An interesting story but one which draws you in. Tova who works at the aquarium after losing her husband. Marcellus the octopus observes the world as it pases his tank. A unusual story but very interesting.

3.25

This was a lovely, charming story. The concept was unique and the writing style was fantastic. I loved the whimsical style and the sea life centre setting. The story did cover loss and grieving but it was done in a sensitive and considerate manner.

I absolutely adored the characters of Tova and Marcellus. I loved their friendship and how they communicated with each other. Cameron’s character irritated me, he was a self centred man child. I can see why his character was in the book however, I would have scored the book higher if there had been less content about him.

The nights are drawing in. It's getting cold. There's a lot of rain. November is such a dreary month as you start to feel the pre-Christmas stress without any of the actual fun starting yet. There is only one thing to do. Hide in your book. Indeed, there are few better books in which to hide than this one. A few years ago, I put a lot of energy into finding comfort reads. While the themes of family connections restored and faith rediscovered may be unsurprising in a piece of up-lit, the genius octopus who can solve mysteries is a more surprising supporting player but he does rather steal the show.

Recently widowed, Tova Sullivan works as an evening cleaner at the local aquarium. She takes pride in her work, quietly frustrated that nobody else sees the importance in keeping the place not just clean but pristine. But Tova is carrying the weight of a great grief, not just for her husband but also for her son Erik who disappeared thirty years previously. Watching Tova from his tank is Marcellus, an elderly Pacific octopus who longs to see the ocean again before he dies. During the long quiet evenings when everyone else has gone home, the two reach an understanding.

There are ways in which Remarkably Bright Creatures has all the depth of a Hallmark Christmas movie. There's an octopus. And he works out what has happened to Tova's son when the local law enforcement were forever clueless. Not only that, but Marcellus wants to see Tova happy once more and has an idea of how to help. It should be ludicrous. But it is not. Van Pelt pitches Marcellus perfectly, giving his chapters just the right amount of incomprehension at the strange ways of humans to counter-point his aquatic brilliance.

I have read enough anecdotes of octopus genius that I could get on board with the super-intelligent octopus idea. It is funny how we can happily imagine human qualities for owls and foxes and other land creatures but those that dwell underwater are so foreign that successful communication with them feels like more of a leap. Marcellus is never able to speak directly to the other characters. He watches from his tank, he observes and he makes his plans. The best he can do are quick, carefully planned excursions after hours. His only ally in these expeditions is Tova. Little wonder that he comes to wish for her peace of mind.

The strength of the novel comes in the connection between Tova and Marcellus. It contrasts sharply with Tova's quiet isolation from the other characters. She has people who care for her - her friends who she takes lunch with, the grocery store owner who hopes to catch her eye - but the effort which it has taken for her to survive the loss of her son has set her apart from them. Their grown up children and grandchildren are a painful reminder. So too is the prospect of a lonely old age without anyone to care for her.

The secondary plot around neighbourhood newcomer Cameron was less effective. Drafted in as Tova's substitute cleaner at the aquarium following her injury, his character seemed whiney and entitled. His behaviour would have been irritating had he been a teenager but as a fully-grown adult, it felt tedious. Looking at other reviews, I saw a lot of other people who loved this book too but not a one of them ever cited Cameron as a positive feature. The closing pages give hopes for his future but in truth, he was way overdue for growing up.

I thought of Remarkably Bright Creatures during our recent visit to an aquarium. As we gazed in the tanks, for the first time I thought of how the fish were looking back at us too. And when we went to the octopus tank and its occupant was hiding ... well. An intelligent creature can only take so much of being gawped at. I have always loved the brilliance of sea creatures and the graceful way they move through the water. I loved the idea that although what we breathe is different, friendship is still possible. Heart-warming in the best possible way, it left me with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

I regret taking so long to read this book. How and why this sat in my kindle for a day longer than I downloaded it is unfathomable. The fact that I took as long as I did, without diving straight in is an affront to this charming book.

We have an emotionally intelligent octopus existing in captivity who in an effort to relieve his boredom seeks to solve a missing person's mystery. Through doing so we are introduced to delightful individuals and a warm community. Personalities and relationships are revealed, and a mystery is explained.


Humans are lovely but Marcellus is a joy. His resolve to bring peace and understanding to Tova's sorrow is heart warming. I've learnt a lot about octopi yet more about compassion and resilience.

I am very satisfied that I picked this debut novel. In the beginning I was afraid that it would be too much about animals but really the plot was more about other remarkably bright creatures- people. I loved the differentness of the story. Despite a little bit too much one dimensional characters it had something more, some intrigue, what didn't let me to put the book down.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

By far the best book I've read this year!

I loved Tova and Cameron's stories, the characters just seemed so real. I loved Marcellus's chapters and his insights into human nature.

