Remarkably Bright Creatures

I resisted reading this book. An octopus as a character? An octopus as a friend? An octopus that thinks like a human? No, not my sort of read, I thought.

But more and more people recommended it to me, and I finally gave in and got a copy.

So what do I think?

A story that's just the sort that I love.

Marcellus is a Giant Pacific Octopus who has lived for several years in an aquarium where Tova Sullivan works as a custodian. Tova has recently suffered the loss of her husband, and thirty years ago, she suffered the most devastating loss of her life when her teenaged son, Erik, disappeared on a boat. Marcellus is exceptionally perceptive, and it is up to Marcellus to help Tova figure out what happened to Erik so long ago.

Yes, I'm afraid I will now be nagging others to pick up a book about a talking octopus.

A weak three. Tova is great, Ethan is okay, but Marcellus is the star and there's not enough of him.

Minor characters: Jeanne great, Terry pretty good, Elizabeth good, Simon Brinks good, the Knit Wits well written, but Avery was not believable.

Cameron was SO annoying, he lacked charm and I did not feel sympathy for him. The plot also seemed fairly obvious. I picked up this book for the octopus and Tova and got manchild finds the grandmother he doesn't know he has and becomes less of an ass hat because he learns (I guess) to keep a job and to be cleaner?

I understand that there could only be so much of Marcellus but it still feels like a bait and switch. It's a gorgeous cover, but I also saw that there's a version of the book with the dala (or Dalecarlian) horse on the cover and oof that would have thrown me as the horses are only mentioned about twice. Then it got weird when Marcellus says that these communications (or something like that) tire him out and that weakened it for me. I had assumed that they were his thoughts. Also it says that Terry's daughter named Marcellus when she was four, what 4 year old knows the name Marcellus, was she into Roman history or something?

I can't believe this is a debut novel, what a charming and refreshing read!  Remarkably Bright Creatures is a heartwarming read that focuses more on the journey than the outcome. 

Marcellus the octopus definitely steals the show, I loved his chapters. His dry, observational humor was great.  

I especially loved that the theme of getting older was explored in such a heartfelt and way. Often times in literature elderly characters are ignored or casted as mentors/wise sages, but not here. Tova and her friends the Knit-Witts are carefree retirees. But they realize the embers of frailty will come for them and independent living won't be an option. Marcellus' is on his last good years as well, maybe that's why he and Tova understand each other. On a smaller and cheekier scale, even Cameron complains about turning 30 and his body not being the way it used to be. 

There were minor parts of the plot that could have been developed more, but nothing that took away from me enjoying the book. I truly enjoyed this read and am inspired to learn more about octopi!

Remarkably bright creatures is the debut novel of Shelby Van Pelt and it was a delight to read.

I don't like to make these type of comparisons but, as many comments mention, this book reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman stories.

This was a nice read and cosy read, written in an engaging way that absorbed me completely, despite knowing where the story was headed.

Sometimes the simple stories are the best ones. This was a worthy third place of the Goodreads fiction prize awards.

DNF at 11%: Oooh, big fat no.

I wanted to listen to the audiobook during work. It was going fine; I didn't really care for Tova yet, and although Marcellus rubbed me off as pompous, he was funny. And an octopus, so of course I could overlook that.

But then, Cameron. Only one chapter into his narration and I was already annoyed. He speaks like an angsty teen that just learned how to swear. He said, “bicep day's been lit at the gym lately.” How very how-do-you-do-fellow-kids of you, Shelby.

I wasn't enjoying it at all. That change in tone gave me whiplash. It was so dull, I spent close to three hours replaying the chapter because I wasn't taking anything in. I assumed he would make regular interventions, and the feeble interest I had in the other characters was not enough for me to put up with this. As Cameron once said, “...ugh.”

The premise sounded really interesting but oh well, on to better books.

If you want to feel warm and cozy while having a few laughs, then this is a must-read. Remarkably Bright Creatures is one of those books you are so happy to have read because it makes you appreciate life just a bit more. It reminded me of the feeling I had after reading Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and Humans.

** Some spoilers below **

At first, I was a little confused. I wasn't sure if it was a multi-timeline situation or how the characters related to each other. However, around the 15% mark, everything became much clearer.

I loved the characters and the relationships they built, particularly between Marcellus and Tova. Marcellus reminded me of the octopus from Finding Dory. He's an over-intellectual grump who craves freedom. His initial perspective on humans, viewing us as helpless beings, was both amusing and thought-provoking. Over time, he develops love and empathy for Tova, and I felt his frustration as an observer who couldn't easily intervene, watching him become desperate and doing whatever it takes to help.

