Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author: Shelby Van Pelt

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

Why I read it: Recommendations from friends

Remarkably Bright Creatures will change the way you see octopuses forever. The tale follows the loveable (and often misunderstood) Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living in the aquarium where Tova works. Tova, a widow, and grieving mother, develops an unlikely friendship with Marcellus during her night shifts cleaning the tanks. Against all odds, Marcellus helps Tova uncover what happened the night her son disappeared. Told through the viewpoints of Marcellus, Tova, and a host of other characters, a quiet town near Seattle comes to life as both main characters learn to open their hearts once again. 

If I had a nickel for every time I read a book with an octopus as a main character, I would have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s still weird that it’s happened twice, right? This book blows the other clear out of the water – no contest, no question. In case you are wondering, the previous book I had read was The Last Guest and no, I wouldn’t recommend it. ESPECIALLY not after meeting Marcellus. He will forever hold a place in my heart. 

Right away I cozied up to the story, feeling its warmth emanating from the pages. It’s not often that I immediately make an emotional connection to a book, but I believe my tendency to bond with animals is to blame here. (Why don’t more books have animal narrators? Ugh.) When reading the author’s acknowledgments, having the octopus as a narrator was contemplated, and I audibly chimed in with a gasp. I could not imagine this book without Marcellus’s perspective. It would just simply not be the same. It would still be a heartwarming story, don’t get me wrong, but the magic that Marcellus brought to the page made this book stand out in a way that isn’t easy to do these days.

I knew halfway through the book where the story was heading, which, had this been a thriller, I would have been annoyed with. The appeal is not rooted in solving the mystery of what happened all those years ago. While that is intriguing, the beauty is in how the seemingly disconnected storylines come together, and the blossoming relationships that result. I enjoyed being alongside the characters as they weaved in and out of each other’s lives and uncovered commonalities among themselves. 

I don’t know if this will make a lot of sense, but as I was reading, it felt like a warm hug. The imagery, the characters, the sentiments, all melded together in a perfect comfort read that brought me just close enough to the emotional brink (but not over!) that I knew upon finishing the last page that I would add this to my permanent collection. 

Kudos to the author for this being their debut novel and smashing it. Going into this, I had high expectations, as it came strongly recommended by several friends. It did not disappoint, and this one will stick with me for a long, long time.

TL;DR: Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes! It’s heartwarming, emotional, and will give you a new appreciation for octopuses.