I had seen so many positive reviews of this book when it was first published and I can completely see why! It is the story of a friendship between Tova Sullivan, a seventy year old cleaner at the Sowell Bay Aquarium and Marcellus, the elderly Great Pacific Octopus. It is a gentle story that deals with grief. Tova lost her son, Erik as a teenager and years later still struggles with not knowing how he died. Marcellus is very astute and helps Tova piece things together when someone new arrives in town. There is a cast of characters, all well observed by Van Pelt, that really creates that small town feel- the local shopkeeper knowing everyone’s business but has a heart of gold, the friends that look after Tova when she slips at work and Cameron, the new kid in town.
Whilst it is fantastical in its storytelling, I totally bought into Marcellus’s narration and I loved the mutual respect that Tova and Marcellus had for one another. They were both dealing with loss - Tova for her family and Marcellus for his freedom in the sea and they supported one another. Some scenes were really touching and I really liked all the characters featured in the story. I found this a quick, addictive read and really uplifting. A perfect holiday book!

Everything to do with the octopus in this book was fantastic! I loved his viewpoints. The human drama was pretty boring until near the very end. I did like the last few chapters but I feel like this book was marketed as something it wasn't.

⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Rounded up to 5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I absolutely adored this book and fell head over heels in love with an octopus narrator called Marcellus.
 
The book is beautifully written, with prose that’s almost lyrical (without being flowery). The plot is intriguing, and I was left turning the pages late into the night because I just couldn’t put it down.
 
The members of the cast are superbly crafted. I always have a soft spot for old, cantankerous characters, and one of the main protagonists, Tova, ticked those boxes to a tee.

The characters all have their own quirks and distinct personalities, in particular Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus. The chapters Marcellus narrated were my favourites; they were refreshingly different and a joy to read. Who knew an octopus could be so entertaining?
 
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a fabulous read; it’s gentle, heartwarming, and sprinkled with humour. It’s a poignant story of belonging, of love, family, and friendship. It made me laugh, and I’ll be totally honest, it made me cry — big snotty tears.

A wonderful debut novel from Shelby Van Pelt. I loved it and highly recommend.

This was a pleasant, meandering sort of book. It didn’t have the mystery element that the blurb promised, but it was still a solid read. Similarly, there was less involvement from the octopus Marcellus than expected. Instead, the book largely revolved around the aquarium cleaner Tova and the directionless man she eventually takes under her wing, Cameron. Tova and Cameron’s paths crossed due to his search for his biological father. I did wish there was more of a mystery, especially one that divulged what actually happened to Tova’s son on the night he disappeared, but instead, the story had a greater focus on finding belonging.

The characters themselves were on the whole easy to like. Tova was warm and kind, making me genuinely want her to find her family. Cameron was less endearing due to his immature attitude. The side characters of Tova’s friends were easy to like. It was nice to see her community of people come to support her at different times during the book. Marcellus was kept on the periphery for much of the story but he stole each scene he was in. If anything, he was too clever for it to have been realistic. However, once I suspended my disbelief, I did enjoy each of Marcellus’ glorified cameos.

Instead of building up the mystery, this novel took its time to immerse you into the charming main character’s life and community. Of course, the octopus stole each scene he was in.

I really loved this. It isn't my usual read at all, but had overheard a customer recommending it to another customer in a bookshop on holiday (How wholesome!) and it sounded intriguing. The idea of chapters narrated by one of the sea's cleverest creatures seemed very interesting. I normally don't read a lot of 'normal' fiction - sticking mostly to crime and thrillers, so generally have a 3 chapter rule for anything outside of the ordinary - however I fell in love with this stories characters within those first three chapters and couldn't put this down! Marcellus was just so wonderfully sassy and stubborn and his determination to help Tova on her mission to find her son (or work out what happened to him, at least) was so lovely and heartwarming. As an animal lover myself I loved the idea of animal and human existing alongside each other and forming unbreakable bonds to each other...and also how cheeky they both were!

Tova is a cleaner at the aquarium, trapped in the limbo of mourning her son who drowned when he was a teenager she is contemplating retirement and leaving her home town. Cameron is a loser blaming his poor life choices on anything he can other than himself, when he gets the chance to find the father he's never known can he make it a success? Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus who escapes his confinement at the aquarium most nights, slowly making friends with Tova and changing her life.

Small coastal towns are good settings for misunderstandings, maybe murders, and a clever octopus. Marcellus is the best character by far.

I absolutely loved this book! Loved all of the main characters and thought it was really interesting that we heard from the octopus as well. They are so intelligent!
I guessed where the story was going but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. I loved that Cameron found his family in the end.

With a near 4.5 star rating from over 300,000 ratings on Goodreads to date, Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures captured the hearts of readers when it was published in 2022. I can certainly see why.

