet and quirky although a bit predictable.

Shelby Van Pelt’s novel Remarkable Bright Creatures: A Novel is about an unlikely friendship between the Swedish American cleaner Tova Sullivan at the Sowell Bay Aquarium in Washington State and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus McSquddles. Marcellus’ name was chosen by the daughter of the aquarium manager Terry (Van Pelt 2). Sullivan is a widow whose only son disappeared into Puget Sound. The son has disappeared over thirty years old. Like the giant Pacific octopus at the Seattle Aquarium in Washington State, Marcellus uses the other exhibits at the aquarium as food sources at night (Osborne & Boyce 41). Sullivan recuses Marcellus from being stuck in power cords in the staff room (Van Pelt 9-10). Marcellus is searching for a Chinese takeout container that Terry eats and throws away in the staff room at the aquarium (Van Pelt 17, 128). Sullivan and Marcellus form a deep friendship and try to help each other find happiness. Each chapter is from the perspective of one of four characters: Sullivan, Marcellus, the man who owns the local grocery store named Ethan Mack (Van Pelt 54), and Cameron Cassmore. Cassmore comes from California. Cassmore is searching for knowledge of his father. According to the Goodreads reviewer Ryan Domier, the chapters from Marcellus's point of view are read in a British accent in the audiobook. The humans consider the giant Pacific octopuses “remarkably bright creatures” (Van Pelt 2). Marcellus believes humans to be “remarkably bright creatures” (Van Pelt 504). I enjoyed reading Van Pelt’s novel Remarkably Bright Creatures. I found the review by the Goodreads reviewer Ryan Domier helpful in writing this ‘review.’ Works Cited: Osborne, Mary Pope & Boyce, Natalie Pope. 2008. Magic Tree House Fact Trackers: Sea Monsters. New York: Penguin Random House, LLC. Van Pelt, Shelby. 2022. Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel. Large Print Edition. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

I liked the POV from the Octopus and the friendship he had with Tova. The ending made me happy.

Easy read.