Book Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

My Rating:

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.