Remarkably Bright Creatures Book Review

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Tova Sullivan works at Sowell Bay Aquarium as a night cleaner – ensuring everything is spotless is her speciality, well that, and making sure that the resident giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus, doesn’t kill himself while trying to escape. Struggling with the recent loss of her husband, and the constant ache from the mysterious vanishment of her son years earlier, Marcellus becomes determined to work out what happened to him and help Tova out of her grief.

I really have a soft spot for books about anthropomorphic animals that form relationships with humans (Isaac and the Egg and Lily and the Octopus to name just two) and Remarkably Bright Creatures did nothing to dissuade me from them; Marcellus is exactly what the book says he is: remarkably bright. Not only does his become a fantastic detective, but his observations about the humans who visit the aquarium are as hilarious as they are accurate.

Tova as a protagonist was a hard nut to crack – she refuses to open up to anyone and yet is constantly worried about being alone and what that will mean for her the older the she gets. Much like other books with older protagonists, I liked the insight it gave us into her life, particularly of someone who has experienced such loss. Our other protagonist, Cameron, was much less likeable (and so I presume the author intended) and in all honesty, I didn’t enjoy his sections of the plot. Without giving too much away, I also didn’t like the way the book ended and I would have been more satisfied with something messier, and less tied-up-with-a-bow.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a loveable and heartfelt read and something definitely different. There are many moments of relatability as well as refreshing honesty (mostly from Marcellus) that I think this is a book for just about anyone!