Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick

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As sappy as it sounds having an octopus as a leading character—Shelby absolutely makes it works brilliantly… (feelings are all so real)… Given this dynamic, in what ways does the novel suggest that family is more about the bonds we choose rather than simply about biological connections, and how does Cameron’s personal growth throughout the novel underscore this theme?

The book opens with Marcellus McSquiddles (named by the 4 year old daughter of the Aquarium’s manager) introducing himself to us with a warning that the life span of a Giant Pacific Octopus is only 4 years (1,460 days) so our time with him WILL be brief. He was “rescued” as an injured juvenile and has, at most just 160 days left, until his sentence is complete.

Reviews

I must advise you that our time together may be brief. The plaque [on my tank] states ... the average life span of a giant Pacific octopus. Four years. ... Marcellus IS the star in the way that a “supporting actor” often steals the show! He is the thread that binds the three narratives together despite having the fewest chapters. Inspired by David Copperfield, Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South. Note: Above are quotes and excerpts from the book “Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel by Shelby Van Pelt”. If you find it interesting and useful, don’t forget to buy paper books to support the Author and Publisher! An angry, powerful book seething with love and outrage for a community too often stereotyped or ignored.

Do you think Tova’s loneliness and her eventual connection with different individuals, both human and non-human, provide insight into the human need for companionship on a regular basis? And in what ways does the novel explore this theme through Tova’s character arc? 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. For fans of A Man Called Ove, a luminous debut novel about a widow’s unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus reluctantly residing at the local aquarium—and the truths she finally uncovers about her son’s disappearance 30 years ago.The Vanishing Half: Here we have is a captivating tale that follows the lives of Vignes twin sisters, torn apart by secrets and race. Brit Bennett masterfully intertwines generations and storylines, exploring the enduring impact of the past and the complexities of identity in America. Matthew Perry's 'Friends' cast mates mourn their friend, say they are 'all so utterly devastated' VIEW 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.

Shelby Van Pelt grew up in Tacoma, and as a child, she says, her favorite place was the aquarium at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. “I loved to go there,” she says, “hang out for long periods of time while I sat in the dark and looked at jellyfish. I liked that it was dark; it felt more personal than other parts of the zoo. You kind of felt like you were part of it instead of just looking at animals in an enclosure. It was more immersive.”Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, will be published by Ecco/HarperCollins (US) and Bloomsbury (UK) in Spring 2022. An ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut about what it feels like to have love taken from you, only to find it again in the most unexpected places ... Memorable and tender. * Washington Post * Tell me again about the intelligence of humans. They cannot even manage to comprehend predictable meteorological events.” Author Shelby Van Pelt expertly weaves the characters’ stories together. Although each character has sad emotional issues such as loss, grief, aging, and secrets, the story remains hopeful. Van Pelt keeps the secrets hidden from the reader, and the unveiling of the secrets is a reader’s joy. Marcellus has the best secrets.

While fanciful, this story still had me engaged throughout. The novel is nicely paced and I was never bored. As she works, 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 tentacles for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova.

About Shelby

Wait, please. Were they interviewing him about trends in vacation home sales, or about “some” other “boring thing”? What exactly did this supposed interview entail, Ms. Van Pelt? You’re the only one who knows for sure, and I’d really like to be looped in. 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. She, (and Marcellus-who is more observant than ANY human) will find themselves involved in the mystery about what brought the “new guy” to town-JUST the stimulation a bored Octopus needed!