Tova’s life has never been the same since her 18-year-old son Erik vanished on a boat one night. The police ruled it a suicide but she has been searching for the truth for over 30 years.
Whilst working as a night cleaner at Sowell Bay Aquarium, Tova befriends Marcellus, a very clever Pacific octopus who loves to escape his tank to find food and hidden treasure!
He also has an important message he needs to convey to Tova before he dies and time is running out.
Cameron cannot hold down a job or a relationship. He finds himself in Sowell Bay as he searches for his father.
I figured out the connection between him and Tova early on, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of reading this wonderful, heart warming book.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is the debut novel of Shelby Van Pelt and it was an absolute delight to read.

It was a wholesome and cosy read about loneliness, grief, growing up and growing old, written in an engaging way that absorbed me completely.

This is the perfect example that sometimes the simple stories are the best ones! I recommend this book to everyone I believe it will have a special place in the heart of Fredrik Backman fans.

This was a worthy third place of the Goodreads fiction prize awards.

<i> Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!</i>

This book does a good job of portraying the relationships between a pretty disparate bunch of characters - one of whom is a Giant Pacific Octopus.

Tova is a 70-year-old woman who has recently been widowed and is attempting to handle her grief by keeping busy. Although she does not need to work for financial reasons per re, Tova has a job as a cleaner at an aquarium, where Marcellus the octopus has been living for some time as a "rescue" - even though he considers himself a prisoner.

One reason why Tova chooses to work at the aquarium is that it helps her to deal with an earlier - and in a way, ongoing - tragedy in her life: the loss of her 18-year-old son, Eryk, in an accident on a boat three decades ago. His body was never found, so Tova has never really been able to get closure with regard to this profound loss. But spending time at the aquarium that he loved allows her to feel closer to him.

After Tova has an unexpectedly up close and personal encounter with Marcellus, he decides to spend the remainder of his short life span figuring out what really happened to Eryk. How the writer convincingly conveys Marcellus's personality and thoughts is one of the highlights of the story.

The book uses humour and compassion to deal with themes of life that are universal: love, loss, ageing, kindness, and the strength of connection across generations and species. This is a beautiful story, weaving together the live of its characters, both human and non-human, to create something truly unique.

I loved it! One of my top reads of 2023 for sure. I loved Tova and Marcellus the most, but really enjoyed getting the third perspective as well, although he is not as likeable as the other two. I also loved the ambiance and atmosphere of the coastal town that Van Pelt portrays. Would never have said I'd enjoyed a book from the perspective of an octopus this much!

This isn’t my usual type of book but I absolutely loved it!
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

This was absolutely charming. Magical. I have recommended this book to a number of people.

I find that it isn't often that literary fiction manages to deal with themes such as loss and death, as well as be cosy and wholesome, AND leaving the reader with a desire to research.

The world needs more octopus narrators. They are indeed Remarkably Bright Creatures, and watching Marcellus deduce the mystery before the human characters was absolutely delightful.

Excellent read

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Lovely story, quirky and entertaining - I can definitely see this as a three/four part TV series!

Told from the POV of three narrators (Marcellus the octopus, Tova, and Cameron), a mystery is solved in which the octopus pretty much plays the main part. The characters are believable, Tova - a stubborn, independent woman of mature years, Cameron - a thirty-something lay-about, always getting fired and never having any real idea in life of where/what he wants to be. And Marcellus - a Giant Pacific Octopus residing in a tank at the local aquarium where Tova cleans.

The three are brought together and the mystery of Tova's missing son is solved. Along with a cast of equally lovely characters living in a small town (imagine the gossip!), Cameron finally sees who and where he is/meant to be, as does Tova, in a pretty obvious (but still lovely) discovery.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a novel about loss, grief, loneliness and growing old.

Keeping busy has always been the best way that Tova knows how to cope with tragedy. 30 years ago, her 18-year-old son Erik went missing from a boat. The police ruled it a suicide but Tova has always known that isn’t the right answer. While working as a night cleaner at Sowell Bay Aquarium, Tova gets to know Marcellus, an incredibly smart giant Pacific octopus who loves to escape his tank. When a newcomer arrives in town, Marcellus has a message for Tova and he needs to somehow get it to her. This uplifting story is about incredible friendships and the desire to discover one’s roots. It’s also about relentlessness, resilience and how these things endure throughout the toughest times. Of course, it’s also a celebration of octopuses and their remarkable intelligence too!

