Robin’s Rave Reviews 2025

Have you put off reading REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt? It’s time. I’ve had the novel on my shelf for quite some time, always intending to read it next. Finally, I read it on the plane and on vacation. REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES has been out since May of 2022. It’s gained such high praise that many of you have probably already read it. If not, whacha waitin’ for? If you have, great! Then make sure to comment below to share your thoughts with others! 

Book Summary

Isn’t that the octopus book?

Yes, the book features an octopus named Marcellus, and you’ll love him, but it’s so much more. The author explores family issues, grief, aging, and growing up—all lessons that hit home through the strangest circumstances in her book. It even has a mystery and a romance built in.

Two lives in particular are intertwined with Marcellus: Tova, a night janitor at the aquarium, and Cameron, a bright man in his 30s who lacks stability and motivation. The story is told in the POV of all three characters. It’s truly a story of unexpected and unconventional friendships between Marcellus, Tova, and Cameron.

Marcellus is bright and exceptionally perceptive, as we see in his POV chapters. He has been at the aquarium most of his life and is keenly aware he is approaching the life expectancy of a giant Pacific octopus.

At age 70, Tova cleans at the aquarium to give her purpose in life and to keep busy. She lives alone in the house her father built. Her husband, son, and brother have all died. She’s haunted by the mystery of what happened the night of her son’s death. Although Tova has been on her own for some time, the recent death of her brother and her own foot injury gives her reason to consider her future. She has no one to care for her in her elder years.

Cameron has a lengthy list of failed relationships and jobs. Raised by his aunt and not knowing if his mother is still alive, he’s now looking for the father he’s never known, hoping this discovery is financially beneficial. His selfish motives become the catalyst for change and growth.

Marcellus has a habit of escaping his enclosure at night to feast on “treats” in other nearby tanks and collect trinkets he finds. Marcellus is a keen observer of everything and everyone at the aquarium, but he needs more stimulation, so he escapes (and returns) often. Octopi can only be out of the water for eighteen minutes before The Consequences. Luckily, the night he gets tangled in power cords, Tova discovers him and saves him. They form a bond, and Marcellus often affectionately wraps an arm around Tova’s arm when she dangles it at the top of the tank, leaving sucker marks on her.

Both Tova and Cameron are searching for answers to tough life questions, and Marcellus may be the connection to the answers they need.

My Thoughts 

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt has something for everyone, but I loved that it explores how family (real or found) and community can fill our empty spaces.

You’ll never think of an octopus the same way again.

Shelby does an excellent job bringing her characters to life. Marcellus’s humor and perceptiveness make him a fun, complex character you’ll want more of. I love that Marcellus is trying to share information with Tova, but she doesn’t ‘get it’ for some time. Tova is a strong, independent woman with the kindness of a grandmother anyone would want. Cameron starts out as an annoying man-child who can’t find his place in life while his friends are married and having a baby. Although he starts his journey with questionable motives, his development and maturation are satisfying.

The secondary characters are also lovable. The members of Tova’s social group, The Knit Wits, have been supportive of each other as they age, but the group is getting smaller and smaller. Ethan, the grocery store owner, is quite a character! He’s the town gossip, but he also looks out for Tova. He works through his insecurities, attempting to develop a relationship with her. Add that he’s Scottish and has an accent, and he becomes memorable. Avery is a good addition to Cameron’s story as his antithesis and romantic interest. She’s everything he’s not. She’s a hard-working entrepreneur, running her own business while raising a child on her own.

Although you may guess some twists, let the story take you on a leisurely ride where all three POV stories intersect, bringing it to a rewarding ending. You’ll be glad you did!

About the Author

Shelby was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, the setting of REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES. Now she lives in Chicago with her family and cats.

This novel is Shelby Van Pelt’s debut book. It spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list. It is also a Read with Jenna Today Show book club pick, as well as an award-winning novel.

Consider purchasing REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES through this link on Bookshop.org to help support independent mom and pop bookstores. Personally, I like to support MacIntosh Books on Sanibel Island with their recovery after Hurricane Ian. (I don’t receive any commission from this. I simply want to help independent bookstores.)

If You Like…

I always suggest a similar book I’ve read and reviewed to consider. However, if you like REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES,  a comparable book is difficult because of its uniqueness. Here are a few books I have not yet read that may fill your order. Check out THE KEEPER OF STORIES by Sally Page, ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman, THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV  by Elizabeth Berg, or (non-fiction) THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS by Sy Montgomery. Most of these are already on my Want to Read list. Hope they click with you!

Drop me a comment below! What are you reading that you’d recommend? Who are your favorite authors?  Ask me a question about books and/or writing. I’d love to hear from you!

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