Trigger warnings: loss of a spouse, loss of a child
This past summer, I read 12 books. The twelfth was one I could not put down and did not want to finish at the same time. I loved reading each chapter, especially the sections told from the point of view of a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. I wanted to soak in every word, and I wanted to live inside the story for as long as I could.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt is a contemporary fiction novel with a dash of mystery and magical realism. After her husband passes away, 70-year-old Tova Sullivan begins working the night shift cleaning an entire aquarium by herself. She chooses to schedule her days with tasks and activities; she is constantly trying to fill the gap caused by the recent loss of her husband and the pain of losing her son, who mysteriously vanished on a boat over 30 years ago.
Unbeknownst to Tova, a young man named Cameron Cassmore moves to town in search of answers to the questions that lie beneath his life. He has something like a chip on his shoulder, and his resentment of his father’s absence leads him on a journey.
Marcellus is the big attraction at the aquarium; he is extremely intelligent, and he is a grump. Although, most humans just think he looks super cool. This giant octopus gained my respect and curiosity; he remembers everything, which he proves by distinguishing every handprint left on his tank’s glass. He is also extremely intelligent; he is able to escape his enclosure using his tentacles and venture to other exhibits in the aquarium where he opens the tanks and steals the live fish that he misses eating from his time in the ocean. There is just one problem, he needs the water in his tank to survive, so he hurries and adjusts his methods to become faster.
I was most attracted to Marcellus’ character and mind in this novel. It should not come as a huge surprise that he is the first to solve the mystery and help the others to solve it as well.
When I read “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” I became so engulfed in the story that I forgot to guess the ending. That is one of my reading habits. I guess how the book will end, and I make adjustments to my predictions as I discover more details. However, this novel took me on Tova’s journey, it took me on Cameron’s journey, and it most definitely took me on Marcellus’ journey.
I give this book five stars, a 10 out of 10, a perfect score for me. If you have the chance, Pelt’s debut novel is worth the look. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, whether you cannot put it down or do not want it to be over!