I absolutely loved this book and it will stay with me for a long time. I got really invested in all the characters and will miss them. Highly recommended.

First the blurb- After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago, keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who sees everything, 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 body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late...

My review -goodness me, what a unique and wonderful book, Im pretty sure ive never read anything with an octopus in a main role before. It is a witty lightly told story but with hugely important messages about love, friendship and loyalty. There are hidden secrets and buried mysteries, lost loves and newfound friendships - and all brought together by the absolutely awesome Marcellus!

I've no idea how Shelby van Pelt can top this, but Im here to find out!

This book was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a joyful little book! Tova is such a lovely character. After she lost her husband to cancer she started working at the local aquarium just for something to occupy her time. Tova loves to clean and through cleaning the aquarium each evening she makes a special, if unusual friend.

Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus, so not your usual narrator. Really he's had quite enough of humans. They underestimate his intelligence, ignore his attempts at telling them what fish he likes to eat and they've imprisoned him in their aquarium, even if they do think they rescued him. Marcellus is incredibly clever, he sees everything and he figures out all sorts of interesting things about the humans that visit his tank. He's far too cantankerous to actually help the humans however, that is until he meets Tova.

Tova's son Erik went missing at sea over 30 years ago. The general consensus was that he died by suicide but that's never sat right with Tova. Marcellus, who sees everything and remembers tiny details, turns detective and pieces together a picture of what might have happened all those years ago, now he just needs to communicate it to these pesky humans who don't pay enough attention.

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be quirky. I've certainly never read anything narrated by a giant Pacific octopus before! I adored the character building. Each one is fleshed out beautifully and diverse and interesting. Set in a small town on the Puget Sound in Washington state there are characters from all over. Tova herself is Swedish. Ethan the local shopkeeper who collects faded band tees and has an eye for Tova, is Scottish. Terry, the owner of the aquarium and the one responsible for trying to marshall a renegade octopus, is Jamaican. The town itself has a lovely community feel, and while that also comes with nosy neighbours and plenty of gossip, it also feels lovely and safe and comfortable.

I loved the Swedish aspect to this book and there's definitely a lovely cosy hygge feeling to it all. A lovely sweet read but not without its depth.

Also posted to Goodreads and shared on Instagram @maryaq1

An absolute delight of a book. An octopus with fully aware of his superiority over the whole of mankind, loathing his imprisonment in a seaside aquarium and literally counting the days to his demise, finds himself drawn to a gentle soul with a sad history and as coincidence piles on coincidence sets about bringing some joy to her life.
Every character is wonderfully filled out, their personalities and motivations made clear. You will find yourself reading deep into the night, as the humans continue to frustrate the octopus's best intentions and you wonder how it all might ever come right.

Remarkable Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

All the stars for this wonderful heartwarming debut .Packed with loveable characters that develop as their stories unwind and bring them together.

"Who am I might you ask? My name is Marcellus ,but most humans do not call me that. Typically ,they call me that guy..I am a giant Pacific Octopus"

Seventy year old Tova Sullivan has been living alone for many years after losing her husband to an illness. Her much loved son Eric disappeared when he was eighteen and she has never given up searching for the truth of his disappearance. She spends her evenings working in a local aquarium in Sowell Bay. It's a lonely existence and she often finds herself talking to herself and to the many tropical fish. One night she notices something unusual about Marcellus a giant octopus and thus begins a tale from an unexpected point of view.

Cameron is a thirty something misfit. He lives with his Aunt Jeanne in a trailer park. He can't seem to hold down a job or find his way. Perhaps if could find who is biological father was his luck might change.

We can all find ourselves lonely at different stages in our lives and this is a gentle reminder how love ,hope and the unexpected are right in front of us.

There are many lovable and flawed characters that will keep you hooked until the end. If you fell in love with a dog call six thirty then you will also love Marcellus the octopus !

