Shelby Van PeltReseñas

This is very different from the books I normally read, but I enjoyed it a lot.

"Who am I, you ask? My name is Marcellus, but most humans do not call me that. Typically, they call me that guy. For example: Look at that guy—there he is—you can just see his tentacles behind the rock."

Van Pelt conducted a great deal of research, and yet this opening salvo is the only time that the word "tentacle" should have appeared in this book. Why? Because the wonderful character and device Marcellus is a massively intelligent giant Pacific octopus, and octopuses do not have tentacles. It makes sense that the average Joe or Jane aquarium visitor would not know that, and it's a shame that the information plaque next Marcellus' enclosure doesn't mention this along with the other facts about his diet, "penchant for cleverness," and camouflage abilities. But the author even has Marcellus quip, "On occasion I have wondered whether I might have more intelligence in a single tentacle than a human does in its entire skull." Well, poop Marcellus. I thought you were smarter than that. Tentacles are mentioned at least 20 times more.

However, marine biological nomenclature is not what set me on the opposing side of all those many readers charmed by this purportedly feel-good tale. For the record, I loved Marcellus's little monologues and his interactions with Tova and company. The small town setting also felt appropriate because it puts the reader into the midst of everyone's business. Unfortunately, I didn't find everyone's business of very interesting.

Tova is not the easiest character with whom to identify, but I could kind of relate to her given my own curmudgeonly ways. I sympathized with her life losses and her anxieties about the future given the uptick of her age and not wanting to impose herself on her similarly aged friends despite their claiming her as chosen family. I also related to her grief though I've never had (nor wanted, so don't cry for me) children. But I have lost family, so the feelings aren't foreign. Frankly, I loved her relationship with Marcellus for providing a balm for her, and it seemed fitting that she would more easily give herself to him than an any human person around her, at least until Cameron enters the picture.

While Cameron's immaturity is purposeful to the story, it's a bit grating. Actually, his constant sniveling about having been abandoned is not the biggest issue for me with this character. I don't know what that would feel like, but he's 32 and also was taken in by an aunt who deeply cares for him, so his endless self-pity is off-putting. While his character growth is inevitable, the getting there was a chore and that was my main grievance with him. He's also presented as being pretty smart. He quotes Shakespeare, figures out how to change a serpentine belt in the middle of nowhere (pretty sure I would not be able to do that even with YouTube in hand), and knows that the clematis is a member of the buttercup family, but he can't figure out the clues of his own life. Nor can Tova, which made me at times low-key hate this book.

Even a reader who's only half paying attention will have figured out the familial connections long before the main characters do. Once Marcellus provides the Tova with the key from the sea, we've a massive hint, and once Marcellus states what he's observed about the human gait, we're just waiting for the humans to figure out what the octopus knows. But my god, the getting there is so tedious! With less than 40 pages (or 10% of the book to go), even Marcellus' last appearance is titled "Oh, Let Us Cut the Shit, Shall We?" Yes, indeed.

Ultimately, I didn't find the plot all that riveting. I wanted to care, but I didn't, although I did appreciate how Marcellus' story resolves. I didn't find the mysteries all that mysterious. The peripheral characters were okay (Ethan; the Knit-Wits, which was funny the first time I read that and eyeroll provoking all the successive times; Avery, etc.) That leaves the writing, which to me was competent but pedestrian. This book is not quite mediocre but was far from a satisfying.

I cried. I knew I would. The story deals with grief and loss but also with hope and love. The picture in my head of Tova pulling a scrub bucket with an octopus in it down to the sea will always be with me. I will never forget Marcellus.

“Then, with a twitch, my limbs awaken, and I am alive again. I do not say this to give you false hope. My death is imminent. But I am not dead yet. I have time enough to bask in the vastness of the sea” (349).

No matter the tragic events of your past or the bleak resoluteness of your future, there is always room for hope, even when you think all is lost. Like a sunken treasure sitting in the darkest depths of the cold sea, there’s always something bright to be discovered in the dark. This is what grieving widow Tova and wandering orphan Cameron come to understand when their paths serendipitously cross—and then stay crossed and connected by meddling Marcellus, a remarkably bright creature.

In this book about family and home, loss and misunderstandings, there’s so much to love: the magical realism of a communicative giant Pacific octopus with a sardonic voice, the connections between broken and lost characters in a small town, and the unfolding mysteries of loved ones who disappeared decades ago somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

While this is a solid 4.5 for me, there are some things I didn’t love: I’m not a fan of dramatic irony, but I know how frustrated Marcellus felt. For me, it took awhile for the book to gain speed (not until after the first 100 pages), but that’s certainly how bogged down in the mire grief can be—much like what the characters are experiencing. And while I was instantly drawn to Cameron and Ethan and Jeanne and Avery, it took me awhile to feel that same magnetism towards Tova—much like the veneer of her stoic Swedish stock. So, even with elements that I didn’t love, in the end, I really appreciated how purposeful and seamless all pieces intertwined. This is one I’d certainly recommend diving into—you won’t be disappointed with the treasure you uncover.