Unfolding from the perspectives of Tova, a 70 year old cleaner at the Sowell Bay Aquarium; Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus nearing the end of his life; and Cameron, a man with a chip on his shoulder searching for the father he never knew, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a touching tale of holding on and letting go, of family lost and found.

Van Pelt skilfully weaves the paths of the characters together. Marcellous serves as the story’s anchor and his world weary, know-it-all first person narrative is a delight. He has spent 1299 days in captivity, having been ‘rescued’ as an injured juvenile, and, being ‘a remarkably bright creature’ has studied the people who have passed by his tank, as closely if not more than, those who have studied him. When Tova finds the giant Pacific octopus improbably tangled among power cords in the staff break room and helps him return to his tank, a bond develops between them. I really felt for Tova, mourning the recent loss of her husband, and the long ago presumed drowning of her son. She’s a reserved, stoic woman and though she has a small group of close friends, an injury forces her to consider her plans for the future. Tova and Cameron become acquainted when Cameron fills in for her at the aquarium after her fall. Cameron is, for much of the book, unlikeable. Immature, resentful and churlish, his redemption is a slow process.

Though the focus of the novel is on the characters journey, there is also a touch of mystery. It’s not much of a puzzle for the reader to piece together, but as it’s Marcellus who is the unlikely catalyst in leading the characters to resolve it, some suspension of belief is required, though I personally was more than willing.

Told with an engaging combination of emotion, humor, wit and wisdom, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a contemplative, heartwarming novel.

Remarkably Bright Creatures took me by complete surprise, and I absolutely loved it. I thought I’d enjoy it, but I didn’t know quite how much it would resonate with me — I was genuinely sad to finish it, and I’m still thinking about it a few months after reading it.

This book is all about the love and importance of family and friends, even if those friends happen to be a giant Pacific octopus called Marcellus. His connection with main character Tova is something special, and I loved reading his narration and thoughts interspersed throughout the story. It’s something I’ve never come across before, and now I want all my books to be narrated by an octopus!

I think it’s best to go into this book knowing as little as possible, as the journey it takes you on is one of twists, turns and surprises. The way everything comes together is brilliant, and the ending is so bittersweet I can’t get it out of my head.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a book I’ll be recommending to everyone from now on, in the hopes that they too will fall in love with Tova and Marcellus and their intertwining lives. I can’t wait to see what Shelby Van Pelt writes next, and I’m so glad I gave this one a try. It’s a very special debut novel, and I hope it continues to get the recognition it deserves.

I absolutely, completely understand why this book has been an international bestseller before I got my hands on it - everyone else I know who read this loved it, so my expectations were *very* high.
Shelby Van Pelt has a knack few authors really master - she kept me so interested and invested in the many twists and turns of this tale, across family and state lines, through heartbreak and loss, and the daily comings and goings at a neighbourhood aquarium. Tova is such a warm, well-realised character that anyone would want to be their grandmother.
The real star of the show for me, though, was Marcellus - my only critique is that I wanted MORE of him! His commentary on humanity, what he's realised and seen through the glass of his tank, and his quick quips on the tastiest neighbours were simple and bold. It'll be a while before I tap aggressively on the glass of any fish tank any time soon!
Definitely would recommend to anyone who loves Frederik Backman story, This book absolutely warmed my heart with unexpected twists leading to a happy ending. I can't wait to read again!

I adored this book! I read it over 2 days on holiday and didn't want to put it down.
What a delightful group of characters, that initially appear to have little in common but are gradually drawn into each others' lives as a mystery unfolds..
Using the octopus as narrator is a stroke of genius, as he outwits all of the humans with his far superior knowledge, and determination to restore order as his days are numbered.

I do hope Shelby writes more, she has fantastic style..

I was really drawn to the cover of this book and the idea of it being partly narrated by an octopus. Sounds weird but it's done with such a light touch that it seems totally believable.
The octopus in question is Marcellus, an old but adventurous and very observant creature. He's made friends with elderly cleaner Tova who has spent a life grieving for her lost son.
A moment of revelation about halfway through made me exclaim outlook. No spoilers from me though!
A really lovely book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. It was heartwarming, funny and frustrating at times when things seem so clear to the reader yet the characters are oblivious! I had originally thought this was a mystery book but its really more about needing human connections in order to have someone to rely on and it comments a bit on ageing and the loss of freedoms that comes with it. I loved the chapters from Marcellus' POV breaking up the longer humans perspectives. How simple and obvious everything was to him, it added wry humour to the book which overall was an easy read.

This book has two equally intriguing storylines that you know are going to converge, but are unsure how and when. I really enjoyed picturing the setting in Puget Sound and getting to know the characters including Marcellus the octopus!