Reviews

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

cebadgley's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.0

plandocalrisian's review against another edition

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4.0

“Tova wonders sometimes if it’s better that way, to have one’s tragedies clustered together, to make good use of the existing rawness. Get it over with in one shot. Tova knew there was a bottom to those depths of despair. Once your soul was soaked though with grief, any more simply ran off, overflowed, the way maple syrup on Saturday-morning pancakes always cascaded onto the table whenever Erik was allowed to pour it himself.”

4⭐️

-multiple pov
-perfect summer/end of summer read
-heartwarming
-literary fiction

We follow Tova, a Swedish immigrant in her 70s who has experienced the loss of both her son and husband but keeps busy cleaning the local aquarium, Cameron, a young man in his 30s trying to figure out his life and find his estranged father, and Marcellus, a remarkably bright Pacific Ocean octopus living in an aquarium. Life brings these three characters together on a journey to find answers, family and home.

I took off a star for I guess a personal preference (maybe)? While I loved this book and it encapsulates the experience of aging without children, loss, grief, as well as the pressures from friends who do age with children, it was a bit heavy-handed in my opinion with the value of children (it was repeatedly stated how there’s no one to care for you if you don’t have children/grandchildren) which was furthered by Tova’s narrative. My takeaway of that aspect was you can’t live a happy or fulfilling life without them? And I just don’t think that’s true or fair. The main character experiences grief, loss and tremendous loneliness, so I understand the natural desire for family. But she does push her brother and his family away, as well as her friends. It was her personal choice to be self-sufficient and push them away. Maybe I’m on a soapbox, but I wish there were more books that explored how having children isn’t the end all be all and that you can find community, fulfillment, support, family and love in other ways.

Tova’s friends tried to convince her that a retirement home isn’t the only option, that they as a community can help and support her. She did experience loss of her son and husband that her friends may not have understood, but they were trying to. Family is important but they don’t have to be blood related to count.

hgriffin93's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

emnadine11's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

katiefayslacker's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ursalita's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Predictable story, boring characters. Except the octopus, I liked his chapters 

twinsunplus1's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

danigrande24's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

lindsaybarrows's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rmt33's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25