A fascinating book with nice interweaving of the death of the main human character’s (Tova’s) son, an octopus who loves to escape his aquarium, and a younger man who comes to work with Tova at the aquarium. I liked it quite a bit. Well written, characters are well developed, and it is a touching story of aging and still being productive.½

fiction, octopus, Washington State½

Seventy year old Tova Sullivan needs to keep busy since her husband died. She's needed to keep busy for years in fact, since her son Eric was apparently drowned - his body was never found. So she works as a cleaner in the town's aquarium. And it's here she establishes a bond with an elderly octopus, who also gets to tell his story in short occasional chapters. Suspend your disbelief. This works. The other main character is Cameron, a man with a chip on his shoulder searching for the father he never knew. This book tells the story, the journey of each of them, with a light touch: with humour and with wit. A light, yet involving and engaging read.

This was an uplifting, and inspiring book. The characters, although flawed, are well-developed and likeable. To a is a fastidious, resilient 70 year old who spends her days cleaning the aquarium or socializing with her friends, "The Knife Wits". She buys her groceries at The Show Way, whose owner Ethan, adores her from afar. Under her calm demeanor is deep grief for her lost son Erik, and her dear husband Will. When Cameron co.we to town searching g for his father, her grief resurfaces. Observing all this is the wise Marcellus- the escape artist octopus.
It also had a strong Sense Of place. Set in the fictional town of Sowell Bay, Puget Sound and Snohomish County came alive for me. It sort of reminds me of Nicely Alaska, the fictional setting of "Northern Exposure" , one of my favorite TV series.

Overall, it was an easy read. The only drawback was that some of the story beats were predictable.

A good book tends to have more than one meaning: the surface one that everybody gets, and an underlying one that may or may not be discovered by the reader, but when it is, it elevates the book, often into the great category. Remarkably Bright Creatures falls into the latter.

On the surface, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a cute stroll with thirty-year old Cameron who doesn’t know his father’s identity, was abandoned by his mother at age 9 and raised by her sister in California. Of Tova, a 70-year old widow who lost her only son, Eric, when he was 18-years-old to an unsolved death (suicide according to authorities, Tova knows better), and works in Sowell Bay, Washington as the evening cleaning lady to the town’s aquarium. And of Marcellus a clever, Houdini-esc 60-pound giant Pacific octopus who understands humans. When a lead on Cameron’s biological father takes him to Sowell Bay, it is Marcellus who cracks the case that may solve the human’s mysteries.

As fun as the story is, it’s the underlying theme that will grab your heartstrings. We follow all three through the steps of their unresolved grief, their feeling of abandonment, and bondage that keep them stuck where they are, figuratively and literally. In a creative twist, author Shelby Val Pelt walks the reader through the different types of feelings and reactions to loss, be it by death, captivity, or abandonment. A very remarkable story and one that, while wildly hyped, is worth it. You won’t regret reading Remarkably Bright Creatures.

TIP: The voice of Marcellus and his few lines, are worth the audible version.

At the start of the year, I was looking at social media to see what people thought was the best book of 2023, and "Remarkably Bright Creatures "was regularly mentioned. At the halfway mark I was still wondering what all the fuss was but by the end, it had won me over, especially Marcellus, the octopus.

I have always found octopuses slightly creepy with their tentacles, big mantle, high intelligence and Houdini-like skills when escaping small enclosures. However, the author made me fall in love with the old Giant Pacific octopus who was kept as a specimen at the small aquarium where Tova worked as a cleaner. Who would have thought?

I loved Marcellus' and Tova's stories and how they rescued each other, but it took quite a while to warm to Cameron. As I was reading his story, I kept finding myself wishing Marcellus had more of a voice. His dwindled significantly the more I read, which was a shame. I usually detest animals narrating the story but I found Marcellus' voice extremely interesting and often amusing. A sweet read.½

Without being a spoiler, I'll say that one of the book's last lines sums up my reaction to this enjoyable story—Marcellus the octopus remarks that sometimes humans can be remarkably bright creatures. Marcellus isn't so complimentary about humans throughout most of the story. He comments on people's abysmal communication skills, lack of instinct, and difficulties connecting the dots in ordinary situations. I believe the title of this book mainly refers to the octopus as a remarkably bright creature.

The main human characters were endearing, and the book is an enjoyable and easy-to-read story with characters who experience everyday journeys. Tova is a 70-year-old widow whose son died thirty years ago. She loves her nighttime job cleaning at the aquarium, where she befriends and relates to Marcellus the octopus, whom she realizes is also aging. Tova is an old-timer in the fictional town of Sowell Bay, Washington, where the lone store owner, Ethan, is in love with her. However, Tova avoids Ethan and laments her aging body.

