Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel by Shelby Van Pelt

Categories	Mystery
Author	Shelby Van Pelt
Publisher	Ecco (May 3, 2022)
Language	English
Paperback	362 pages
Item Weight	10.4 ounces

I. Book introduction

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

“Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful examination of how loneliness can be transformed, cracked open, with the slightest touch from another living thing.” — Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

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.

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.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Editorial Reviews

An Amazon Best Book of May 2022: What does a misanthropic octopus have in common with Tova, a widowed aquarium employee? Not much, until a friendship develops following a daring tank rescue, and Marcellus McSquiddles happily uses all eight of his tentacles, his three hearts, plus his sharp brain, to solve the soul-scarring mystery of Tova’s son Erik’s disappearance thirty years ago. Utterly original, funny, wise, and heartwarming (be warned: there’ll be tears as well as giggles), Remarkably Bright Creatures will have readers falling hard for an acerbic invertebrate whose intervention in his new friend’s life sets her up for healing lessons in love, loss, and family. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor –This text refers to the paperback edition.

“A debut novel about a woman who befriends an octopus is a charming, warmhearted read.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A unique and luminous book.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Truly original and touching, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a story of family, community, and optimism in spite of darkness. Prepare to fall in love with a most exceptional octopus.” — Helen Hoang, author of The Heart Principle

“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

“Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful examination of how loneliness can be transformed, cracked open, with the slightest touch from another living thing. Shelby Van Pelt makes good on this wild conceit, somehow making me love a misanthropic octopus, but her writing is so finely tuned that it’s a natural element of a larger story about family, about loss, and the electricity of something found.” — Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

“Shelby Van Pelt has done the impossible. She’s created a perfect story with imperfect characters, that is so heartwarming, so mysterious, and so completely absorbing, you won’t be able to put it down because when you’re not reading this book you’ll be hugging it.”– Jamie Ford, author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy and The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

“The best books about grief find a way to illuminate the darkness of loss, and Remarkably Bright Creatures offers a masterclass.” — Marie Claire

“ [B]eautiful novel about friendship and family.” — GoodHousekeeping.com

“[B]rilliant upcoming novel about hope and reckoning.” — Business Insider

“As Van Pelt’s zippy, fun-to-follow prose engages at every turn, readers will find themselves rooting for the many characters, hoping that they’ll find whatever it is they seek. Each character is profoundly human, with flaws and eccentricities crafted with care. But what makes Van Pelt’s novel most charming and joyful is the tender friendship between species, and the ways Tova and Marcellus make each other ever more remarkable and bright.” — BookPage –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About Shelby Van Pelt

When Shelby Van Pelt isn’t feeding her flash-fiction addiction, she’s juggling cats while wrangling children. Her debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, will be published by HarperCollins in May 2022. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she’s currently missing the mountains in the suburbs of Chicago. Find her at www.shelbyvanpelt.com, on Twitter @shelbyvanpelt, and Instagram @shelbyvanpeltwrites.

II. [Reviews] Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel

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1. DORIE Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

***MAY — TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB BOOK***

**This is a review of the audiobook of this novel

CAN A HUMAN AND A GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS COMMUNICATE?

The answer in this debut novel is most definitely YES!!!

Tova is recently widowed and is working as a cleaning lady at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Tova has always felt that keeping busy was the best way to cope with the things that life throws at you. She also knows a lot about loss, her son Eric aged 18, disappeared 30 years ago, after taking out a boat on Puget sound.

Marcellus is a 60 lb Giant Pacific Octopus who has been living in the Aquarium for several years. He was a rescue but Marcellus considers himself a captive and dreams of returning to the sea. He is also highly intelligent and quite adept at escaping his tank when he wants to roam about!

Cameron is a young man who has come to town looking for the father he never knew. His mother left when he was young and he was raised by his aunt.

The story is told from the point of view of these three characters.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS AUDIOBOOK:

The star of this novel is definitely Marcellus and I enjoyed his POV the most!

The narrators were absolutely great and the voice of Marcellus is just as I expected it would be, he is intelligent, a bit of a grouch but has formed a bond with Tova.

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!

While fanciful, this story still had me engaged throughout. The novel is nicely paced and I was never bored.

After listening to this book and loving it, I of course had to Google The Giant Pacific Octopus. I found that it is indeed extremely intelligent and there are many articles about them solving puzzles, escaping from enclosures, etc. You will enjoy learning more about them if you liked this novel!

While the story is somewhat predictable it was still fun to listen to how these two humans and one octopus would solve the mystery of Tova’s missing son.

