Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Narrated by Marin Ireland and Michael Urie

Standalone. General Fiction.

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“Humans. For the most part you are dull and blundering, but occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.”

I bought Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt in audiobook when it first came out but put off reading it because, honestly, a book about an octopus didn’t sound appealing. However, after seeing it on countless favorites lists and hearing my sister rave about it, I decided to dive in.

The story alternates between two main points of view: Tova, a widowed night janitor working at an aquarium, and Marcellus, a Giant Pacific Octopus nearing the end of his life. Yes, you read that right—Marcellus, an octopus, narrates parts of this story. These creatures are extraordinarily intelligent, and Marcellus has spent over 1,300 days in captivity observing humans with sharp wit and a touch of condescension.

“You ask, how do I know? I observe. I am very perceptive, perhaps beyond the bounds of your comprehension… For one thousand, three-hundred and twenty-nine days of this wretched captivity, I have honed my observations.”

The third perspective comes from Cameron, a bit of a drifter who buys a cheap RV to travel to the Pacific Northwest in search of his father. He ends up taking a part-time job at the aquarium, where his path intersects with Tova and Marcellus in fascinating and unexpected ways.

I found the writing brilliant and the storyline unique, but the pacing was slow, especially in the first half. Marcellus’s chapters were my favorite, Tova’s were solid, and Cameron’s initially grated on me. His tendency to blame others for his shortcomings made it hard to root for him, though he grew on me by the end.

Likes:

The writing and prose were beautifully crafted.
A completely unique and intriguing storyline.
I learned so much about octopuses and found myself fascinated enough to look up more about their intelligence in real life.
Marcellus’s chapters were a standout. His observations were witty and captivating.
The bond between Tova and Marcellus was heartwarming.
The story was deeply emotional at times, and the ending brought me to tears.

Dislikes:

The first half dragged for me.
Cameron was frustratingly immature, and it took a while for me to warm up to him.

The Narration:

If you decide to read this book, the audiobook is the way to go. The narrators brought the characters to life, especially Marcellus. His snooty condescension was perfectly captured and kept me engaged during the slower parts of the story.

The Down & Dirty:

I enjoy taking a break from romance now and then, and Remarkably Bright Creatures offered a refreshing change. While I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped, it was still a unique and touching story that I’m glad I finally experienced. The slow pacing held me back from fully loving it, but it’s worth a read if you’re looking for something heartfelt and different.