Remarkably Bright Creatures walked into my life like a book recommendation I had somehow managed to avoid. It was everywhere. A bestseller. A book club pick. A beloved story about an octopus. And now, with a Netflix adaptation, it seemed like the universe was giving me one more nudge to finally find out what all the fuss was about.

So when a reading challenge gave me the perfect excuse to pick up a book with a protagonist older than me, I decided it was time to meet Tova Sullivan, Marcellus the octopus, and the rest of the Sowell Bay crew.

I expected to be charmed. I expected to be moved. And I expected, based on the sheer volume of praise surrounding this book, to fall completely in love with it.

What I didn’t expect was to finish Remarkably Bright Creatures thinking, “Well, that was… perfectly nice.”

Which, as it turns out, is a surprisingly complicated reading experience.

*Spoilers will be hidden and labelled so you can choose to read or skip.

There are two covers that I have seen for Remarkably Bright Creatures. One is the main book cover, a brightly colored, flat illustration that looks like watercolors. The other uses stylized imagery from the Netflix film. I prefer the first one, because I just don’t care for screen adaptations fitted for book covers. Unfortunately, the copy that I downloaded on my Kindle was the adaptation version (it was on an amazing sale). So the rest of the cover evaluation will be about the adaptation cover…

Color Story

Set inside an aquarium, the colors are as one might expect–blues and greens. The monochromatic undersea tones are punctuated by the orange of the octopus and a few fish. The book title and author name are offset by appearing in a golden yellow that makes the words both noticeable and readable.

Typography Notes

Speaking of the title and author name, the typography is interesting. The bold block letters feature some sharp edges that are a bit unexpected for a sea-themed design, and might hint at some rigidity or edge in the content.

The title, Remarkably Bright Creatures, is set to create a block in which the different-length words are adjusted to align left and right. This dense shape offers a nice contrast against the organic setting of the imagery.

Genre Signals

There is little in the Remarkably Bright Creatures’ cover that suggests a particular genre, so it is likely contemporary fiction or literary fiction.

Hidden Details

I didn’t spy any hidden details in the adaptation cover.

Mood Check

The cover communicates a sense of wonder and discovery.

Beyond the Dust Jacket

The ebook for Remarkably Bright Creatures was easy to navigate and properly formatted. The chapters were titled, which I find adds a little something extra to the reading experience.

The watercolor cover indicates that there is a book club guide. The Sally Field version does not include one. 

Did the design affect whether I bought the book?

I would not have picked up Remarkably Bright Creatures if I hadn’t heard about it on social media first.

Tova is a 70-year-old widow who lost her son when he was 18. She works part-time as a cleaner at the local aquarium and is very meticulous about it.

Cameron, a 30-year-old who can’t seem to hold a job, gets a lead on finding his possible father when the aunt who raised him gives him a box of his mother’s old things.

Ethan owns and operates the local grocery store, knows everyone’s business, and pines after Tova.

Marcellus is a Great Pacific Octopus who is reaching the end of his lifespan, has a penchant for escaping his enclosure, and has an encounter with Tova that sparks a friendship of sorts. Marcellus’ earnest voice reminds me very much of Elizabeth Zott from Lessons in Chemistry.

The writing style of Remarkably Bright Creatures could be describes as quiet. The pacing is steady but nothing to et your pulse up. Each character has both internal and external struggles. The problem sets are realistic and emotionally loaded.

Van Pelt writes with heart and subtle humor.

The blurred lines between friendship and family.

The things you believe about yourself, you make true through actions and choices, even if you wish it were different.

What Worked:

• The friendship between Tova and Marcellus was actually believable.
• Mysterious elements were revealed in a natural way that didn’t feel too forced.

What Didn’t Fully Click:

• The emotional impact was lower than I would expect for a story so filled with heartache.
  

Overall:

A good, solid book that is worth the time to read.

I had seen a lot of hype around Remarkably Bright Creatures, and noted that it was being adapted to film by Netflix. So I thought it would be worth checking out. It had been at the top of my list for when I pulled the prompt to read a book with a protagonist older than me, so this week I dove in.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a quiet, human interest story. Yes, there is an animal/human friendship that is heartwarming and endearing. But ultimately it is about human relationships. It is a great fit for when you are feeling introspective. It left me thinking about friendships, companionship, and the different types of family.

This is a fairly short book, but the pacing does not really invite you to race through it. You can take your time, put it down and pick it backup without losing the thread. Perfect for a lazy, rainy Sunday.

One thing that I took away from reading Remarkably Bright Creatures is: A book can be good, meaningful, beautifully written, and still not be your book.

While it is definitely well worth the time it takes to read it, I was not over the moon for it like so many others. That’s okay. Not every book has to knock your socks off. Step into each book with intention to shape the reading experiences that are right for you.

As you pick up new potential reads, ask yourself What do you hope to get from reading this book?

Read if you like:

Heartwarming stories about every day people filled with bittersweet emotions.

Skip if you dislike:

Slow paced stories that focus on the intricacies of being human.

I read Remarkably Bright Creatures to fulfill the Playing Card Reading Challenge prompt: Read a book with a protagonist older than you. Tova is 70, so that certainly counts.

Other prompts that Remarkably Bright Creatures could fulfill:

Read a book about friendship.

Read a book about grief/loss.

Things I Googled while reading:

• Dala Horse
• What is the difference between a davenport and a couch?
• Great Pacific Octopus

If you spent time in an aquarium by yourself, what sea creature would you be most likely to make friends with?

May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.

Happy Reading!