Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick

Product Information

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. Second, Van Pelt is absolutely in love with the word “some,” and not in a good way. Normal people probably won't trouble at this, but I get OCD with my pet peeves. Please allow me to give you three examples of how the author’s use of the word “some” drove me apeshit by story’s end:

Wait, please. Were they interviewing him about trends in vacation home sales, or about “some” other “boring thing”? What exactly did this supposed interview entail, Ms. Van Pelt? You’re the only one who knows for sure, and I’d really like to be looped in. Do you think Tova’s loneliness and her eventual connection with different individuals, both human and non-human, provide insight into the human need for companionship on a regular basis? And in what ways does the novel explore this theme through Tova’s character arc? 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. How these three lives intertwine makes for a heartwarming, feel-good story. There’s a mystery to solve, one Marcellus has figured out. He only has to find a way to get the humans to piece the puzzle together. He might be curmudgeonly, but he has a soft spot for these two, especially Tova, with whom he shares a strong bond. You know where the story is going, but it’s OK, because the journey there is charming and delightful. Marcellus, of course, stole my heart, putting a smile on my face, and a lump in my throat. Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.The author failed to give enough reasons for me to care about any of the characters. They all felt predictable and halfhearted. 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.

How do you interpret the book’s treatment of the truth and its revelation? How does this affect the characters and their relationships, and what does it suggest about the importance of truth in our personal and interpersonal lives?This book contains one of my absolute favorite themes--found family. And one could even include Marcellus in that mix because although his role in the story isn't very large, it is certainly impactful. As I mentioned, there are a plethora of coincidences in this novel, so you'll have to set that aside to enjoy the simple beauty of the tale if those types of things bother you. Cameron has a LOT of growing up to do, which he does through the course of the novel. Remarkably Bright Creatures is the rarest of feats: a book that manages to be wry and wise, charming and surprising, and features one of the most intriguing and satisfying characters I’ve encountered in fiction in a very long time—Marcellus the Octopus. I don’t know how Shelby Van Pelt managed to make this uncommon tale sing so beautifully, but sing it does, and I defy you to put it down once you’ve started.” — Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company and The Nest

This might be my favorite book this year, and will also be one of the best books I’ve ever read. Why did I love it so much? The Vanishing Half: Here we have is a captivating tale that follows the lives of Vignes twin sisters, torn apart by secrets and race. Brit Bennett masterfully intertwines generations and storylines, exploring the enduring impact of the past and the complexities of identity in America. I realize that I like more edge, which I thought I would get, of course, with an octopus as a main character. The deal is, it’s realistic fiction with a dab of magical realism. It sort of reminds me of Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here, which I loved. In Wilson’s book, we have a realistic story line, but it also happens to have kids who explode. Here, we also have a realistic story line, but it’s an octopus that’s the weird part. Marcellus reminds me a little of cool Charlotte the spider in the kids’ book, Charlotte's Web. I thank the author and publisher for providing a DRC of this wonderful book via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed here are my own. 3. C.BRAD COX Review Remarkably Bright Creatures Tova is part of a group of women who call themselves “the Knit-Wits” who also provide some smiles in this wonderful read, and she works at the aquarium at night. Marcellus has been getting bold in his endeavors to find tasty fresh seafood. Yes, he has fun escaping a nibbling on other exhibits and keeping Tova on her toes.

An angry, powerful book seething with love and outrage for a community too often stereotyped or ignored. Marcellus is an Octopus. A very intelligent octopus who sees so much more than everyone gives him credit for. On top of his uncanny ability to understand is his ability to squeeze through very small places.

I had enjoyed watching My Octopus Teacher on Netflix earlier this year. And Van Pelt does an equally good job of showing the reader how smart octopuses are.

About the contributors

This must be my Year of the Octopus. After watching and loving My Octopus Teacher on Netflix, I’m more than a little obsessed with these amazing, intelligent creatures. This is my second book featuring octopuses (no, it’s not octopi), in as many months. The story is told from the perspective of three characters. Tova is a 70-year-old widow. Thirty years ago, her son, Erik, died at the age of 18 in a boating mishap. His body was never recovered. There were rumours of suicide or perhaps murder, but Tova firmly believes it was an unfortunate accident. Her grief was overwhelming, but she kept going by working as a cleaner in an aquarium and taking pride in her work. The setting of Puget sound is described in all of it’s splendor, I could easily picture the glistening blue waters and almost smell the salt in the air!