I already wish I could read this book again for the first time.

Tova is a widow, living in a small town a few hours outside of Seattle. She is lonely but longing for connection after the tragic loss of her son when he was a teenager. She works in the evenings as a janitor at the local aquarium where she finds herself befriending the fish, specifically a snarky, kind, and remarkably smart octopus named Marcellus. When an injury leaves Tova having to share her work duties with a strange young man, she finds herself feeling confused by the familiarities she feels. As the book unfolds, the question of what it takes to make a family begins to be answered through an assortment of beloved characters.

I loved every single thing about this book. As a “citizen scientist” very interested in marine life, I loved Marcellus’ character and the curmudgeon like qualities of his perspective in the book. It read similar to anxious people but with less characters to keep track of. It’s the kind of story that felt warm, like a hug so desperately needed in this trying time. It reminded me of all the best parts of friendship, family, and neighborhood. I really appreciate when authors speak to the unique make ups of relationships and how rich connection can be.

After finishing the last page, I texted my mom, “I think I just read the best book of the year.”

Can’t recommend it enough.

This book falls into a genre that I normally don't read: saccharine stories where all the characters get Happily Ever Afters. It's a bit too much for me, although I can see the appeal for those looking to escape reality for a while.

And in keeping with that Hallmark movie genre, you know what you are getting with this book:
1. No surprises. The connection between characters is stated clearly so there's no drama or anticipation.
2. All characters mysteriously have all of their needs met. No one, even the poor and near homeless, suffers. Food, shelter, employment all are provided, so no worries there.
3. Since everyone's needs are met there are no major emotional upheavals.
4. Sense of fate bringing people together.
5. Everyone gets the ending that they need.

So what does that mean for a story? You get a delightful, heartwarming read, albeit a bit fantastical, that provides a bit of respite from reality. And that makes it a good read.

This is the first book in while I’ve read in a single day.

I could not put it down. I had to know how the story would play out!

Cameron was abandoned by his mom at age nine as she struggled with addiction. He never knew who his dad was and only had his aunt as family. He himself is irresponsible and has a hard time giving weight to anything.

Tova has lived through the unthinkable. Her son died the summer after his high school graduation in what manner thought was a suicide. She never believed it but didn’t know what did really happen.

Marcellus is an incredibly intelligent octopus housed at the aquarium Tova cleans. When she saves him one night they form a bond.

These three lives will collide and intertwine.

And yes I absolutely sobbed over an octopus.

Who knew you could love an octopus that much? The narrator voicing Marcellus was amazing! I liked the whole book, but got excited each time we returned to the octopus. Thank you for putting the audio ARC here.

Oh my goodness, this is the best book I've read in ages and I've been telling EVERYONE about it. The unique point of view of Marcellus; the grief of elderly Tova; the feelings of abandonment and worthlessness of the 30 year old male protagonist -- it all comes together in the most satisfying ending (not altogether unexpected). This is a book to savor and pass from friend to friend. I am grateful for the opportunity to read it pre-publication! Don't miss this one!

I loved the cover and I'm sure like most people LOVED Marcellus the Octopus! It did take a minute to get used to the characters. I was mostly interested in Tova and Marcellus for a better part of the book but, halfway through things really started to pull together, Definitely keep with it! It won't disappoint. It's fresh!

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

Recently widowed, Tova Sullivan takes a cleaning job at the Sowell Bay Aquarium to keep her mind off of the unresolved grief of her son's mysterious disappearance 30 years prior. Her path crosses with Cameron Cassmore, a mopey individual scarred by the abandonment of his mother when he was 9 years old. Both notice that Marcellus, the aquarium's resident Giant Pacific octopus, knows much more than he lets on. All 3 are bonded in a warm and uplifting story that intertwines lives and powerful emotions through the intelligence and love of one very stubborn cephalopod.

Shelby Van Pelt does a wonderful job at telling a story from multiple viewpoints at various ages and even species. I felt the grief and turmoil of both an older woman and a younger man, both for very different reasons. All the characters in her novel are imperfect and so very relatable. I am thankful I stuck this novel through because it starts off slow and seemingly without direction for a while. I was confused with what direction this novel was taking, so I almost thought I would not finish it. Stick it through to see amazing character development and a new change of pace for a fiction novel. This story is so touching that a few tears came to my eyes at the end. I am excited to see other stories come form this debut author.

Marcellus is an octopus in a Pacific Coast aquarium, trying to make the most of the final days of his 4-year lifespan. He is an escape artist, but hasn’t yet managed to reach the ocean just outside the aquarium walls. On one of his nocturnal sojourns out of his tank, he befriends the cleaner, Tova, a woman entering her twilight years who is haunted by the loss of her teenage son at sea 30 years earlier. The unlikely pair are able to help each other find peace in this feel-good story.

I was intrigued by the idea of an octopus as a character. I was aware of their intelligence, but not that they have such a short lifespan. Marcellus is an appealing grouch, and his knowledge and abilities seem reasonable for the most part within the confines of such a story. I liked that Tova wasn’t a pushover and was quite capable on her own.

