A warm and satisfying book. It wrapped itself around me, luring me into the many mysteries hidden just beneath the surface. -- Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child Let’s consider how the various animals (Marcellus, the wolf eels, the frogs, the sea lion statue, the raccoon, and Cat) are used as symbols in the story. How does each animal contribute to the characters’ development and understanding of their identities and relationships? Tova has always felt more than a bit of empathy for the sharks, with their never-ending laps around the tank. She understands what it means to never be able to stop moving, lest you find yourself unable to breathe.”

This is a NOT TO BE MISSED delightful DEBUT that had me joyfully humming that Beatles tune for days after finishing ! AVAILABLE NOW! Some trees aren’t meant to sprout tender new branches, but to stand stoically on the forest floor, silently decaying.”This book was so good, the stories about each or the characters, including Marcellus the octopus, are so wonderfully intertwined that you can't stop reading--you can't wait to find out what's next in each of their lives. While the portrayal of the octopus seems beyond what he could possibly see and do, it forced me to do some research about the ability of giant octopi to accomplish some of the things that Marcellus did--yes, there are examples of these creatures accomplishing what he does. (Obviously, no one actually can verify what they think, but these creatures have been observed doing many of the things that he does in the book.) The best part of the way the book is written is that all of the characters are developed well and their lives, while they seem to be totally separate one not truly influencing the others, are slowly intertwined as the book continues. After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Read this book. Not a lot of books make you feel this warm and fuzzy 🥰 4. CATHRYN CONROY Review Remarkably Bright Creatures Author Shelby Van Pelt expertly weaves the characters’ stories together. Although each character has sad emotional issues such as loss, grief, aging, and secrets, the story remains hopeful. Van Pelt keeps the secrets hidden from the reader, and the unveiling of the secrets is a reader’s joy. Marcellus has the best secrets. Lessons in Chemistry: In the male-dominated world of 1960s science, Elizabeth Zott breaks barriers with her brilliant mind and unexpected love story. But when she becomes an accidental cooking sensation, she challenges norms and empowers women, all with a touch of humor.

Other main characters are Ethan, a Scotsman who owns the local grocery story, and has a romantic interest in Tova, although she doesn’t see it. A young man named Cameron comes to Sowell Bay in search of his father. He finds a job in the grocery store working for Ethan. The author failed to give enough reasons for me to care about any of the characters. They all felt predictable and halfhearted.Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, will be published by Ecco/HarperCollins (US) and Bloomsbury (UK) in Spring 2022. The book opens with Marcellus McSquiddles (named by the 4 year old daughter of the Aquarium’s manager) introducing himself to us with a warning that the life span of a Giant Pacific Octopus is only 4 years (1,460 days) so our time with him WILL be brief. He was “rescued” as an injured juvenile and has, at most just 160 days left, until his sentence is complete. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Almost-darkness, like the middle-bottom of the sea. I lived there before I was captured and imprisoned. I cannot remember, yet I can still taste the untamed currents of the cold open water. I loved this story, the people, Marcellus, and gray Cat. The audiobook narration could not be better. Marin Ireland does her usual wonderful job while Michael Urie IS Marcellus. He's now a new favorite narrator of mine. I avoid animal stories because I usually can't handle things happening to animals but this is a story about giving life to both animals and humans and that giving makes future loss bearable. Even if we can't keep something forever, we don't want to miss the chance of the time we can spend with those we can love and cherish.

Here is a summary of the book Review “ Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel by Shelby Van Pelt “. Helps you have the most overview of the book without searching through time. So, you cannot blame “the guy” for escaping from his tank, overnight when something “tastier” is within reach. An ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut about what it feels like to have love taken from you, only to find it again in the most unexpected places ... Memorable and tender. * Washington Post *

Marcellus McSquiddles, a giant Pacific octopus who is held in Sowell Bay Aquarium (and a bit of a curmudgeon) begins the story narrating his life in captivity. He has a special relationship with the nightly cleaner, Tova Sullivan. Tova is a widower whose eighteen-year-old son went missing over thirty years ago, and she still feels the loss daily. Tova is an excellent cleaner who takes her job seriously. She’s seventy years old and is on the verge of retiring. Yet she loves all her exhibits of sea life. As she works, Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine, but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova. The exploration of aging and mortality forms a strong thematic undercurrent in “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” particularly through the character of Tova. Throughout the novel, we see her grappling with the pain of past losses, the encroaching reality of her own old age, and her fears of becoming a burden to her loved ones. Tell me again about the intelligence of humans. They cannot even manage to comprehend predictable meteorological events.”

Thank you to *Cheri* for her wonderful review who first turned me on to this priceless quirky novel. Remarkable characters , who will stay with you for a long time. -- Anstey Harris, author of The Trials and Triumphs of Grace Atherton One of the central narrative threads of the book involves the mystery surrounding Erik’s death. It was ruled a suicide, but Tova never believed this to be true. The uncovering of the truth about Erik’s death and its impact on Tova’s life forms a crucial part of the narrative.How does this unlikely friendship between Tova and Marcellus affect your perception of interspecies communication and empathy, and what implications does it have for the broader themes of the novel?