If you believe that animals can bring comfort and happiness to a person’s life and can help you heal from life’s tragedies, you will love this book!! It is quirky and fun but there are also some serious issues described.

I received this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley and Harper Audio. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this wonderful story!

Publication date is May 3, 2022

2. SUJOYA Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

4.5⭐️

Seventy-year-old Tova Sullivan works the nightshift as a cleaner at Sowell Bay Aquarium. She lives alone, recently widowed and her eighteen-year-old son having disappeared almost thirty years ago. Though financially stable, Tova believes in keeping herself occupied and enjoys her work and the company of the aquatic life in the aquarium, among whom is Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus, who was taken in as a rescue and at the beginning of the novel is on Day 1299 of his four-year (1460 day) life span. His observations and ruminations on human beings (which are shared in the first person in snippets throughout the narrative) are laced with humor (with a touch of snark) and wisdom. He is after all a ‘remarkably bright creature’ who also happens to venture out of his tank at nighttime, never exceeding the eighteen minutes beyond which would result in “consequences” as he cannot survive longer than that outside his tank. On one of his nocturnal adventures, Tova ends up saving him from harm and they form a special bond. Though Tova has a supportive group of friends, she is concerned about not having anyone to look after her in her advanced age and begins to consider the option of selling her home and moving into an upscale retirement facility. As the story progresses we also meet thirty-year-old Cameron Cassmore who travels to Sowell Bay, Washington from Modesto, California in search of information about his family connections. Abandoned by his mother as a child and raised by his aunt, he has recently become aware of possible family connections that lead him to Sowell Bay. He hasn’t done much with his life till now, is unable to hold a steady job and has been recently dumped by his girlfriend who was fed up with his lack of initiative and whimsical nature. Cameron, Tova and Marcellus connect when he starts working at the aquarium and what follows is a deeply moving story of friendship, community, family, grief and moving on.

The author’s portrayal of a close-knit small-town community and sensitive depiction of issues such as loss, grief, loneliness and aging will touch your heart. Though the plot is somewhat predictable, the story is very well told and nowhere in the narrative do you lose interest or experience boredom. Marcellus is adorable and is a reminder of how precious our animal friends are to us especially in moments of loneliness and sorrow. The story also makes you ponder over the plight of animals in captivity. Though none of the animals in this story were harmed or ill-treated, you cannot help but feel sympathy for Marcellus when he feels imprisoned within the glass walls of the aquarium and misses his natural habitat.

Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with a lively cast of characters (human and cephalopod), engaging and well-paced narrative and a perfect combination of emotion, humor, wit and wisdom (suspend disbelief and you will enjoy the story!), Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful story that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a lump in your throat and a smile on your face.

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

A wonderful story about family and an octopus named Marcellus

Are you looking for a story that leaves you with a good feeling? You need Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. This book has had a lot of positive buzz and I thought the beach was the perfect place to read it. This story is about Tova, a recent widow, who mourns the loss of her son and the future he’ll never have. There’s Cameron – a young man who started life at a disadvantage with a missing father and an addicted mother and can’t seem to get outof his own way. Only Marcellus (full name – Marcellus McSquiddles) a Giant Pacific Octopus 🐙 knows the connection between them and is determined to show them before his time is up. This book is about grief and family in whatever form it takes. The ending is wonderful as well as the journey to get there. (You’ll yell at Cameron a couple of times)

Thanks to Ms. Van Pelt for having a Brad character that’s a good guy.

Read this book. Not a lot of books make you feel this warm and fuzzy 🥰

4. CATHRYN CONROY Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

A Summer ChickLit Delight: An Endearing Novel About Death, Grief, and the Power of Love to Heal

It could happen! Well, maybe. OK, never. But that doesn’t mean this book—a summer ChickLit delight—won’t tug at your heartstrings and make you smile. It is an endearing novel about the tragedy of death, the anguish of grief, and the power of love to heal. And it’s partly narrated by an octopus.

Remarkably Bright Creature by Shelby Van Pelt, this is the story of Tova Sullivan, a 70-year-old woman whose husband died a few years ago and whose son died under mysterious circumstances some 30 years ago. To keep herself from drowning in grief, Tova takes a job—just to keep busy—cleaning the Sowell Bay, Washington aquarium at night. Tova loves to clean! While she often talks to the aquarium’s diverse creatures while she’s polishing the glass of their displays, it isn’t long before she realizes that Marcellus, the aging, cantankerous giant Pacific octopus, is talking right back to her—well, in his own octopus way. Yes, Marcellus is a most unusual creature.

