Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick

Product Information

Dive into the extraordinary depths of friendship, redemption, and the power of hope with “Remarkably Bright Creatures”! In this captivating debut novel by Shelby Van Pelt, we embark on a heartwarming journey alongside Tova Sullivan, a widow seeking solace in the late-night solitude of Sowell Bay Aquarium. I received this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley and Harper Audio. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this wonderful story!

The book was incredibly slow and very mundane at times. More than halfway through nothing significant had happened. There were a few chapters that were completely pointless and didn't contribute to the story in any way.

Tova has made friends with a 60-pound Pacific octopus, Marcellus. Viewers of the award-winning documentary 'My Octopus Teacher' will understand how intelligent these creatures can be. Tova talks to Marcellus and thinks he understands her conversations. The octopus can manipulate his large body, enabling him to squeeze out of a small opening in his glass cage and wander about the room. He can only be outside the cage for 18 minutes, or his life is in danger. He has been in the aquarium for about three years of captivity and is nearing the end of his life span. He longs to return to the sea. Marcellus seems to understand what Tova says to him and is adept at observing people's features, mannerisms and emotions. He likes to collect and hide his miscellaneous treasures out of sight in his cage. He is very bright and knows things that Tova and another cleaner haven't figured out yet. I missed Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel Remarkably Bright Creatures when it came out this past May, but its weird premise kept calling to me. An elderly woman named Tova works nights at an aquarium on the Puget Sound; she doesn't need the job, but scrubbing floors and fish tanks keeps her mind off her teenage son's disappearance 30 years ago. 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!

So, you cannot blame “the guy” for escaping from his tank, overnight when something “tastier” is within reach. 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.

This book contains one of my absolute favorite themes--found family. And one could even include Marcellus in that mix because although his role in the story isn't very large, it is certainly impactful. As I mentioned, there are a plethora of coincidences in this novel, so you'll have to set that aside to enjoy the simple beauty of the tale if those types of things bother you. Cameron has a LOT of growing up to do, which he does through the course of the novel. The Vanishing Half: Here we have is a captivating tale that follows the lives of Vignes twin sisters, torn apart by secrets and race. Brit Bennett masterfully intertwines generations and storylines, exploring the enduring impact of the past and the complexities of identity in America. How does Marcellus’s perspective enrich the narrative and provide insight into the other characters, particularly Tova, and what does his journey reveal about the universal nature of the search for meaning and companionship? in “Remarkably Bright Creatures” — is a male …. so Marcellus has about a 4 year life span…(as Marcellus himself will tell us)…