Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures is an exceptionally original, light, and bright novel by Shelby Van Pelt. It is a story of friendship, personal growth, and hope, with the unlikely addition of a giant Pacific octopus who serves as a hero journey's mentor of sorts.

In truth, there are two mentors. The first is Marcellus, who studies humans from his tank inside the aquarium more than humans study him. The second is Tova Sullivan, the night shift cleaning lady at the aquarium. Both are prisoners in their own way—Marcellus is mainly confined to a tank, and Tova is confined to a life… show more.

I learned so much about compassion in this tale told by an octopus. About we humans. And I fell in love with Tova, the smart, scrappy 70-year-old woman who cleans Marcellus the octopus's tank, and seems the only human who understands him, and comes to know herself even better, and claims her autonomy while deepening family connection.

I so appreciated a story of empathy and bittersweet compassion being told from the point of view of an octopus, who understands mortality. Who sees the foibles of the humans around him, and yet is more forgiving of them than we are of ourselves. I also loved that the main human character was a smart, scrappy 70-year-old woman.

What a great novel: well-written, interesting plot, compelling characters, including Tova, who lost her son to the sea, Cameron, a troubled young man who keeps messing up and an octopus who thinks and acts compassionately, all set in a small town in Washington state. I loved it!

The originality of this remarkably lovely novel struck me immediately and kept me turning pages. I've recommended it several times since and have bought a paperback copy to gift to friends at Christmas. This is a unique and very touching book with a touch of mystery.

An octopus that would solve a mystery?? A snarky octopus and a quiet widow form a kind of friendship. And yes, the octopus "solves" a mystery for the widow

This book was fresh and original. The plot revolves around an aquarium, the characters are well-developed, and the plot moves at a good pace. It was recommended by one of the people in my "Books that make you smile" group and it lived up to that recommendation. You'll finish with a great feeling!

This delightful book transported me to the northwest coast with its atmospheric language and well-drawn characters (including of the octopus!). I loved the sense of time and place that the story invoked, the sense of belonging to that time and place, and the visceral sense of the ongoing journey through that time and place. There is just enough mystery to keep me engaged in wanting to find out what happened in the past to bring the characters to this point, and a deep sense of rooting for the characters that they can figure that mystery out and heal their lives… show more.

The amazing narrator was a giant octopus!

I loved the absurd premise of the book, which involves the relationship between an older woman and an octopus, and Van Pelt pulled it off beautifully. I am drawn to books about older women and how they navigate changes in life.

Tova, the main character, is strong, self-assured, and accepting of her simple and solitary life but discovers one night that life can change quickly. The story is heartwarming, delightful, and somehow believable, with a twist at the end, which always makes me end up wanting more.