Remarkably Bright Creatures
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4.5 • 3.9K Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
This audio edition is read by Marin Ireland with Michael Urie as the voice of Marcellus.
An Audie Award Finalist - Audiobook of the Year. * A New York Times Bestseller * A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick
Now a Netflix Film
“This fantastical debut audiobook will enchant listeners.... A fanciful and enjoyable listening experience.” -Audiofile Magazine
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This charming mystery is about the unlikely bond between a 70-year-old janitor, her new assistant…and a giant octopus named Marcellus. Tova took her night job at a suburban Washington State aquarium to pull herself out of the grief over her husband’s recent death, in addition to the disappearance of her teenage son three decades before. Thirty-year-old man-child Cameron is trying to prove to himself that he’s ready for adult responsibility. Marcellus, nearing the end of a life in captivity, knows that there’s another connection between the two co-workers—though getting them to figure it out is something else entirely. Author Shelby Van Pelt has the humanistic eccentricity of Fredrik Backman and the clear, dialogue-driven storytelling of Taylor Jenkins Reid, while narrator Marin Ireland (with a martini-dry assist from actor Michael Urie as Marcellus) keeps this speedy novel moving crisply. Mixing a literary character study with a fun beach read, Remarkably Bright Creatures is an absolute gem.
Customer Reviews
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Gah, I loved this book so so so good.
3.5 Stars
My mom wanted me to read this before we watched it on Netflix, and I always listen.
First, I want to say that this book was good. I liked the writing, a lot of the characters were really endearing, and the pacing was fine.
Okay, on to critical things. I felt the story was really… predictable? as soon as you learn these characters and their blights, you go “ahh i see how this ends”. Which isn’t always a bad thing! the characters fit together perfectly like a puzzle, but a puzzle that took way too long to put together when it was so obvious.
I also wasn’t expecting Tova to not truly be the main character (at least in my eyes). She is a pretty stagnant character through 80% of the book. Don’t get me wrong, she’s very cute and I liked her chapters, it just felt like this book should’ve been advertised with more focus on Cameron.
Another critical point, I wasnt very invested. Maybe it’s because of the predictability mentioned, but I was never dying to get to the next chapter. I think the only real reason I finished it was for my mom.
Anyway, I hope the screen adaptation tries to fix some of these issues.
Should you read? If you want an easy, cute found family story, Yeah sure!
If you want a really good, moving story that will stay with you for a long time, I would keep looking.
New favorite book
This book was assigned by my book club. I read the description unsure if it was something I could get into. I was completely engulfed in this book. I can’t recommend this enough a story any age could love.