I like octopuses. By that, I don't mean by eating them. I don't particularly want to eat octopuses. Glad I picked up Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel titled 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' (2022). It was rather enjoyable, more so than I had thought.
The novel centers around friendship, grief, letting go, and moving on. At slightly over 400 pages, it's not a difficult book to go through if you're lounging by the beach in these cooler weather in the tropics. (Reviews here, here and here.)
Awww. It takes place in Washington State. (The author grew up in Tacoma and now lives in the Midwest.) There're two storylines that eventually converge in Sowell Bay Aquarium — one that follows a seventy-year old woman, Tova Sullivan, and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus McSquiddles who lived at Sowell Bay Aquarium, and a second storyline that follows a sorta lost and drifting young man named Cameron who traveled from California to Washington state, and found a home there.
In the twilight of her life, Tova fulfils a cleaning job at the aquarium before making plans to check herself into a facility in Bellingham for seniors to live out their twilight years. She has lost her husband Will, and her son in an accident when he was eighteen. She's still stoic and lives out her life as she does. The elderly woman and the octopus met at Sowell Bay Aquarium since she takes on a cleaning job after-hours right there.
The narrative in the story also writes from the octopus's point of view, written in 'I', first person narrative. Very fun. The sixty-pound octopus is equally stoic since their lifespan is so short at 3-5 years only. From all scientific accounts, they're incredibly intelligent. Marcellus is bored of his tank and his food, and has taken to escaping his tank and wandering around the aquarium at night to eat sea cucumbers, a few mussels and doing things like that. He has eighteen minutes outside before he needs to make it back to the tank and into water.
He made friends with Tova. And through the octopus who's like this sentient being, we learn about Tova's life and her hidden grief. Through it all, new characters came in, and we see Marcellus manipulating some things so that she could realize what the sea creature already knew. From a lost key, to a memory of another lost key at the bottom of Puget Sound, and a stolen driver's licence, and the final gift from the octopus, a retrieved high school graduation ring with the initials 'EELS'.
Why do I so deeply care that she knows? I am not entirely certain. But my own end nears, along with her time here. If they do not figure it out soon, everyone involved will be left with a ... hole.
As a general rule, I like holes. A hole at the top of my tank gives me freedom.
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.
Tova isn't alone in this world. She will need company and help in this final leg of life. She found it unexpectedly in a grandson, Cameron, that she never knew existed since she didn't know her dead son had a girlfriend who was pregnant.
The best part of this story- Marcellus is reaching the end of his lifespan. A newly rescued but badly injured young female giant Pacific octopus has come in. She will recuperate and become the 'new exhibit'. Tova decided to toddle Marcellus down to the bay and release him back to Puget Sound where he'll live out his very limited hours. I couldn't help letting out a YAY. Ha!
I stopped at her barrel on my journey out. Climbed up the side to peek at her. She is young and badly injured. Terrified, naturally. But this new octopus will have a friend. One that I did not have until the very end. Tova will make sure she is happy, and I would trust Tova with my life. I did trust her with my life, more than once. Just as I trusted her with my death.
Humans. For the m most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.
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