Remarkably Bright Creatures

Hard not to love the narrator of this lovely tale. In itself the story of a 70 year old woman who cleans at the local aquarium is just a nice telling, but when you have a Remarkably Smart Great Pacific Octopus narrating and commenting on life in a small tank, then you have a three-heart-warming voice added in the mix, the novel becomes Remarkably Bright and enjoyable read. I highly recommend the book!

I can’t find the words to describe how much I loved this book. I’ll wait for a few months then read it again. And then put it on my once a year rotation. It’s a brilliant story, the writing is beautiful, and it’s full of interesting characters. It’s about love, friendship, heartache, hope, and so much more. Don’t miss this incredible book.

In all loss lives hope. Perhaps hidden in a creek with crawdads, golf tees and a goat or with Merrows, a selkie and a cliff near the North Sea, in the eyes of a cow filled with grief and understanding for our loss, we find the old rickety van that will take us to our destination. In Remarkably Bright Creatures, I happed upon my trip to Hope with an octopus, an older woman, an angry misguided young man in his own captivity of loss and dove to my own bottom of the sea home. A story filled with mystery and life mistakes kept me company reassuring me I am not "the only one" who travels this Magical path through grief. Thank you, Tova. And most of all, thank you, Marcellus for your higher intelligence and many arms.

When I first read the summary of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, I was intrigued by the octopus in the plot and the summary got me interested in reading the book and I am glad I did. This story was sort of open ended and yet so difficult to guess. It kept me interested to the very end and of course, I enjoyed not just the story but also the ending as well. It is now one of my favorite books.The main characters in the book have certain unique perspectives including Marcellus. I ended up feeling deeply for Tova, Cameron, Erik, even Ethan and most of all Marcellus. The book is written superbly in a way that I really felt connected with these characters. I will re-read/re-listen to this book in the future again. Will surely read more books by Shelby as she writes and publishes.The best thing I really liked in the book is when Cameron asks Tova how did she go on and recover from something like what she went through, I really like her response, that while one cannot recover, not fully, one moves on and one must. I recommended this book to any one who wants a fresh unique writing style and a very well written story. Also, Whispersync helped a lot since I was reading and listening alternatively and Jenna Pick did a wonderful narration. Lastly, I read Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery before reading this and that helped me understand this book better. Overall, I loved reading this book.

A beautifully layered, unexpected story that stole my heart.At its core, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a powerful story about grief, connection, and second chances — told in a way that feels both whimsical and deeply human. Set in a small coastal town, the story follows the unlikely friendship between Tova Sullivan, a lonely widow working the night shift at an aquarium, and Marcellus — a highly intelligent, curmudgeonly giant Pacific octopus with a keen eye for human behavior (and secrets).Yes, you read that right — an octopus, and yes, somehow it works perfectly.This is not a book I would have normally picked up. The idea of an octopus as a point-of-view character honestly threw me off at first. But wow — this book blew me away. The writing is exquisite, the pacing gentle but purposeful, and the emotional depth is undeniable. Shelby Van Pelt has crafted a story that is both tender and quietly profound, blending subtle humor with moving insight.This book surprised me in every possible way. It made me laugh, it made me reflect, and even made me tear up at times. It’s a story about loss, yes, but more than that, it’s about found family, forgiveness, and the unexpected ways we find healing.If you’re looking for something heartfelt, character-driven, and just a little bit magical, Remarkably Bright Creatures is the kind of story that will stick with you.