5 Stars!

Marcellus… you have my heart.

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

Remarkably Bright Creatures is an absolutely stunning debut novel by Shelby Van Pelt. Say that name again out loud so you don’t forget it. That way won’t miss other books by this author.

The story follows the character Tova Sullivan. She is the night janitor at the Sowell Bay Aquarium and one night at work, she saves an octopus who got caught in some cords after he escaped from his tank and they start an unusual friendship. The book also follows different points of view and we see why Marcellus, the Pacific Ocean octopus crosses paths with seventy-year-old Tova Sullivan.

One would say the main protagonist is Marcellus, but we spend most of the time in the book following the character Tova. She has spent years obsessing over the death of her 18-year-old son and believes his death was wrongly ruled a suicide. Her husband has recently passed away, and she is in stage of her life where she begins to plan for “what comes next.” She enjoys her time cleaning at the aquarium and keeping the sea animals company, but she knows she can't live alone for the rest of her life. Tova has a group of close friends she relies on, and Ethan who is the grocer in town and who has always cared for Tova.

Another character we follow is Cameron. He’s about thirty and is struggling in life to keep a job and a girlfriend. He bounces from one failed opportunity to the next failed attempt. His mother left him with his aunt when he nine years old, and she never returned for him. He decides to hit the road and try to find his long-lost father and hopes he can start a new life for himself.

There are a few chapters from Marcellus' point of view. He has been raised in captivity for most of his life and he knows his life is coming to an end. Marcellus knows what happened to Tova’s son and tries to spend his last 160 days helping Tova get the answers she is desperately searching for.

This book felt like comfort to me. Some books make me think. Some books have facts and information. Some books make me cry. Some books make me laugh. This book made me feel comfort. I’m not saying this book didn’t also make me cry and laugh, but I wanted to keep coming back to this book and I really didn’t want to put it down when I had to go run errands. I think this will end up in my top 5 favorites of 2022.

The writing style is unique, and I’ve read reviews that some people felt like it was like Fredick Backmann’s writing. I would agree with this statement, and that’s probably why I found such comfort in this book. The sentences are short and easy, and some would even say it feels choppy. I usually prefer my books to have a more lyrical writing style, but this book absolutely worked for me! I loved this with my whole heart.

Don’t go into this book thinking this is going to be a hard mystery to solve. It’s not. In fact, it’s very predictable, but this allows you to participate in this story with the characters and feel their grief and hardships. This book is farfetched, and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief a tiny bit to appreciate this story about grief, aging, and loneliness.

I’ve heard amazing things about the audio book, but I didn’t want to wait the months it would take for my hold to finally come in, so I physically read this book, and I’m so happy I did.

This is the type of book I could recommend to everyone. Even to people I don’t know anything about their reading preferences. I loved it.

*Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-arc copy of this in exchange for an honest review. I loved it so much, I already purchased my own copy!

An enjoyable story that was appropriate for any age group with likeable characters, especially Marcellus, who stole the show. Sweet characters and a real feel good ending left this reader with a smile on her face.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shelby Van Pelt for a copy of this enchanting tale.

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.

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 humans, 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, will likely love this one too.

Never would I thought I could care so much about an octopus main character. This is a beautiful novel about friendship and I won't soon forget it.

Set in the PNW, this story of a widow and her connection with a giant Pacific octopus will restore your faith in humanity.

A lonely, elderly woman and a deadbeat thirty year-old form an unexpected bond.

Wow. What a slow, tedious slog this was. I feel like I've been reading this book for the past month, when in reality, it's been about a week and a half. This book is very predictable and very, very, verrryyyy sloooow. Maybe more chapters from Marcellus's perspective would have helped? Regardless, none of the characters were likable and nothing about this book gripped me. Tova is just a stereotypical lonely old lady. Trying to keep busy and insist she doesn't need help (she does) while also bemoaning how alone she is (she isn't). Cameron is a ridiculous thirty year old that acts more like an immature, petulant teenager the whole book. Avery and Ethan are okay I guess, but not around enough to carry the whole plot. I see reviews comparing this to Backman and while I've only read <u>Anxious People</u> thus far, this had none of the pacing and none of the plot and none of the character development. I would recommend putting this one on the back burner if you've been thinking about reading it for a while.

This book is brilliant! Clearly one of my top favorites for 2022. I wish I could read it again for the first time! I'm jealous of everyone who hasn't read it and will get to read it and enjoy it for the first time! The imagination of the author has me wishing she would write more. It's incredibly wonderful writing! Marcellus is my favorite character of all time! When I was almost finished I wanted to stop and wait to read the end. I didn't want it to be over. What a good book!

A story with an octopus as a narrator— how original! I found this part of the story fresh and unique. Tova was unique as well, we don’t often have novels about women in their late 70s. I found it to be a bit too plotted and the ending wrapped everything up in a neat bow, which was okay, but not my favorite type of ending. It was surprising, warm, and delightful!

If you're looking for a sweet and uplifting story, this is it. Tova is a lonely, elderly night cleaner at an aquarium who has lost both her husband and her son. Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus, captured after being injured and taken to an aquarium, and the chapters alternate between Tova's voice and Marcellus'. Cameron is then introduced, and his connection isn't obvious at first, but eventually it connects to Tova's story. The style of writing is engaging, and you care about what happens to the characters (even if you want to yell at Cameron, "Just stick with something already!"). While the conclusion isn't surprising, it was nice to have a happy ending for all the characters.

