I think I finally understand what people mean when they say a book is a “palette cleanser.” Because that is what we have here. Apparently I missed the online hype and craze regarding Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel published in 2022, because I had never heard of it and honestly likely didn’t like it as much as others did. It’s not horrible, it’s not even bad, but it’s also not The Great American Novel. Let’s discuss this latest book club pick and what I thought about it!
Remarkably Bright Creatures By Shelby Van Pelt
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a cozy, heartwarming and overall very cute story following a few different storylines: an elderly woman mourning the mysterious death of her beloved son; a thirty-year-old down-on-his-luck man trying to rediscover his family lineage and make his own way; and a charming well-spoken octopus sharing his observations of the world around him:
“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.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures. Shelby Van Pelt. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58733693-remarkably-bright-creatures.
Right off the bat, I have to tell you this synopsis does not accurately reflect the entire story. Tova and her unlikely friendship with Marcellus only takes up about 50% of the book; the other main character is Cameron (Cam) — a young man on a mission to make a better future for himself, escape his mistakes, and learn more about his broken upbringing. That is a major, major part of the story that is for some reason not acknowledged by the book itself and it threw me for a loop while I was reading; I kept wondering why Cam’s perspective was so important when he’s not even mentioned in the literal advertising of the book. Just want to give you that warning so you have the right impression of the story upfront!
But outside of that minor annoyance from a marketing perspective, I think this book is — like I said in the intro — a palette cleanser. I do really enjoy Van Pelt’s writing style and narrative structure, and how the chapters are titled and interwoven, and outside of that the story is very charming. The chapters are quick and easily jump from perspective to perspective, ensuring you never get bored with one character before moving to another one. The entire plot is very slice of life and heartwarming and is perfect if you’re specifically looking for something cozy; this is not a murder mystery in the slightest and is way more about human relationships, friendships, and self discovery.
Despite several instances of me audibly saying “Aww,” that is all Remarkably Bright Creatures is. It is perfect for getting you out of a reading slump — you read it, you have a great time, and you’re ready to move onto something else. It’s not a bad book, or even a bad story, but I’m not going to pretend this is something larger or more important than what it is. It’s a cute romp to listen to on longer flights or Sunday afternoons, it makes you feel good while reading it, and you can very easily use this as fuel to get through your TBR List. Check it out if that sounds like your vibe; if not you can skip it and won’t miss anything.
My Hot Takes (Spoiler Warning)
- Marcellus has a very dry, realistic sense of humor and the audiobook makes him sound like a gentleman from the Victorian era in his observations of humans. I absolutely love this and he has the best perspective in the entire book.
- Marcellus has a funny fascination and disgust with humans. He is right; humans should communicate better; and it is genuinely hilarious that he knows what a cuckold is.
- Universal cat dispensary system for the win!
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
