pickA touching story. A tad melodramatic perhaps, but even the presence of my least favourite plot device, miscommunication, did not prevent me from enjoying it. The octopus POV was my favourite part, but I am glad for the growth and closure Tova and Cameron experienced.
The octopus providing the human with enrichment? 😏
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recently widowed, Tova Sullivan works nights at Sowell Bay Aquarium as a cleaner. She forms an unlikely connection w/ its giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus, who is a keen observer. When Tova is unable to work for a few weeks, the aquarium hires a young man named Cameron, who has come to SB to find his father. Marcellus realizes the humans can't see what's right before them, so he uses his escape-artist skills to bring the truth to light.
Eloquent cephalopod.
I love animal POVs.
pickWhy am I so emotional about an octopus?! 😢❤️.
More of a review will follow after work
pickIf you ever have a bad day and just want to read something relaxing and comforting, this is for you. I loved it!📚🐙
pickThis book is a warm hug. A grieving and lonely old woman befriends an aging octopus in an aquarium and he helps her life fill up again. It sounds ridiculous but it‘s not. It‘s just lovely (and maybe a tad predictable too but in a forgivable way). Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2023/04/review-remarkably-bright-creatures-by.ht...
pickSuch a beautiful story of friendship and
family. And Marcellus the octopus was a wonderful addition to the story. All the feels for this one. Looking forward to a book club discussion next month.
pick"Maybe we all have sea monsters living in our brains...."
so-soI love Marcellus! Give me more Marcellus chapters.
Some of this book I loved, but I also did a lot of skimming. This is just a little too much monotony and people not communicating with each other for me.
pickI loved this book. I call this genre "happy books for sad people."
pickI was surprised by how much I loved this. It is not at all what I typically read but it was such a beautiful story. I was sobbing at the end. Loved the unique point of views and how the stories intertwined. A great comeback story with flawed people just doing their best. 🐙🐙🐙🐙 1/2 stars/octopi
Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
#boleybooks #remarkablybrightcreatures #shelbyvanpelt #bookbeast #bookjoy #bookbuds #bookchat
What are you reading? 😊
pickLovely and heartwarming. I've been reading a lot of heavy stuff lately, so this was just the right palate cleanser. Light, but not total fluff; emotional, but not devastating.
When I read Marcellus' POV, I heard Peter Dinklage's voice in my head. My coworker heard a very proper, snotty, British man (with a monocle). If you've read it, what did you imagine?
pickI loved this charming book about the unlikely intersection of several lives, including a “remarkably bright” octopus. I don‘t usually enjoy books that are too sentimental, so I was a little worried about this one, but I‘m glad I gave it a chance because I thought it hit just the right tone. And it was both my #bookspin AND #roll100!
pickLoved this story of Marcellus, a giant octopus living in an aquarium who knows he is coming to the end of his life, so decides to help out some friends.
Marcellus is as lovely as Six Thirty (Lessons in Chemistry) and Claude (Still Life) so if you liked those books you‘ll love this one too. I‘m also pleased to have read a book about an anthropomorphic sea creature that didn‘t traumatise me, after Pod! 🤣
pickI loved this book! Tova, a woman who lost her son when he was young and more recently her husband, works at a local aquarium in her small Pacific Northwest town just so she can stay busy. She works nights, cleaning. Marcellus is the Giant Pacific Octopus who resides at the aquarium. He is no ordinary creature. He is a remarkably bright creature and he is one of the narrators of this remarkably sweet and moving novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 ❤️📚
My reading wrap-up for April. I just happened to rate them all 4 stars.
pickA grieving mother/widow. A lost young man searching for his past and future. A very smart, regal, and mischievous octopus. Three paths cross and make one amazing tale. Made me tear up. 4 🐙 🐙🐙🐙
pickOne of the main reasons I was drawn to the tagged book is because the title made me think of the Dan the Man Album Brightly Coloured Creatures. As you can see one track in particular is nearly on target. I was a little hesitant to start because I have seen quite a few meh reviews. But I really loved this story. The beginning seemed disjointed at first but it was neat seeing how the individual stories intertwined. #bookmusicpairing #thingsincommon
“Day 1,361 of My Captiv—Oh, Let Us Cut the Shit, Shall We? We Have a Ring to Retrieve.”
pickI love when you find an amazing book for vacation. I loved this story of finding family, whether from old connections, new friends, or even a mysteriously intelligent octopus narrator. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking for something heartwarming and creative. Amazing especially as a first novel for this author!
I love art on book pages! My youngest is having his wisdom teeth removed. Poor kid. Hoping this book can distract me for the next hour, while I wait. Third kid to have them removed, and the waiting is not really any easier. (My second son had his out a few years ago just before Covid, my oldest just three weeks ago, and my daughter hasn‘t needed to yet).
