Remarkably Bright Creatures: ‘That Octopus Book’, the international bestseller, now a major Netflix film

I have to admit my heart sank when our book club suggested a book about an Octopus and an old lady. That soon changed as I became invested in the characters and the lyrical prose. The ending actually made me cry…and I loved Marcellus the octopus!

I had high hopes for 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' as I have been learning about octopuses and am quite in awe of them. It seemed then completely wonderful to find a book with an octopus as the central character, but this book isn't quite that. Marcellus the octopus is the character that I am left with a lasting impression of and I am so glad that I met him in this book. He is fascinating, funny, wise, and magical and the book is worth reading just for the role he plays. Several of the other characters are also likeable and tenderly drawn. This is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving, sometimes annoying, and sometimes faintly tedious book and I found myself forcing my way through the middle section. There was enough to keep me reading, but only just. It is worth persevering for the ending though and, of course, for Marcellus. If you love octopuses you will be glad that you read this.

Remarkably Bright Creatures - What a book. This is easily the best book I have ever read. From the in-depth characters, the authors style of writing and the knowledge put into this book. It was perfect. The characters in this book where phenomenal. Each with their own unique personality and background story that enabled us as a reader to picture them and their stories perfectly. The book highlights some really interesting concepts, in that we often make our choices which lead to us harming ourselves, leading to conclusions when we don’t know the full picture. This book really made me think outside “the box” so to speak. The octopus- where do I start. If someone had told me I’d fall in love with an idea and personality of an octopus I would think they were mad. But honestly, the character of Marcellus was just beautiful. The relationships as they develop through the book had me welling up in several parts, and watching their stories unfold perfectly with all the pieces in the puzzle coming together was a masterpiece in itself. This was honestly one of the most heart warming- beautifully written books I’ve ever read. The easiest 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve ever given to a book.

A very unusual book that I didn’t think I would enjoy but it is such a heartwarming tale. Highly recommend

This book was quite an entertaining read and it was worth picking up and indeed finishing, but I would have to say that it didn't live up to the advertising hype that probably drew me to it. In all honesty, few of the books I've read actually merit the exclamations as to how wonderful they are by the blurb that advertisers use to promote their books, which has the effect of making me take these with a pinch of salt. However, that is another story but this story was good and certainly had a feelgood factor about it. Of course, reading a book like this requires you to suspend reality somewhat but nevertheless there was a good story with some well written characters and some folks would love it and some others perhaps not so much. I was sort of middling about it but I come down on the side of it being worth a read.

This book is pretty lighthearted, a palate cleanser so to speak. It's a lovely, easy read, even if it's a bit daft at times. It has heart, and characters you grow to like.

This book was such a lovely experience, a joy to read and listen to. At its heart lies the theme of relationships. We meet Tova Sullivan, who has endured the loss of her husband and the mysterious disappearance of her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, over thirty years ago. Tova takes a job cleaning an aquarium at night, where she befriends an octopus named Marcellus. As they spend time together, Marcellus narrates parts of the story, revealing fascinating details about their lives. He is incredibly clever and able to sense Tova’s footsteps and pick up on her emotions. Surprisingly, Marcellus possesses the ability to uncover hidden truths. Tova becomes a trusted confidant to him, and he makes it his mission to help her answer some pressing questions. I won’t spoil the plot, but let’s just say Marcellus is a remarkably bright and intelligent creature. I simply fell in love with him.

I loved this book. The main character Tova is easily lovable and tough and relatable. You find yourself grieving right along with her - as a parent who also lost a son, some of the thoughts she has could have been lifted from my mind. Marcellus is brilliant. I love that some of the story is told from his perspective - I once read a narrative about humans written from an octopuses perspective and it feels like this could go hand in hand with it. Cameron's story, which weaves through this book, is also well written and as they all come together it will make you laugh, and cry and think. An excellent novel

An uplifting and enjoyable book, well written with likeable characters, believable dialogue and of course, an octopus. Anthropomorphisation for sure, but all the better for it. We will never know how an octopus really thinks, but I like to imagine this book captured it. Oh, and there's a human love story and some other stuff that's really sweet!

At first glance, with the title and cover, I expected the octopus to take center stage in the story—but it turned out to be more of a family-searching journey, which was a lovely surprise. That said, the octopus adds just the right spice to the story, offering a unique perspective on the human world. Personally, this book reminded me of my grandfather, who was adopted as a baby and spent years searching for his original family. It gave me a deeper understanding of why people feel such a strong desire to know their roots.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is heartwarming and comforting, leaving the reader with a bittersweet feeling—sad to say goodbye to the characters, yet grateful to have been part of their journey. The story follows Tova Sullivan, a widow who spends her nights cleaning the Sowell Bay Aquarium, and Cameron Cassmore, a young man who unexpectedly finds himself single, unemployed, and without a place to stay. Readers are also introduced to Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Intelligent and mischievous, Marcellus avoids human interaction when he can, yet he is gradually charmed by the small woman who cleans the glass of his enclosure each night. Shelby brilliantly portrays his curious and perceptive nature, at times allowing the reader brief insight into the workings of his mind. As the story unfolds, the reader is gently drawn into the intertwined lives of all three characters. What makes this book so compelling is the way the author captures the softness and perseverance of each character, despite the challenges they face. One of the most enjoyable elements is the brief, interspersed windows into Marcellus’s mind, captivating the reader with his honest and bemused reflections. However, some readers may find the momentum slows briefly toward the end, as the characters take a bit longer to uncover the final pieces of information. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a wonderful choice for readers seeking a light, wholesome, and heartfelt story. You grow to love these characters and think of them with genuine affection. This book is truly more than just a beautiful cover.

I almost didn't choose this book when I realized the narrator was an octopus. I'm so glad I did read it. This is a wonderful book with characters that are real. They could be a part of anyone's family. It is a well written, heart warming story, without being gushy or overly sentimental. I couldn't put this book down and regret finishing it so quickly. I will be looking for more from this author.

Loved the story, although a bit predictable at one point. Told from a different perspective which was intriguing.