Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel

Top positive review

Magical!

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2022

Oh, to see the human race from the eyes of an highly intelligent, rebellious, and curmudgeons octopus…something I couldn’t have ever imagined myself until Shelby Van Pelt made it so real that I could never unsee it. A master with details and craft, Van Pelt takes us on a heartfelt journey of two imperfect characters who have holes in their hearts that can never be filled. Or can they? With the help of a remarkable octopus, maybe? Read this novel and find out. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be sad when it’s over because this is a book that will stay with you for a very long time.

41 people found this helpful

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Joan Radford

Very disappointed!

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2022

I usually like books recommended by Jenna Bush. This one was so boring that I skimmed most of the book! I took it to the beach and was so sorry I wasted my time with it.

4 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Terra Weiss

Magical!

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2022

Verified Purchase

41 people found this helpful

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Stacey Gustafson

Thanks for the great read!

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022

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I was intrigued by the title of an article on lithub by Shelby Van Pelt titled “Lessons Learned from a Year Listening to the Fictional Octopus in My Head”. Having confidence in ourselves is often difficult no matter what we are tackling and the voices in our head can both help and hinder our progress. Something I could relate to. I appreciated Shelby's honest review of herself, the frankness a writer struggles with, the funny things toddlers say and how anthropomorphizing an animal can help us see ourselves and our world with fresh eyes. I enjoyed the article so much that I decided to give her book a try.

It has been awhile since I read a book that I really did not want to put down. It has been even longer since I stayed awake until 2am reading the last 150 pages and much much longer still, since I read a novel that made me both laugh and cry out loud. What a delight this book was. The characters are relatable or, in Marcellus' case, downright loveable.

Even though I guessed correctly the overall mystery before the giant beloved octopus clued us in, there were so many little ones I wanted to know how they would work out. I became invested in all the characters.

Yes, there was an octopus, whom I thought was the remarkably bright creature mentioned in the title, but alas I was wrong. And boy did I laugh out loud when I learned who it really was. You are wiser than us all Marcellus.

A novel about a mother’s undying love for her lost son, a group of knit-wit friends, a small town that provides the strongest sense of community despite (or perhaps because of) gossip, an out-of-towner and an octopus. A unique combination that simply worked well.

It dealt with a loss that I hope I never have to face, but one I felt so deeply connected with and could empathize with at every level. It was a lovely novel that brought love, loss, hope, friendship and new beginnings full circle.

29 people found this helpful

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UncommonlyBound

A Quietly Beautiful Story

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2022

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OMG, this book! I never thought I’d empathize with an octopus, but here we are. I liked how the author used both an elderly human woman and a 5-year-old octopus to explore what it means to be near the end of one’s life. I also appreciated the way the story grappled with unrealized potential.

The author does something really interesting with POV. All the chapters centering on human characters are told in third person. Meanwhile, Marcellus’s chapters are relayed in first person by the octopus himself. I felt like this was a very effective storytelling tool. As a reader, I felt very connected to Marcellus even though I have no idea what it is like to be an octopus.

27 people found this helpful

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Mnurse

An unusual & wonderful story.

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2022

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Told from a couple of viewpoints, this is the interlayered tale of lost souls who find solace & peace through each other's actions. Tova, a widow, works nights cleaning the nearby aquarium, chatting to the animals in the exhibits as she mops by. She's lonely & bored, as is the octopus in the large tank. She's admired from afar by her grocer & loved by her friends but she drifts, aimlessly, still grappling with a life changing tragedy. Her admirer takes in a lonely young man looking for answers who has a lot of growing up to do. These characters form the basis for a lyrical story about love, loss & the meaning of family. I almost never give 5 stars but this book really deserved them.

22 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

What a wonderful read!

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2022

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Prepare to fall in love with the characters in this book (both human and cephalopod)! A heartwarming story with a happy ending (my favorite). I was sorry to say goodbye to the world Van Pelt created. She deftly spins a web of divergent strands that comes together beautifully. Read it now!

17 people found this helpful

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Anne Baird

Great book club pick!

Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2022

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A remarkable story that includes multiple narrators, including an octopus. A story of loss, love, unlikely friendships and unexpected life events! I absolutely loved this book from the writing to the story, it just draws you in!

16 people found this helpful

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Charger

Interesting!

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2022

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I really liked this book. The plot was quite unique. I didn't know how the author was going to pull all the seemingly unrelated elements together, but she did. Loved how the octopus seemed more human than some of the humans. I didn't like the foul mouth and lifestyle of Cameron's, but, sadly, they did make the character seem real in today's culture. Hope she writes more books.

15 people found this helpful

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Five stars is not enough.

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2022

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This book was such an enjoyable read. I follow all kinds of book sites and people give all kinds of book recommendations. I am so glad I checked this one out. How could I not read a book where one of the narrators is an octopus. Would it work? I had to read it.
So glad I did, what an enjoyable read. I laughed and cried and thanked the stranger that recommended it. I wish I could remember which site I found it on so I could actually thank her.
I highly recommend this book.

15 people found this helpful

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Sandra Fox Murphy

Serendipity

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2022

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Ms. Van Pelt has written an intriguing tale in Remarkably Bright Creatures that lures the reader into mystery, grief, and what I would call serendipity. As a fan of the documentary The Octopus Teacher, I was eager to read this new book, and it did not disappoint. It was more about the circumstances and characters brought together by chance, but the octopus, Marcellus, was the catalyst that moved the connections forward, and the author did an excellent job in bringing it all together in the end—it was authentic and well planned.

What I truly enjoyed were lines throughout this story that appeared, on the surface, to be inconsequential, but truly held depth. One such phrase (not a spoiler), was via Cameron’s thoughts at the aquarium: “They watch a school of cod drift, propelled by the tank’s fake current. If they wait four minutes, Cameron knows, they’ll come again. What a life, those endless laps.” And there are surprises in this story. Though the beginning did not propel me to keep reading, by the middle of the book, I could not put it down. Though my favorite genre is historical fiction, I am glad I read this debut novel. A great story, and it does make me want to live near the sea again.

2 people found this helpful

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Kathleen Amirault

A very rare five stars for a genuinely special book…

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2022

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Remarkable that this is a first novel, I hope it’s not her last but no matter because it’s delightful, sad, moving, funny and totally entertaining. As a lover of all animals, big and small, wet and dry, I fell for Marcellus instantly. I was reminded of many trips to The New England Aquarium with my Dad and my sons where we stood and watched all the sea creatures give us a glimpse into their world. I also identified with Tova and Cameron having experienced many losses but their strength may have seeped from the story to me and I appreciate that. Read and enjoy this story. It’s so well done and unpretentious. I loved it.

2 people found this helpful

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