Throughout the book, I appreciated all the synchronicities and felt deeply connected to Marcellus's emotions, frustrations, and eagerness to assist.

I also really enjoyed Cameron's themes of avoidance and low self-worth, as well as his journey towards accepting love and care. Tova's struggle with loneliness and following the expected path in old age was equally compelling. I felt similarly while watching the TV show Grace and Frankie. This feeling of lack of autonomy and fear of being alone was portrayed so well. It was such a simple but rich story of human connection.

One random thing that left me feeling a little unfinished is that I kind of expected more resolution with the lost body of Tova's son, which added a layer of anticipation to the story. Also, I was screaming “noooo” when Tova decided to sell the house. I felt like it was so important to the history of her family, especially with the discoveries in the end, but I also understand that it carried so many memories and sad moments that she wanted to start over.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It left me with a smile and a feeling of appreciation for being a remarkably bright creature. The well-crafted characters, the touching relationships, and the heartwarming moments make it a truly delightful read.

I heard so many good things about this one so I was excited when a friend wanted to read it together. We were both unimpressed and let down. There isn't much going on throughout and it's very slow.

Marcellus is by far the best part of this book and I wish it was more about him than anything else LOL I did love the ending, but Cameron was absolutely annoying to me and I couldn't stand him.

The narrator was great, thank goodness

Wow, I'd give this book ten stars if I could. It's a great story about a widow reinventing herself, a young man who is lost, and a ticking time bomb of an octopus. Yes, that's right. An octopus. It's said when this story was submitted to a publisher for consideration, an editor wrote in the margin: “This is either brilliant or bananas.” Let me clear up any doubts. It's brilliant.When Tova starts working at the local aquarium near Puget Sound, she's already lost her husband to cancer, and her only son, who died in an unexplained drowning, has been gone for 30 years. She has taken a part-time job cleaning floors and fingerprints from fish tanks at night to stay busy. It's how she deals with all she's lost. Speaking of loss, Cameron is losing his band, his best friends married and are having a baby, and the aunt who raised him is involved with someone in the trailer park where she lives. He's also lost his latest in a string of unfulfilling jobs. When his aunt gives him some artifacts from the mother he never really knew, he decides he might as well go looking for the father he never knew either.And then, there's the octopus, Marcellus. He's been held captive most of his life. He tends to be a clever guy who sneaks out of his enclosure when the aquarium is closed. He can stay out of the water for 20 minutes before what he calls “The Consequences” start to affect him. He's extremely perceptive, as you might expect from an octopus who knows how to escape his tank and keep an eye on the clock.The author takes these three characters as her main ingredients, throws in some locals from the small community where Tova lives and creates magic. I am not normally a crier when reading and I have to admit, Shelby Van Pelt almost got me. Nothing actually streamed down my cheeks into my ears—I read in bed—but the words got pretty blurry on the page. For a feel good story that will make you glad you read it, read [b:Remarkably Bright Creatures 58733693 Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651600548l/58733693.SY75.jpg 90375164]. You will be glad you did.

This is a lovely story that really drew me in. I was listening, and for the last two hours I couldn't put it down. It's sweet and warm, much like the main character, Tova. The young man, who figures prominently, is annoying, as other readers have noted, and I don't feel that his age in the story worked with his behavior and attitude. But I think that the author felt compelled for reasons that are clear when you read it. I love a story with a good animal character, especially when you get to hear his or her thoughts, and this delivered on that also. Marcellus is quite lovable and salty. It seems like she left room for a sequel, which I would happily read.

What a wonderful book! A talking octopus. Need I say more? No, but I will. It seems perfectly natural for the ‘pus to narrate their own chapters even though it might sound quirky. Remember there was a talking dog in Lesson in Chemistry and we all loved that! 

I listened to this one based on several peoples' recommendations... they wanted me to hear the voice of the octopus and they were not wrong. So well cast.

I love a book that lets me guess the ending and keeps dropping clues to make me feel smart :)

I really enjoyed this book and absolutely fell in love with Marcellus and Tova.

However like many others, Cameron drove me crazy! BUT I think he had a point in the story and his point of view is one that's worth telling that many people don't consider or come in contact with in our daily lives. Cameron in many ways is lucky for the life he gets - he isn't thrown into the foster system but instead placed with an aunt that sacrifices and takes care of him as a member of his family. Even his mother has a story for why she (most likely) abused drugs and what may have led her to them. In reality, our childhood years are our formative years and really define who we are, and even though Cameron gets a lot of care from his aunt, he was still neglected and abandoned by his mother, and that can wreck havoc in someone's development and mental health years and years later, as we see with Cameron.

Really heart warming book in the end and I really felt connected to all of the characters.