Remarkably Bright Creatures Review: Tugs on my 3 hearts
My grandma just moved in from out of state, and I've been helping her set up her new bookshelf. As I opened Banker's box after Banker's box, I spotted a really cute book I'd (somehow) never seen before: Remarkably Bright Creatures! And then, as I giddily shared the book with my mom, she broke the news that it's been sitting on our shelf for years now. Between uncovering it in my grandma's boxes and hearing about the upcoming movie adaptation, my hype was through the roof. Did this story live up to the lofty expectations sparked by that charming cover? That's what I, Brighton Nelson, will discuss in today's Brighton's Bookshelf review. Thanks so much for joining me, and I hope you enjoy!
Let's get the negatives out of the way first: I didn't love the stuff about Cameron's backstory and such, and I was happy to see his character change a bit in the film. His story doesn't really converge with Tova's until quite a bit later in the book, which, for me, made it weaker. Sometimes, cutting a little to make something simpler works well for me, and I think the movie did a great job of keeping the focus on the present story I was invested in.
The only other main negative I've got is that, while this book is mainly focused on its beautiful vibes and emotions, that doesn't save the fact that the twist is super obvious. While the reveal itself isn't done that poorly, a ton of adamant book nerds will have called this many chapters before the cat is let out of the bag.
The first thing I have to note is how memorable the characters are in this book. Tova's POV as a lonely old woman who talks to sea creatures and cleans an aquarium for a living was wonderful. While Cameron is the less interesting perspective in the book, the book would absolutely not be the same without him, as he offers a very different view of the world than Tova's. The characters in this book feel so down-to-earth and alive, neither unnecessarily dull nor overly melodramatic.
The book's story is really simple, yet effective. It wasn't at all what I was expecting from a book about an octopus, being so grounded and emotional and all. While it didn't play out the way I expected in the first few pages or so, it shattered those expectations and turned out to be something so much better.
Lastly, my favorite aspect of the book: Shelby Van Pelt does a wonderful job bringing emotion and whimsy to her prose. It's not trying to be anything prestigious or bombastic. Instead, it focuses on finding beauty in the mundane, making the novel read like a modern-day fairy tale in the best way.
There's no way this is better conveyed than through the character of Marcellus, whose perspective offers the most unique POV I've seen in a hot minute. A super intelligent octopus that makes lots of observations while being full of unexpected heart and dry humor. While Tova and Cameron are awesome, Marcellus is the ultimate anchor of the book, proving that a story about grief and connection can come from the most bizarre of places—and from a creature with three hearts.
The Brighton's Bookshelf Verdict
Brighton's Bookshelf Score - 9.5/10
Letter Score - S
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a phenomenal mystery drama that's lovingly written by Shelby Van Pelt. With wonderful characters, beautiful prose, an adorably emotional story, plenty of twists, and even a dollop of romance, Remarkably Bright Creatures is one of 2022's best books.
Interested in checking out some of my other reviews? Check them out below!
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