This was a very different book from what I'm used to reading; however, I found myself pulled into the story. As an animal lover, I related to how the lead character developed the bond with the octopus. I found this book to be quite charming & an interesting read I would recommend to others.

On a sign at Sowell Bay Aquarium, a sign hangs outside the exhibit of Marcellus the octopus, informing guests that they are "remarkably bright creatures" - and for Tova Sullivan, a 70 year-old widower who works as a cleaner at the aquarium, she knows this to be true. For Tova, working at the aquarium is a source of stability and routine for her, especially important after she lost her 18 year-old son Erik mysteriously decades ago, and after the recent passing of her husband Will.

The story shifts perspectives to 30 year-old Cameron Cassmore, who leaves his Aunt Jeanne for Sowell Bay in an attempt to find who he believes his father is. Cameron was abandoned as a child by his mother, and travels to Washington hoping to find answers, but instead uncovers a community that welcomes him and gives him a chance for a fresh start - and as luck would have it, Sowell Bay Aquarium is hiring.

Our third, and perhaps most important perspective, is told from Marcellus's perspective. After thousands of days in captivity, he's been able to observe humans and understand their flaws and strengths. The novel pieces together these three perspectives and storylines beautifully, and creates a full cast of characters that are as unique, loving, and complex as any that I have encountered.

Shelby Van Pelt's writing is emotional, witty, and deceptively straightforward, and covers the topics of family, grief, community, and love with care. I especially loved the passages written from Marcellus's point of view, and the many observations, both sharp and touching, that hold true for people. Very much a recommended read, and one of the most enjoyable novels I've encountered this year!

This was a fun little read! I loved that the book changed points of view based on the different animals. I enjoyed the personification of the creatures, especially the octopus.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I knew within the first chapter, I would fall in love this novel. Marcellus, an octopus and Tova an elderly worker have an amazing bond. A brilliant character driven novel that I can't stop thinking about.

What a great story. An octopus counting his days in captivity, an older woman who is dealing with the grief of the passing of her teenaged son 30 years before and now the passing of her husband, a smart yet confused young man who was abandoned by his mother at 9 and with no idea who his father is. How remarkable was this story that weaved all these together. Creating a friendship for all three. Highly recommend.

What a unique novel, full of life and heart, weirdness and calm. If you are a fan of reunions and mysteries being solved, this is a fantastic choice -- and not because there is an octopus POV embedded within the story. Tova Sullivan is a lonely, older woman who takes a job as a janitor at the local aquarium after her husband passes. There, she befriends a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. In turn, Marcellus is drawn to Tova, especially after realizing her son mysteriously disappeared off of a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

The book takes some interesting and fantastical twists and turns, and while it can be slow moving at some points, surprises will keep you turning the page, and the feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket while reading was one of my favorite parts of the experience. I also wanted more Marcellus! He's a character for the ages, and you will fall in love with him. A touching book that will stay with you after you turn the last page.

I read this book as an egalley, thoughtfully supplied by #HarperCollinsPublishers in return for my honest review. #RemarkablyBrightCreatures #NetGalley

This is really a 4.5 star book. It has three main characters, who tell their stories in alternating chapters, and whose stories come together in some surprising ways. Can't say more about that without spoilers, which would spoil a lot of the fun.

This is a character driven book, but it also has a clear sense of place on the shores of Washington State, in a small town on the shore, home to a small aquarium. Or, as the octopus Marcellus calls it, prison. And therein lies a tale.

I'd just read [book:The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness|22609485] and this book seems to be up to date on the science, but Marcellus is also a wonderful character.

This is one of those books where you have to say -- just read it, you'll like it. And Tova is a truly remarkable character, meeting her is a true pleasure. I'd love to drop by for a scrabble game.

I needed a new audiobook to listen to earlier this week and found this one on scribd and figured I should give it a try since this one has been ALL over. Well, in under two days I had devoured the audio and I absolutely adored it!

Don't get me wrong; it's a little weird at first and there's a few characters to get to know right off the bat. I was questioning all of the glowing reviews I had seen of it, but I stuck with it and it quickly grabbed my heart and didn't let go.

If you're in the mood for something a little different - we get the perspective of an octopus once in awhile (those chapters were my favorite!)- but heartwarming at the same time, pick this one up! And if you're an audiobook listener, I highly recommend it on audio!

Absolutely beautiful and brilliant book! Tova works as a night custodian at an aquarium in Washington State. She is grieving the loss of her son who died many years ago. Tova befriends an unlikely ally in Marcellus the octopus. They both help each other in ways they could never imagine.
Full of humor and heart, this book is a must read.

I remember hearing about an octopus who got out of his enclosure and climbed down a drain pipe. Marcellus brought me so much joy in his quest for freedom and excitement. Great story about how we choose our family.

This book is like a breath of fresh air for the soul. At first I was skeptical to read a book which featured an octopus as one of the main characters, but I am so glad I decided to read it anyway. The writing and unique story line were both phenomenal. I think the characters were so easy to empathize with and really feel like you were right in the story with them at times. The ending was poignant, heartbreaking, and yet hopeful. This book is about second chances, friendship, forgiveness, and finding the family you were meant to have. Absolutely loved it!! Thank you for the early copy of this book.