Meanwhile, we also meet Cameron Cassmore of Modesto, California, a 30-year-old who was abandoned at age 9 by his mother to live with his Aunt Jeanne. Cameron has no idea who is father is, and there is a persistent heartache and resentment for both these losses. One day, Cameron thinks he figures out his dad’s identity, and if he’s right this could change his life. The man is a millionaire. Cameron sets out to find him.

The two stories meet in a somewhat predictable but quite delightful way. This is a tender, almost magical novel that explores both the perils and wonders of what it truly means to grow up, as well as to grow old.

Bonus: You’ll learn a lot of fun facts to know and tell about octopuses.

5. LIZ Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

5 just go with it stars

There have been lots of books between dogs and cats forming impressive bonds with humans. But this is the first that involves an octopus and a human. Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus. And he’s nearing the end of his expected life span. Tova is the seventy year old woman that cleans the aquarium where Marcellus is a prisoner, as he sees it. She’s a widow and her 18 year old son went missing decades earlier.

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.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” The story weaves in other characters – a thirty year old still trying to find his footing and also the father he never knew, a transplanted Scot who runs the local deli and store. I found myself drawn to each and every one of them. This is a lovely heartwarming story. It deals with growing old alone, grief, growing up belatedly. It grabbed my heart. I loved the magic realism of this story.

Both narrators do a great job. This made for a delightful audio experience. Michael Urle was superb as Marcellus. Marin Ireland always does a great job and this time is no exception.

6. DIANE S Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

I finished this book “Remarkably Bright Creatures” with a bittersweet feeling and a smile. How important is that? For me it’s priceless. How rare was that for this reader? Pretty darn rare. Maybe I’ve been reading the wrong books.

Three wonderful characters and one giant octopus. Tova. Cameron, Ethan, and Marcellus. All searching for something and as I listened I so wanted them to succeed. If the wily Marcellus has his way, Tova will get hers. I should mention that one learns a bit about the lives of giant octopi and how Marcellus came to live in a tank in a aquarium.

The narrators were great. Ethan’s Scottish voice made me melt and Tovas voice fit my picture of her wonderfully. Well done!

7. PATTI STANFORD Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

I now love octopus or is it octopi? LOL

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” What an enjoyable book! The characters were not only likable but lovable. And the important thing about that is they were not perfect characters. They had flaws, they were trying to find their way in life, especially the 20 something boy. It was a good lesson in how we may feel like we meander through life with things not working out, but it does all work together at the end. The octopus had such a special role for the elderly woman and what a beautiful friendship that ended up being. It was also a lesson and how two lonely souls, one elderly and one young, found each other, became friends and were so respectful of each other. I really liked it and think of it often. I may actually re-read this one at some point.

8. SMCNEELY Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

This is s love story, but not the kind you expect considering my heading. It’s about love, lose, friendship, and second chances. But most of all it’s about hope and destiny.

Tova is 70 years old and has no more family. She’s tough and energetic so she spends her nights working as a janitor at the local aquarium.

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.

Cameron was a child who was left in his aunt’s care at the age of nine. He’s lost in many ways but mostly he just doesn’t see why he should care.

These, plus other heart warming characters, circle around each other trying to figure out where they fit.

I absolutely LOVE this book!

9. ELYSE WALTERS Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

Audiobook….read by Marin Ireland and Michael Urle
….11 hours and 16 minutes

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book!
A debut classic is born!!

I have fully fallen in love with this gem as others have.
Thank you to *Cheri* for her wonderful review who first turned me on to this priceless quirky novel.

Note of interest… unrelated per say…
But scientist recently figured out why female octopuses self-destruct.
After she lays her eggs she does with any new parent would…carefully watch over her progeny. She stays with them and protects them from predators blowing water over them to keep them oxygenated, writes Nicolas Bakalar for the New York Times”.
“But then her behavior turns bizarre; she stops eating and begins to self mutilate, tearing off her skin or even eating her own arms. She’s dead before the eggs can hatch”.

Our ‘A-Star-is-Born’ octopus
in “Remarkably Bright Creatures” — is a male …. so Marcellus has about a 4 year life span…(as Marcellus himself will tell us)…

If Marcellus was a female octopus she would die [self-destruct] soon after she lays her eggs.
By the time a young octopus wiggles out of its egg, its mother is already dead.

….Shelby Van Pelt (tons of talent), is going to have her challenges following up with her next novel…but I don’t doubt for a second that she won’t continue to surprise readers again and again.

