Remarkably Bright Creatures

After this book received accolades from reviewers, I ordered it on a whim because I was intrigued by the description of a novel about an older woman who works as a night shift custodian at an aquarium, where she becomes friendly with one of its occupants, a clever octopus named Marcellus.

Both woman and octopus are keen observers, and they narrate their experiences and thoughts while reflecting on their pasts, presents, and futures. I will put this on the list for my book club.

Love and loss, life and death, an outcast and redemption—it’s all here. This novel ties several characters’ stories together for a heartwarming read.

I loved the interactions between Tova and her friends, who don’t quite understand her but care for her all the same. Marcellus, the octopus at the aquarium where Tova works, gets her, and the two develop a surprising bond. Van Patt introduced me to the wonders of the giant Pacific octopus and I will never look at one the same way again.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is that rare blend of unique perspective, solid storytelling, humor, and craft.

It captivated me from the opening lines of Marcellus, the Octopus, and carried me along on a gentle, fun, and masterfully structured story. As a writer, I marveled at the author’s sure-footedness in her debut novel.

As a reader, I delighted in Van Pelt’s ability to draw me into the characters' surroundings, lives, and dreams, all while cheering for an Octopus.

I’m a sucker for multiple storylines that dip and dive and intertwine. And one of the threads in Remarkably Bright Creatures is an octopus!

I highly recommend listening to this audiobook. The voice actor for the octopus is just perfect. And I love Tova. She is smart, pragmatic, and hurting, having never come to terms with her son’s disappearance 30 years before.

This incredible story is filled with life, death, mystery, grief, choices, heartbreak, and healing—and don’t forget...an octopus.

Remarkably, Bright Creatures is a surprisingly engaging and uplifting novel. I never expected an octopus to grab such hold over me—to the point that sadly, as a foodie (I adored them grilled) but gladly for Marcellus (the octopus star of this book), I can’t eat octopuses anymore.

I am also trained in animal behavior and experimental psychology/neuroscience and was extremely impressed and disarmed by the keen and kind observations that Shelby Van Pelt makes about both animals and humans.

I am a very fussy reader and adored this lovely and humbling book. I am waiting for more from this great… show more.

So often shifting narrations from different character viewpoints fall flat in fiction, but Remarkably Bright Creatures is flawless.

An exceedingly clever giant Pacific octopus, named Marcellus, acts as our most compelling narrator, offering a unique perspective into the human condition and the facets of loneliness. Van Pelt does a remarkable job in making us care about each of the characters she introduces. You are invested in their lives and the connections between them.

The audiobook has a masterful narration of Marcellus by Michael Urie and ranks as one of my absolute favorite audiobooks of all time.

After finding out one of the main characters is a giant Pacific octopus who solves a cold case of a missing boy, I just had to read it. Marcellus is probably my favorite character of the year.

It has a little bit of a Flowers for Algernon vibe with an intelligent animal knowing their days are numbered. Unlike Algernon, octopuses are just this intelligent and full of personality all on their own. Yes, Marcellus has led me on a deep dive into the octopus world—absolutely fascinating—and I highly recommend Sy Montgomery’s Secrets of the Octopus, which comes out next year.… show more.

This book was a delight from start to finish. Although the majority of my reading is historical fiction, the setting of this contemporary novel in the Pacific Northwest – where I grew up – and the character of Marcellus, a Giant Pacific Octopus, intrigued me so much I couldn’t resist.

Oh, how I loved Marcellus! The friendship between Marcellus and Tova, an elderly widow mopping floors at the aquarium, is wholly original and heartwarming.

Then there was Cameron, a loveable oaf of a twenty-something desperately in need of a grandma, who grabbed my heart and didn’t let go. This is… show more.

Have you ever wondered what is going on inside the mind of an octopus? If so, this book delivers the perspective of an octopus beautifully.

The novel incorporates the POVs of two characters: Tova Sullivan, an elderly woman who has a cleaning job at the local aquarium in the Pacific Northwest. The other character is Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus whose home is in the aquarium and whose days in captivity are numbered.

Remarkably, these two characters, Tova and Marcellus, strike up a friendship and help each other solve a problem that has been looming over each of their lives.… show more.

I don’t usually listen to audiobooks, so when my husband chose this one for a road trip, I had low expectations regarding a story with an octopus as a main character.

However, I was absolutely charmed by the connection between Tova and the intelligent escape artist at the aquarium where she worked. Other characters are intertwined into a touching story with themes of family, friendship, loneliness, freedom, and love.

The author did a fantastic job with characterization, and the audio voices were pleasantly engaging and entertaining. The emotional conclusion was both an ending and a beginning. It had me cheering!