Read this when you’re feeling hopeful: A cozy bittersweet read about unexpected friendships, second chances, and a little hope tucked between the pages.
Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Publisher: Ecco
Publication date: May 3, 2022
Mood shelf: Hopeful
Excerpt
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.
My thoughts
This was such a charming read. I loved Marcellus the octopus. His dry humor and wit were my favorite parts of the story. I always looked forward to his chapters.
Another endearing character was Tova, the elderly widow who worked the night shift cleaning the aquarium to keep herself busy after losing not only her husband, but her only child. I loved getting to know her and her interesting relationship with Marcellus, while also trying to figure out the mystery of her son’s disappearance.
The only character I had a hard time connecting with was Cameron. He comes to town searching for the father he never knew after his mother left him as a young child and his Aunt raised him. Fast forward to the present, Cameron struggles to hold down a job and blames everyone and everything but his own poor decisions for his circumstances. I understood where his anger was coming from but his choices and poor attitude made him a frustrating character and difficult for me to connect with.
Despite that, I very much enjoyed the way the different storylines came together. I thought it was a cozy, quirky, heartwarming story that stayed with me long after I finished reading.
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