As sappy as it sounds having an octopus as a leading character—Shelby absolutely makes it works brilliantly… (feelings are all so real)…
and if readers look closer —wise symbolism is sprinkling throughout.
….Themes of love, loss, grief, loneliness, and friendships, are strong.
The characters are gloriously genuine.

….You can bet, I’ll choose to read Shelby’s next book!

The audiobook-narrators empowers this story exceptionally!!

10. JANB Review Remarkably Bright Creatures

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.

Tova, the 70-year-old cleaning lady at the aquarium, is grieving the recent loss of her husband, and the son who disappeared 30 years ago. Outside of work, I enjoyed the interactions she had with her friends, the Knit Wits. Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who lives in the aquarium, is nearing the end of his short (4-ish) life, having never known freedom, despite his nightly escapes to other tanks to get a tasty snack. Cameron is the new employee, a struggling young man who is on a quest to find the father he never knew.

The chapters alternate between these three characters, and while I enjoyed all three, I wanted more of Marcellus. He is a grumpy old man with a heart of gold. The best part is we are privy to his witty and snarky thoughts, usually about humans. Snark gets me every time.

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.

Readers who enjoy Fredrik Backman, (although he’s hit or miss with me), will likely love this one too.

* I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

III. [Quote] Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

The best book quotes from Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

“Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.”

“Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”

“Ah, to be a human, for whom bliss can be achieved by mere ignorance! Here, in the kingdom of animals, ignorance is dangerous. The poor herring dropped into the tank lacks any awareness of the shark lurking below. Ask the herring whether what he doesn’t know can hurt him.”

“It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills. Not that any other species are much better, mind you, but even a herring can tell which way the school it belongs to is turning and follow accordingly. Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”

“Tova knew there was a bottom to those depths of despair. Once your soul was soaked through with grief, any more simply ran off, overflowed, the way maple syrup on Saturday morning pancakes always cascaded onto the table whenever Erik was allowed to pour it on himself.”

“All of these things had been stored away for her to pass along someday, relics to be carried up the branches of the family tree. But the family tree stopped growing long ago, its canopy thinned and frayed, not a single sap springing from the old rotting trunk. Some trees aren’t meant to sprout tender new branches, but to stand stoically on the forest floor, silently decaying.”

“Tell me again about the intelligence of humans. They cannot even manage to comprehend predictable meteorological events.”

“Secrets are everywhere. Some humans are crammed full of them. How do they not explode? It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills.”

“Some trees aren’t meant to sprout tender new branches, but to stand stoically on the forest floor, silently decaying.”

“Humans are the only species who subvert truth for their own entertainment. They call them jokes. Sometimes puns.”

“Last year, Terry threw a little “baby shower” for the entire staff, all eight of them, when the seahorses spawned. Mackenzie had stayed after her admissions shift to blow up balloons and paint a banner that read GIDDY-UP, LITTLE COWBOYS! Dr. Santiago, the veterinarian, had dropped by with a cake that read, in cursive icing: HIP-HIP-HOORAY FOR HIPPOCAMPUS BABIES!”

“CAMERON STILL CAN’T seem to wrap his head around the shape of the sea here. It’s like a monster with hundreds of long fingers is gripping the edge of the continent, tendrils of deep blue cutting channels through the dark green countryside in every unexpected way.”

“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.”

“Humans… For the most part you are dull and blundering. But occasionally you can be remarkably bright creatures.”

“Katie had gone through a phase where she tried to ban phones from their bedroom after she read some article about how the light was addictive. Messed up your brain waves somehow. He’d always assumed it was nonsense, but now his eyes burn in the screen’s glow and his brain feels scrambled.”

“Why does he remember shit like this? If only he could cleanse his brain of the useless knowledge clogging it up. Gaining speed after turning onto the highway that runs out to Aunt Jeanne’s trailer park, Cameron rolls down all the windows and lights a cigarette, which he never does anymore, only when he feels like garbage; and this morning he feels like hot, steaming garbage.”

“But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me.”

“Tova wonders sometimes if it’s better that way, to have one’s tragedies clustered together, to make good use of the existing rawness. Get it over with in one shot. Tova knew there was a bottom to those depths of despair. Once your soul was soaked though with grief, any more simply ran off, overflowed, the way maple syrup on Saturday-morning pancakes always cascaded onto the table whenever Erik was allowed to pour it himself.”

Book excerpts: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Day 1,299 of My Captivity

The Silver-Dollar Scar

….

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