Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Fiction

2022 HarperAudio

Narrated by Marin Ireland & Michael Urie

Finished on February 15, 2023

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing 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.

After reading several glowing reviews by friends and bloggers, I had high hopes for Remarkably Bright Creatures, but unfortunately, this debut novel turned out to be somewhat disappointing. I don't have a problem with suspension of disbelief, but the novel's predictability coupled with several coincidences reduced what could have been a more substantial and thought-provoking story to a sweet beach read. Grief and abandonment are central themes, and in this case, the author handles both well without being manipulative, but her characters lack the depth for which I was hoping. In particular, I couldn't accept Cameron's age to be anywhere near thirty; his immature behavior and inner thoughts cast him more as an irresponsible and sulky teenager.

On a positive note, the audio narration is excellent. Marin Ireland is a favorite, and Michael Urie gives an outstanding performance as Marcellus. I would have liked more chapters centered around Tova and Marcellus, the two characters I cared most about. 

I enjoy reading about octopuses, and recommend The Soul of An Octopus for those seeking more about the intellect of these marvelous sea creatures.

For those seeking a light, yet uplifting story, Remarkably Bright Creatures would make a fine choice.

The Soul of an Octopus

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
Nonfiction
2015 Atria
Finished on March 13, 2018
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Popular naturalist Sy Montgomery explores the emotional and physical world of the octopus, the remarkable connections it makes with people, and the vibrant community that arises around this complex, intelligent, and spirited creature. Practicing true immersion journalism, from New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, Montgomery befriends individual octopuses with strikingly different personalities--gentle Athena, assertive Octavia, curious Kali, and joyful Karma--who show their cleverness in myriad ways: escaping enclosures, creative trickery to get food, and jetting water to bounce balls.

Montgomery also chronicles scientists' growing appreciation of the octopus's problem-solving as she tells a love story. By turns funny, entertaining, touching, and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about the meeting of two very different minds.

I'll be honest. When my book club picked this book for one of our selections this year, I was less than enthusiastic. Maybe it was the subtitle (A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness) that turned me off. Or maybe it's just that I've never been a fan of octopuses. (No, octopuses, not octopi, as I later learned.) While visiting aquariums, I usually only give the octopus tank a cursory glance before moving on to the otter or penguin exhibits. Not anymore! I loved Montgomery's entertaining anecdotes and explanations about the life (and soul) of an octopus, and learned more than I could have imagined. The book is far from the dull, dry nature read I thought I was in for! Did you know, for instance, that an octopus tastes with its skin? Or that it hatches from an egg the size of a grain of rice. Or that the Pacific Octopus lives only 3-4 years and has three hearts? I also learned that they watch TV and learn from each other. And, that they lay between 67,000-100,000 eggs, but only once. After that, they starve themselves for the rest of their life and die!

Hatfield Marine Science Center

I was so impressed with The Soul of an Octopus and we had a great discussion at our book club. I highly recommend this fascinating book, which may even tug at your heartstrings. It did mine.

Wordless Wednesday

Hatfield Marine Science Center

Newport, Oregon

May 2018

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