Unfortunately, I did not care for the third major character, Cameron, a self-proclaimed loser who comes to town seeking his biological father. Cameron is 30 yet blames his lack of direction on being abandoned by his mother as a child, despite being raised by a loving aunt. He is said to be highly intelligent but doesn’t demonstrate this in his actions, just with a few random bits of trivia and a quote from Shakespeare. I felt he ended up dominating at the expense of Marcellus and Tova, though I still enjoyed their story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Oh my heart! Good writing makes you care for the main characters, but it takes real skill to make you fall for an octopus. Loss, grief, new beginnings….and a brilliant, charming octopus. Loved this

This is a charming, heartwarming page turner of a novel. When I first realized that one of the main characters was a giant pacific octopus, I was afraid the book would become hokey, but I was completely wrong. Van Pelt makes the character of Marcellus the octopus completely believable, and absolutely endearing. By the end you are rooting for all of these characters, but especially for Marcellus.
This book is about grief and loss, but also about renewal. It teaches us all that we should remain open to new experiences and new relationships. At first the characters seem very disparate, but the mystery of the story that binds of the characters unravels as the novel progresses. They story is expertly woven and told in a way that makes the book very hard to put down. Every character is completely believable and relatable. If this is a debut novel, I can not wait to read more by Shelby Van Pelt!

This book drew me in from the cover, and never let me go. The writing is as beautiful as the art, carrying you along in a story about love and belonging, connection and community in ways expected and unexpected. The storylines weave seamlessly and keep you curious until the last page. The octopus, the true hero, had my heart from the beginning. A must read, perfect read for a reminder of the beauty and connection in the world.

Whatever else I may have expected, I never would have imagined finding a 5 star book among the first few ARCs I've read. This book alternated between the viewpoints of an octopus trapped in the captivity of an aquarium, the caretaker of that aquarium, and two other characters. I loved the entire book, but I particularly enjoyed the chapters told from the perspective of the octopus. I believe that I could have read an entire book entire book from his perspective and been just as happy. I enjoyed the story involving the humans, but the octopus is what kept bringing me back. This book was one of my absolute favorites of 2021 and I can't wait to spread around my enthusiasm for this wholesome, interesting novel

Really good stuff. I didn't expect that it would be as good as as it was. This is unique and will stick with me for a while. I look forward Pelt's next book. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free review copy!!

What a wonderful story! Expected a nice story, but got so much more. Tova is a widow, and works at cleaning at the local aquarium. She loves her job, and speaks to the creatures she cleans by. One of her favorites is Marcellus, the octopus, who is much more understanding then she thought. The story is mainly from Tova and Marcellus' perspective, and while it took a few chapters to get the pattern, once I did it was clever. A lot of the story you hear of the tragedy Tova had, losing her only child 30 years previously, and meeting her friends. The notes mentioned if you loved the story of "A Man Called Ove" you will love this one. I agree. Well worth the read, and one I highly recommend.

I didn’t expect to shed few tears as I was flipping through last few pages. Because how would I know truly “remarkably bright creature” called octopus can be used in such manner that it would become the glue that binds everyone together. Right on the first page meeting this octopus, I knew that I was going to like him for all he was and all he could do.

His unexpected friendship with the elderly cleaning lady Tova, his kleptomania (for good causes), his observation skills, his snarky comments, and things he remembered from underwater made this book such a good treat! Dealing with so many broken hearts and longings on the human side, his refreshing perspective was much needed. After all, this was a story of an elderly woman expecting the changes in her life and a young man searching for his father that he never met. Both humans were struggling to find glimpse of hope and happiness, unless they were around this octopus.

So yes, I’m writing this review for a fictional octopus! But you never know when you would need a helping tentacle from a 60 pound giant with all warm 3 hearts. It was a such a heart warming story that everyone should give a try. (Also, stop keeping animals in captivity!)

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is recommended for fans of Rachel Joyce and Fredrik Backman. The narrative has a lovely feel-good quality that ultimately reaffirms the reader's faith in humanity in a gentle way.

I connected with the character of Tova from the beginning -- and of course, Marcellus, the octopus. Cameron was a little bit slower to develop. However, I ended up liking and empathizing with his character as well.

Readers who prefer a fast-paced, dramatic narrative should look elsewhere. This novel is a bit meandering and contemplative. Although it could have been tightened and shortened a bit, I still enjoyed the characters' journeys.

Early on in the novel, I was afraid the octopus was going to be the only character I'd enjoy. The introduction of the knit-wits felt like what I imagine cozy mystery characters to be and that's not my cup of tea.

The octopus did remain my favorite character, and I wouldn't have wanted to read this book without him, but I'm old enough and sentimental enough that I appreciated all the endings and beginnings which come at the end of the novel. It's a simple and quick read capable of stirring strong emotions.

Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Delightfully unique, quirky and touching. Tova is an endearing character who won’t let life get her down. At 70 years of age while cleaning the local aquarium at night to stay busy, not because of need, she makes an unusual friend. .Cameron fired from more jobs than he can count thinks he’s worthless, and decides to head to Tova’s town to find his unknown wealthy father. Together their stories blend as they find each other.

What a sweet and quirky book. The main characters are Cameron, who is searching for a dad he never knew, Tova, a widow who has also lost her only son, and Marcellus, an octopus. I was smitten by the smartness of the creature and the formed relationships by all of the character. I think the book could have been a tad shorter but overall I really enjoyed it.