I just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. This book has been on my to read list for awhile. It is about a widow who forms a remarkable bond with a giant Pacific octopus. After losing both her husband and her son, Tova takes a job as a cleaner at the local aquarium, and there she meets the octopus, named Marcellus. Tova and Marcellus are drawn to each other due to their loneliness. I LOVED this book honestly. I really empathized with the character of Tova. She has spent a lot of time alone after losing her loved ones, and over the course of the book, she learns several important lessons. Most importantly she learns that it is alright to lean on others, and that for those who love you, you will never be a burden. The parts of the book that were written from the point of view of Marcellus were particularly well done. I felt so sad for him as he talked about how he felt being trapped in the tank and his distant memories of the sea. This made me think of my own pet birds and how they must feel, spending their lives in a house, rather than the grasslands of Australia. Unlike Marcellus, they've at least got an entire room and an enclosed porch where they can sing to all the local birds! I sometimes wish I could take them back to their homeland, but that, of course would be a very bad idea as they wouldn't survive in the wild.
I also loved reading about the other inhabitants of Sowell Bay and their lives. I do wish, however, that they had been written in a more nuanced way, particularly the character of Ethan. I felt that at times the supporting characters were very stereotypically "small town busybodies" and that made not like them at times. When I finished reading, I felt sad for Marcellus and all the other animals that we humans have stolen from their homes. I also felt joy however, knowing that his bond with Tova was a bright spot in his life. I also loved that this book was about an older person and that it showed that it is never too late to change your life. At the beginning of the book, Tova is adrift, used to years of being alone, and feeling that she doesn't want to be a burden on others. I work with older patients and many of them are like Tova, stubbornly independent and very lonely, especially as they have been isolating during the pandemic. Sadly the support system for older adults in the US is lacking, and many of my patients find themselves either in a state run nursing facility or paying an exorbitant sum for 24 hour care or an assisted living facility.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It hooks you from the very beginning and keeps you interested. Be prepared to feel a lot of feelings, and bring a tissue!
Have you read this book? If so, leave a comment below to let me know what you think.
-chaitime