Thank you to NetGalley for an Arc

“Day 1,299 of My Captivity. Darkness suits me. Each evening, I await the click of the overhead lights, leaving only the glow from the main tank. Not perfect, but close enough. Almost-darkness, like the middle-bottom of the sea. I lived there before I was captured and imprisoned. … Who am I, you ask? My name is Marcellus …. I am a giant Pacific octopus. I know this from the plaque on the wall beside my enclosure.”

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ by Shelby Van Pelt in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to this delightful debut novel from the moment I learnt that it featured Marcellus, the octopus. It was a bold move to have an octopus serve as a narrator yet I felt it suited the atmosphere of this gentle tale.

After the quirky opening by Marcellus we are introduced to two humans. Seventy-year-old Tove Sullivan is recently widowed though has struggled for the past thirty years over the disappearance of her 18-year-old son, Erik. Currently she works as a night cleaner at the Sowell Bay Aquarium and often chats to Marcellus during the quiet hours. The octopus considers Tove a friend and while he cannot respond he is determined to play detective and uncover the truth about Erik.

The third main character is Cameron Cassmore, a young man with a history of lost jobs and failed relationships. He has come to Sowell Bay in Washington to seek a meeting with a man who may be his father. He is hired to do maintenance at the aquarium where he crosses paths with Tove as well as Marcellus, who is something of an escape artist.

Shelby Van Pelt incorporates aspects of her Swedish heritage into the narrative as part of Tove’s background.

Overall, ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ proved a heartwarming tale that sensitively addresses themes of ageing, loss, and bereavement. The characters were wonderful and I fell a little in love with Marcellus including his grumpy observations and nighttime antics.

This was a BBC Radio Two Book Club Pick and I can certainly appreciate that it is the kind of novel that will prove popular with reading groups. I certainly will be suggesting to my own later in the year.

Highly recommended.

I love Tova and Marcellus, loved this story, loved the storytelling.
It's a book that I will read again as I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the originality of the plot.
The author deliver a fast paced and riveting story featuring great characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I came to #remarkablybrightcreatures (which for some reason I seem to want to call Bright Shiny Things 😂) blind. I had no idea what it was about. I left it with a lovely cozy feeling and a knowledge of some of the most disgusting looking creatures in the sea.

If I had to describe in one word what the book is about, I’d say - love. Love in numerous forms - love for partners, for children, for family, for friends, for animals, love within the generations and across them, love beyond the grave, unrequited love and love lost. But it’s more than that, it also addresses abandonment, failure, fear, grief, loneliness and longing.

It’s an easy read and, despite the sadness in it, it’s not a sad book. It’s a book of hope. I’d recommend it for anyone in a reading slump. But please don’t wait until you’re in one to read it. You’ll meet a lovely bunch of characters from Tova, the 70 year old main character, to a 30 year old man seeking a purpose in life to a grumpy 4 year old octopus (yes, you read correctly) who’s a bit of an escapologist, their families and friends. What can these people from different states and this invertebrate from the ocean possibly have In common?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a definite four star+ read for me. It would have been a five star had it not been for the octopus (bless him!). I loved the character but octopuses gross me out and the descriptions of his escapology freaked me 😂. I loved the foibles of all the characters - main and secondary - and I was inspired to Google the sea creatures who share the aquarium with Marcellus the octopus - and colourful, cute tropical fish they are not! Minor and pedantic moan to the author - never refer to Scotch whisky (and there are numerous references to it) as ‘whiskey’.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a sad read in places but it leaves you with a warm feeling that all is right with the world (if only!). Go on, treat yourself!

My thanks to @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for a free copy of the book in return for my honest opinion.

#contemporaryfiction #booksoflove #arcs #shelbyvanpelt #booklover

A really heart-warming story that was perfect for reading over a rainy weekend. Unexpectedly drawn in by the relationship between Tove and Marcellus. Profound reflections on loneliness and widowhood. One to read this summer.

This novel made me feel!! If you've ever read a book that did that then you'll know what I mean (and I'm not trying to be weird, it's a genuine thing I swear!). I fell into the lives of the characters after initially not expecting there to be more than one narrator. I came to enjoy the switchover and I don't think I ever really liked those types of books before. Shelby Van Pelt has a mesmerizing way of describing things, from the very beginning with an intricate description of rain falling from the sky and hitting upon the rooftop to the comings and goings of the mind of a highly intelligent octopus! That same way of writing is what drew me to connect with each of the characters and I soon found that I was picking apart the way they behaved. I realized that I didn't particularly like shards of their personalities, I yearned for them to learn from mistakes, I smiled when they did and I felt an overwhelming sense of joy in where their paths eventually took them.

