Book review: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

JUST FINISHED READING: Shelby Van Pelt`s bestseller of last year, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, Bloomsbury Books.

We go to an aquarium in Sowell Bay near Seattle, and meet Tova Sullivan the septuagenarian night-time cleaner there; Tova carries her age lightly but the mysterious loss of her son in a boating accident more heavily. She is surrounded by her septuagenarian friends in the Knit -Wit club (cue eyeroll) , her elderly admirer Ethan, Cameron  Cassmore a newly arrived from California young man who temps in  her place when Tova sprains her ankle.

But most special of Tova`s friends is Marcellus the Giant Pacific Octopus in the aquarium, who is not only a  remarkably bright creature, he also cottons on to a lot of things happening around him. Marcellus tells us that he can use tools, solve puzzles, sometimes steal little things around the aquarium when he`s on his night trawls and stash them away in a treasure box inside his tank,  even read what the humans etch on his glass tank exterior. Marcellus and Tova  develop a lovely relationship, and ultimately, become each other`s saviours.

Cameron is in search of a father who he believes abandoned his mother years ago.  Basically  there are mysteries to be solved in Sowell Bay. Will Tova come to know how exactly her son died. Will Cameron find his father. As age creeps up on Tova, what decisions will she take for her future. Will Marcellus the octopus be able to convey the Secret only he knows to Tova and Cameron.

Each of the characters carry their own baggage and we get a poignant non-judgemental glimpse of all the backstories. The main pivot of this  book, which really is all heart and borderline cutesy,  is how human relationships are crafted, go through crests and troughs but ultimately prevail. In this book, all  overseen by a wise old cephalopod.

Simply put, this is that octopus book you`ve always been wanting to read. Go get it now!