Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Remarkably Bright Creatures

By Shelby Van Pelt

  • Release Date: 2022-05-03
  • Genre: Literary Fiction
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 6,976 Ratings

Description

A New York Times Bestseller

Now a Netflix Film

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.

Reviews

  • Great Story!

    5
    By Torrey's Mom
    Couldn’t put it down. Original.
  • Easy & worthwhile

    4
    By SkiDocBow1
    Heart warming story, the movie adaptation is in some ways divergent from the book, both hold their own. Easy to picture the spaces described in the novel. Somewhat melancholy but very true to life, life has those moments. Worth the read.
  • Loved it!

    5
    By Sierra Gerber
    Beautifully written story about grief, love and connection. Marcellus will forever be a favorite!
  • Heartwarming! Couldn’t Put This Book Down!

    5
    By bobsbridget1
    I fell in love with the characters in this book! Especially, Marcellus. Beautifully written! Suspenseful and leaves you with the best feeling. Full of warmth and hope!
  • Wonderful story

    5
    By D M Long
    Enjoyed the story and now I can watch the Netflix movie!
  • Flows like water

    5
    By Ruth Backlund
    What a wonderful read! There are enough little, eloquent differences from the movie in the book—all well-thought out and logical. I believe the movie was well- cast, because I always had the perfect image of the character in my mind as I read. Well written, a pleasure to read!
  • Oh my…

    5
    By Gator Girl 65
    What a lovely story, indeed. A treasure.
  • Great book

    5
    By Amigo73
    It’s the best thing I’ve read in a very long time. I haven’t given a 5 star rating in years, but this book has it all. I love the multi-generational aspects, the characters are perfectly flawed, the pacing is great, and the plot, well, it is pretty amazing! This is very high praise from a very particular reader of 200 books a year.
  • Animals are sentient

    5
    By jess9321!
    I really loved this books insight into the personality/life of an octopus. Far too often are animals overlooked, and simply regarded as less intelligent than humans. But I’ve come to learn that intelligence is a human construct. “If you try to teach a fish how to climb a tree, it’ll go its whole life thinking its’s stupid.”
  • Feel Good Story

    5
    By golfclubbookclu
    I loved the lightness of this book. With so many heavy reads out there right now this brought a smile to my face. The characters are relatable and you can see them in the writing. I never wanted it to end.