The story pulled me in and I soon noticed a big secret (and I'm sure if you read it you will too! Then again, I'm aware it was probably intended that the reader should know but yeah...I wanna feel like I was the one who figured it out and it wasn't just handed over to me). I don't know if that's a spoiler, damn it. It unleashed in a good way tho because up until then I hadn't been expecting it and then there was like a fuzzy feeling where you're all OH MY GOD!! It ties things together very well.

It was a calming read that I at first thought held a sort of unnerving undertone but then I got into the swing of what was really going on and I saw that it's actually a comforting read with a whole lot of mystery thrown in! Even when I as the reader, knew what was going on and wanted the characters to see it for themselves, it wasn't the type of thing that made me want to put it down just because I thought I had the plot all completed, it drew me closer to connecting with the people themselves , ,Tova especially, Cameron in his own way and Marcellus the most! (What's bigger, especially or the most, you'll never know because I can't decide for myself). It feels strange referring to an octopus as a character that can have such a huge impact and even develop as the story goes on but there you go! I got annoyed more than once, I thought about it when I wasn't reading it, I laughed and I cried when it drew to a close. I found ways to relate to the characters and they felt REAL. The story was spun in such a magical way that I might as well have been watching it play out infront of my eyes. The minds eye saw it all and even tho I'm not good with faces in my head (who else can't picture faces when they think about people/dream?) I could envision their environment with thanks to the author's detailed descriptions that allowed me to escape further into that world I often forgot was fiction.

I liked that there were hidden messages running throughout the book highlighting what really matters in life, it added a whole other layer to the story that ran in sync with the plot perfectly. The characters put things up on a pedestal that didn't really matter so it was nice seeing that come to light. It was like when the characters did something they needn't have done or changed their ways for the better through even the smallest of signs, it taught a lesson and had a meaningful place in the story.

I loved witnessing Tova step out of her shell through doing things you can tell she'd never have believed she was capable of and Marcellus was hilarious! I don't think I'll be able to not think about him whenever I see anything to do with octopuses. At times one character in particular annoyed me a lot and I don't want to name any names....but I have to, it was Cameron!! I couldn't hold back because he was kinda irritating ngl. I will say this tho, I do understand why he behaved the way he did and what had drilled that way of seeing the world and also himself into his personality. In a lot of ways he's relatable, maybe even more so for me than Tova was but she was more of a person I wanted to read about. I personally think that it was intentional to have him behave in a certain way so that you can see a lot of potential growth to be made and it certainly was, I'll give him that much! I think he needed things to play out the way they did so that he could realize the world doesn't revolve around him. I did want the best for him tho because he wasn't a bad person, he was only human! (I'm really reaching for a compliment there aren't I?).

There was a side I wished could have been delved more into but then again, a part of me thinks it was best left because it's more of a real interpretation of how things would turn out and it's true that things don't always go the way we'd like them to. One criticism I have is that there were loads of spelling mistakes, well maybe not spelling exactly but there were a lot of errors. I only started noticing them halfway through as I think I took anything that went wrong before that as problems to do with reading via my Kindle because it loaded as a document instead of a book. The errors were double words or important words like "the/of" missing from sentences which would throw me off a bit when I was reading in a free-flowing manner. It didn't take away from the story at all but it did make the text appear to be kind of rushed/not checked over but that could just be a Kindle thing anyway!

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a book that truly needs to be read and experienced and I was so sad when it came to an end! It sounds silly but there's been a little bit of a changeover from who I was before I finished it and who I am now, it provided a sense of calm that only a journey like that with a hint of otherworldly charm can hold. Although I guessed part of the ending (like I'm sure the majority of readers will do/have), there were still puzzle pieces to be connected and everything fell into place. With this being my first book review on the blog in over two years, I can honestly say I wouldn't have wanted it to be anything else as these words just appeared and I've really wanted to express how much I enjoyed it. I'm thinking about getting a paperback version to pass around my family as I know they'd love it too and since this is me just getting back into reading, it feels good to be recommending an amazing read!