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A captive, ornery Giant Pacific Octopus knows he‘s at the end of his days and starts living life to the fullest. I‘m happy to say this lives up to the hype! I feel like that doesn‘t often happen. This is a thoughtful, full-circle story of an improbable friendship. That said, I wanted more Marcellus. Such a fun POV! Incredible debut; looking forward to hearing what both of my book clubs think! #bookclub
pickI‘ve never read a book from an octopus‘ point of view. Marcellus (the octopus) and Tova (an old lady) become friends and solve a mystery. How awesome is that?! Really though it is a fascinating story and I highly recommend it.
Starting this one for my little book club‘s next book! Excited to read it. We vote out of 5 or so choices for our next read, and this one was unanimously the first choice. That has NEVER happened in 25 years of book club! ❤️📚
pickI finished this book 4 weeks ago, and have been thinking about it ever since…which made me realize that I should write a review and share my recommendation. This was a rewarding read! I have always had a deep interest in octopuses, so this book was right up my alley! The point-of-view characters (the octopus, especially) were endearing without being like a Hallmark movie, and you genuinely rooted for them! It‘s a quick read, so give it a go :)
Just the sweetest. Perfectly read audiobook. Marcellus? All the ❤️‘s and ⭐️‘s. My favorite part? The Grateful Dead t-shirt. I understood that deep in my bones. 🤣
#Pantone2023 @Clwojick
Podcasts, book clubs, bibliographies, and especially Litsy. Tagged book has popped up on more than one podcast and also here. #sundayfunday
This was a really good audiobook. I loved Marcellus the octopus as a narrator, it was so unique and I love him. Marcus was rescued and forms a friendship with the cleaning lady, Tova, and he helps her find out what happened to her son. I was skeptical that I‘d enjoy this book and be entertained with so much revolving around grief, loss, growth, etc but I did really enjoy it.
pick“But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me. Tova‘s heart. I will do everything I can to help her fill it.” ♥️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Why did I wait so long to read this book? Absolutely fell in love with this story and of course Marcellus the octopus! I honestly didn't think I would like this one, but I was pleasantly surprised!🐙❤️🌊
pickThis was a fantastic tale about Marcellus, the octopus who was "rescued" and placed in the Sowell Bay Aquarium. There, he befriends Tova, who works the night shift and helps her solve the mystery of what happened to her son ?
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#LMPBC
#Naturalitsy #fiction @AllDebooks
pickAnother great audiobook! This book gave me A Man Called Ove vibes and so it was an easy pick for me. Cute, engaging, funny, this book was great to make bread to and putter around the house with. Cleaning with Tova was a joy 😉
pickA remarkably heartwarming and touching story about family, love, loss and healing. What a truly one and only exceptional octopus! 🐙🧡
pickI throughly enjoyed this sweet story that demonstrates the healing power of community, compassion, and companionship. I must not forget to mention the star of the story, a brilliant octopus named Marcellus McSquiddles. Marcellus requests that you please not mistake him for a squid - he considers this to be an insult of the worst sort. I found the book to be a bit slow getting started, but then I was was hooked 🙂
Starting my next audiobook today while at the gym! Already enjoying the playful nature of an octopus narrator so I‘m excited!
pickI loved this so so much. I was skeptical that a book about grief could be so entertaining and heartening. I had a lot of fear that it would be too sad to bear, but I loved it
pickOh what a delight this one was!
Such a tender tale of grief and loss, of growing pains and fresh starts.
And then there‘s the rather exceptional octopus who steals the show (among other things).
It‘s a very gloomy, rainy day and #Bookmail always makes it better!!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🤍🖤💗
pickWho knew I would love a book told (partially) from the perspective of an octopus? But this was lovely and sweet, even if it was very predictable. In this case I didn‘t mind that. Loved Marcellus and could read a whole book just about him 🐙❤️
This was my #bookspin for March @TheAromaofBooks
pickI (like everyone?) loved this SO MUCH. The wise, trouble-making octopus, the older woman trying to determine what course her life should take after the death of her husband, the perennial screw-up searching for his mother and a place to belong. Pretty sure I clutched this book to my chest after weeping through the end of it, so if you‘re one of the four people who didn‘t read and love it last year, don‘t let it pass you by! 😜🐙📚
The tagged is my March #bookspin and Meet Me in Monaco is my #doublespin. Excited to read these!
@TheAromaofBooks
Remarkably Bright Creatures showed up today as well as my #LLWBS 😺
#LMPBC @MaleficentBookDragon
#LitsyLoveWinterBluesSwap @ImperfectCJ @Deblovestoread @Bookgoil
pickA cute, heartwarming story that‘s as predictable as they come. A friend of mine urged me to pick it up after she stayed up all night to read it. I enjoyed it, but apparently not as much as she did. I probably won‘t remember much of it a year from now.
Remarkably Bright Creatures | 
