Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Remarkably Bright Creatures

By Shelby Van Pelt

  • Release Date: 2022-05-03
  • Genre: Literary Fiction
Score: 4.5
From 4,619 Ratings

Description

A New York Times Bestseller

Soon to be a Netflix Film

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

“Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful examination of how loneliness can be transformed, cracked open, with the slightest touch from another living thing.” -- Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

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.

Reviews

  • Great Read

    By californiagirl1
    Loved this book! Thank you to Kylie Capps for recommending it on Fox4 News.
  • Cute

    By girlguts
    Easy, fast, light, heartwarming. Tends towards long winded and the cluelessness of the characters gets frustratingly unbelievable a few times, but maybe that’s the point. Tova, one of the main characters, is about as likable as they come.
  • Van Pelt’s first book will have you wanting more.

    By Littleballoffire
    A must read that will keep you turning the page. Great plot, loved the characters and the ending was well thought out. I hope we see another book from Shelby Van Pelt in the future.
  • Interesting

    By opuytree
    From the beginning you’re like where is this going. Good weaves
  • Remarkable!

    By Scrabblephile
    A creative story of a family and an Octopus that surprisingly intertwine.
  • Remarkably Bright Creatures

    By Rummy man
    An endearing and quirky wonderful story
  • Yawn

    By Lives "to do"
    Found this book very slow, initially very disjointed and then fairly obvious ending. Style appears to strive for Fredric Bachman but misses the mark. Just boring.
  • Lovely

    By Isittoolatenowtosaysorry
    Heartwarming and beautifully written. One of my favorite books I have ever read
  • Surprising and unique

    By lthoma2
    Nothing about this book was what I expected. Beautifully structured and written. The characters were so real, I wanted to bring them home! Like nothing I’ve ever read. Heartwarming without being schmaltzy so many twists as it unfolded. Couldn’t put it down.
  • So shines a good deed in a weary world

    By Snowaholic
    This world can make one weary. If you want to escape and be embraced in a warm hug - read this book!