By Cami Yee
Recently, while I was strolling through my local library, I stumbled upon the novel Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. I had always noticed this title in bookstores but despite its alluring and colorful cover featuring a giant Pacific Octopus, I never bothered to pick it up. This time, especially after reading the curiosity-inducing synopsis, I decided to take a chance and check out the novel.
The main protagonist, a 70 year old woman named Tova, works at an aquarium as a cleaning lady in the wake of her husband’s death. She forms a unique relationship with Marcellus, the incredibly intelligent giant Pacific Octopus, which resides in the museum. As their bond grows, Marcellus soon discovers the surprising truth behind her 18-year-old son’s disappearance nearly 30 years prior. Remarkably Bright Creatures follows a story of unwavering love, harrowing grief, and hopeful acceptance.Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures features three different perspectives: Tova, an elderly cleaning lady at the aquarium, Cameron, a thirty year old struggling through life, and Marcellus, an incredibly insightful giant Pacific Octopus. The different POV’s intertwine in beautifully tragic ways and contribute to each others’ stories, leaving me with a sense of satisfaction while navigating through the plot. Van Pelt develops the human characters excellently, with Tova and Cameron pushing forwards despite their hardships. Overall, as a result of the heartfelt and hopeful mood of the novel, it is a great read and a perfect addition to your TBR list for fall.