Cameron is a thirty-year-old whose mother abandoned him when he was young and never knew his father. He has had difficulty keeping jobs, and his friends in Modesto, California, are growing up, marrying, and having babies. Since Cameron has problems with long-term relationships and yearns to meet his biological father, he decides to venture to Sowell Bay after surmising his father might live there. Cameron's attempts to meet his father provide a story arc in the book, but his search leads to the town where he interacts with Tova, Earl, and Marcellus, among many other characters. Although Cameron has many struggles and disappointments, the people in this welcoming town help him grow up. The author allows us to witness the charm of a small town where everybody knows everybody else's business. The interactions among characters are predictable, but the alternating chapters about the octopus freshen up an old story to provide great entertainment.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a light and easy read that touches on heavy and difficult themes.
Tova is seventy years old and feeling her age. The highlights of her days are her night cleaner shift at Solwell Bay Aquarium and catching up with the Knit Wits for coffee, cookies and a natter. “There were once seven Knit Wits. Now there are four”. The final countdown for humans and sea creatures alike is ever present as Marcellus McSquiddles, a giant Pacific octopus, nears the end of his 1,460 day lifespan and painstakingly numbers his days in captivity.
The mystery behind the disappearance of Tova’s son Erik thirty years previously gently unfolds as super sleuth Marcellus unearths clues, makes connections and steers Tova in the right direction.
I loved the interaction between Tova, Marcellus and Cameron, a thirty year old, self-professed loser who rocks up in Solwell Bay looking for his father and I found all the characters really engaging from Ethan, a Scottish die-hard Grateful Dead fan and supermarket owner with a soft spot for Tova to Aunt Jeanne, a sixty year old whiskey connoisseur and Cameron carer with a nasty dose of chlamydia! Escapologist, night prowler and sea cucumber guzzler Marcellus is not only a remarkably bright creature but also surprisingly believable and endearing.
Loss, grief, abandonment, loneliness and confinement are handled with great care and the descriptions of a small Puget Sound community are extremely evocative.
Quirky, heartfelt, wryly amusing and moving, I really enjoyed reading Remarkably Bright Creatures.

I loved this so much. I can’t remember the last time a book made me cry but this one did. So much emotion, such charged and addictive writing. So much exploration of complex relationships, especially surrounding love and loss. My heart aches so and it was still tempting to just turn immediately back to page one and enjoy the ride all over again. I truly hope to see more from this author. I know there can’t be another Marcellus but oh my word that beautiful creature will live in my memory forever. I’ve always had an attachment to books written from the animal point of view, ever since reading Emma’s Story by Sheila Hocken as a child. None have floored me the way this did. If I had to reread only one book over and over, this would be it.

Good beach read

I loved this book! What a wonderful and beautiful story -- such a refreshing change. I highly recommend.

I want to own this book! It was so good and I am now obsessed with octopuses. It had a great little mystery going throughout the book. You knew how it was going to end. And the author made it obvious through most of the book through the octopus that the kid was Tova's grandson. The characters were all so likeable, especially the octopus. I didn't see Tova putting him back into the ocean, but that had me in tears. I'm so happy they didn't officially make him die in the book. It was clear the octopus was going to be at some point and the author made it so classy. Such a good book and definitely one I'd love to physically have and actually read later in life since I listened to this on audiobook.

True 5 star read!! A well written story. Hard to believe it is a debut novel. I am not usually a fan of dual story; however, this time I loved how it came together and connected so well. I now feel like I need a pet octopus but I think my husband would not agree. Charming, funny and heart grabbing all at once. Well worth the purchase because this is a book I’d read again!

Good idea. OK plot. Meh writing.

I admit I put off reading this as it just sounded too silly, but it is really a sweet, entertaining, and readable book. Tova is a widow who has also lost her only son and is a cleaning lady at a local aquarium in the Pacific Northwest. Marcellus, as the octopus has been named, has a habit of getting out of his tank at night and Tova develops some sort of friendship with the animal.

At the same time a young feckless man, Cameron, lives in California and has just been kicked out of his girlfriend's apartment. He moves in with his best friends, one of whom is a member of his band and also just to become a father. The band is over, Cameron has again lost his job, and he is completely at loose ends. Having been raised by his aunt, he has no idea where his drug addicted mother and has no idea about his father. A chance finding of a photograph leads him to Washington in search of his father who he believes is a wealthy real estate developer.

In Washington, he parks his camper in the lot of a grocery store where he meets the owner, who is friends with Tova. Thus the story brings the two of them together and there is an unlikely but believable reconciliation of grandmother and lost grandson.

Feel good story with believable characters.

I would like to give this book 5 stars, but I only listen to the chapters about the octopus. I realize that there was human interaction with the octopus so to get the whole story I would’ve had to listen to the whole thing, but I found it to be just be too much of a soap opera to be interesting.

What a treat of a book :)

A 70 year old woman who cleans an aquarium at night is friends with an old octopus, who ends up helping her solve a mystery. I love the way it is written including the brief chapters by the Octopus. I cried at the end.

Great listen. Really liked Tova.

You have to read this book, if only to meet the wonderful Marcellus. An unexpected bright spot of a read, which I was not expecting, even after it made me cry. Keep your tissues handy. There were a few things that I saw coming, but enough twists that it kept me involved to the end. But truly, Marcellus is the best thing about this book.½

4.5/5
A book about the human condition: growing up, shattered dreams, lost relationships, ew relationships and self worth. The mosaic of characters becomes tethered by an octopus allowing change and growth, even healing old wounds.