Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick

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Tova began working there after her husband died, preferring to share her time with those who don’t ask a lot of questions, and so she and Marcellus develop a kind of silent bond. Tova shares some stories, but Marcellus can also see the sadness that weighs her down, and so periodically he will leave her small tokens. While he manages to, periodically, stray beyond his glass walls that are meant to keep him from straying, Tova’s fondness for him grows. Her affection for him grows, as does his for her. Inspired by David Copperfield, Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South. In “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” Tova’s loneliness and sense of isolation are prominent themes. Her loss of a son, her husband, and estrangement from her brother has left her alone. However, her interactions with the Knit-Wits and her relationship with Marcellus help to alleviate some of her solitude. We see Cameron, a young man who can't get his shit life together long enough to keep a job or girlfriend go on a quest to find his deadbeat dad some free cash. When he arrives in Sowell Bay just in time to be a temp for Tova's job as a cleaner in the aquarium, these characters's stories intersect beautifully to create a heartwarming read that's wise and quirky. A wonderful portrayal of how to thrive in loneliness ❤️❤️

Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with a lively cast of characters (human and cephalopod), engaging and well-paced narrative and a perfect combination of emotion, humor, wit and wisdom (suspend disbelief and you will enjoy the story!), Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful story that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a lump in your throat and a smile on your face. Tova wonders sometimes if it’s better that way, to have one’s tragedies clustered together, to make good use of the existing rawness. Get it over with in one shot. Tova knew there was a bottom to those depths of despair. Once your soul was soaked though with grief, any more simply ran off, overflowed, the way maple syrup on Saturday-morning pancakes always cascaded onto the table whenever Erik was allowed to pour it himself.” Book excerpts: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Tova loves cleaning the floors, windows, tanks, and the seal statue that was a favorite of her son when he was little. For Tova, this job is a life saver, a place for her to be, a place she is needed, welcomed, and cherished by the aquarium manager. And then something very special happens! Tova meets curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. She already knew Marcellus, just as she knew all the other aquarium creatures but she never KNEW him before she and Marcellus meet face to face in an amazing way. Thus begins a lifelong friendship between Tova and Marcellus. Lifelong considering the short length of life that Marcellus has left since he is at the end of his four year lifespan. This is the story of Tova the janitor and Marcellus the octopus, both old-timers. Don’t worry, we don’t have a talking octopus here (he and Tova don’t have conversations)—that would have been a turnoff for me. Instead, we get to hear Marcellus’s clever thoughts as he observes the humans around him. He’s a wise creature who occasionally escapes his tank in search of food treats. He’s funny and smart. (In real life, octopuses are smart—a cool fact that had me running to Google to learn more.) Oh, and Marcellus is curmudgeonly—but yet he’s also very helpful. Putting tape over my mouth because I don’t want to give anything away. This book contains one of my absolute favorite themes--found family. And one could even include Marcellus in that mix because although his role in the story isn't very large, it is certainly impactful. As I mentioned, there are a plethora of coincidences in this novel, so you'll have to set that aside to enjoy the simple beauty of the tale if those types of things bother you. Cameron has a LOT of growing up to do, which he does through the course of the novel.I thank the author and publisher for providing a DRC of this wonderful book via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed here are my own. 3. C.BRAD COX Review Remarkably Bright Creatures Tova knew there was a bottom to those depths of despair. Once your soul was soaked through with grief, any more simply ran off, overflowed, the way maple syrup on Saturday morning pancakes always cascaded onto the table whenever Erik was allowed to pour it on himself.”

The Lincoln Highway: In 1950s America, Emmett Watson is released from a work farm after a year in prison. With his family gone and the farm lost, his journey west takes an unexpected turn when two friends join him. A gripping tale of hope and redemption unfolds in just ten days. While the story is somewhat predictable it was still fun to listen to how these two humans and one octopus would solve the mystery of Tova’s missing son.Stars. This was a charming story about family, friendships, loss, grief, aging, loneliness, unlikely connections and moving on. The story is set in a small town overlooking Puget Sound, Washington State.