All the buzz about “Remarkably Bright Creatures” wasn’t enough to lure me to pick it up — until this year’s summer reading theme was “Oceans of Possibilities.” The description about an “unlikely” friendship between an octopus and widow was a major snag for me. The “unlikely” part seemed far fetched indeed! Somewhat reluctantly I put a hold on the audiobook as part of a summer reading challenge with a reading partner. I was pleasantly surprised to meet an entire cast of delightful, charming, quirky characters.
By happenstance, on the same day I started the book, I heard an interesting story on NPR comparing the intelligence of octopuses and humans … fascinating! The timing seemed like a direct retort to my skepticism about the plausibility of friendship with an octopus. One of the joys of reading is making discoveries that open paths to continued learning and parallel discoveries — often by fostering awareness and empathy. Rousing my curiosity about octopuses is a bonus — perhaps the friendship between Marcellus and Tova is not so unlikely after all.
Highly recommend as a light and warm-hearted summer read. You will soon feel like you are living in fictional Sowell Bay or wishing you did.
Three words that describe this book: Warm-hearted, quirky, wry
You might want to pick this book up if: You want to meet a cast of resilient characters who take a risk on friendship and community.
-Kristi
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
