Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery

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Rating: 4/5

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Remarkably Bright Creatures brims with the utmost passion and warmth, crafting a tale that is unavoidable in its boldness and beauty. 

“Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”

Introduction 

Remarkably Bright Creatures is one of the very few books that grips with just its title. When I first heard it, I couldn’t help but instantly be interested in what made the author name their book in such a way. What are those creatures they are referring to? Does it have to do something with the octopus in the cover? And most importantly, why exactly are they “remarkably bright”?  So many questions, and the only way to get the answers was to immediately pick the book up and start reading. Well, that’s what I did; I remember putting it in my cart, and ordering it as soon as humanly possible. And on the very night that it arrived in a neatly packaged box, I began to sink myself into this seemingly mysterious story. Now that I’ve come out the other side of the tunnel, I can confidently say that the author’s genius was not limited to the title: over the course of 400 pages, Shelby Van Pelt weaves an intricate tale that spans worlds, bringing together the most unlikely group like they were born for each other. Hm, maybe they were. 

“Secrets are everywhere. Some humans are crammed full of them. How do they not explode? It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills.”

The thing that makes this book so special is the perspective of an octopus, captured inside a zoo that one of our characters works for. Sprinkled throughout between human povs, the unique premise of an intelligent animal truly shines: who would dare to write from the perspective of an octopus? Earlier in the book, I didn’t think of it except for its boldness, but as the story progressed little by little, I was struck by how intentional the choice was. The way Pelt writes Marcellus is so real and tangible that you could almost believe that an octopus somewhere out there was thinking the same things. The subtle details of the octopus’s consciousness, its curiosity at what makes us human, but also its distaste at our actions was all so logical. I think the narrative voice of the octopus was truly impressive, as it’s very hard for any writer to fully sink into another perspective, no less a different animal. 

“Humans are the only species who subvert truth for their own entertainment. They call them jokes. Sometimes puns.”

Another thing that struck me was how sweet and heartwarming this book is. This story, simply put, is a story of love. Of how that fragile feeling of compassion survives through every loss and pain, and how it always comes back. Tova’s little group of friends that meets once a week, her relationship with Mercellius, the slow compassion that blooms between Cameron and Avery, Ethan’s funny, but genuine crush on Tova… it reminded me of the strength that the people around you can give, and how they become anchors when you most desperately need it. It just touched me on an emotional level that broke and made my heart whole again. 

I want to finish off this review by talking about how beautiful the ending was. What both Tova and Mercellius did for each other was absolutely heartwarming to witness, and the final moment where they were separated literally made me tear up because of how profoundly important I knew it was for both of them. I was incredibly impressed with what Pelt was able to achieve with such a build up, and that final blow really reaffirmed my respect for her craft as a storyteller. 

In conclusion, Remarkably Bright Creatures brims with the passion and love that is only achievable through genuine understanding of human interactions. In just over 350 pages, Pelt masterfully crafts a tale that is unavoidable in its boldness and beauty. ⅘. 

“Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.”