Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, is an imaginative story of Tova, an elderly widow who works as a cleaning lady at Sowell Bay Aquarium, and one of the featured marine animals there–Marcellus, a Pacific octopus. Who would have thought to give an octopus a voice, personality, feelings, and ingenuity? Van Pelt did! It’s a cute story with a sweet ending. In my opinion, the ending was predictable and Van Pelt could have gotten there a little faster. 
Clearly, the book’s been well received, as it was featured as a “Read with Jenna” book on the Today Show and is a New York Times bestseller.
If you’re looking for a sweet story about growing older, loneliness, friendship, and family relationships that’s told in a creative way, Remarkably Bright Creatures will not disappoint.
reviewed November 2025
Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, is an imaginative story of Tova, an elderly widow who works as a cleaning lady at Sowell Bay Aquarium, and one of the featured marine animals there–Marcellus, a Pacific octopus. Who would have thought to give an octopus a voice, personality, feelings, and ingenuity? Van Pelt did! It’s a cute story with a sweet ending. In my opinion, the ending was predictable and Van Pelt could have gotten there a little faster. Clearly, the book’s been well received, as it was featured as a “Read with Jenna” book on the Today Show and is a New York Times bestseller.
If you’re looking for a sweet story about growing older, loneliness, friendship, and family relationships that’s told in a creative way, Remarkably Bright Creatures will not disappoint.
reviewed November 2025