Reviews with content warning for Death - Remarkably Bright Creatures

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

581 reviews

anchan93's review against another edition

2.0

adventurous emotional lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Content Warnings

lilykmarks's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

rubberrosebooks's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

rltcoach's review against another edition

4.75

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book took me on the full emotional journey, and I could barely put it down.

Content Warnings

michelefavaro's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Trigger: suicide, death of a teen main character plot
A nice read w a lovely octopus main character & a women trying to move through her life in grief. An adult man who is searching for family & acceptance. A small beach town vibe. An unlikely mix of coincidences drive the plot to a nice ending where people find what they need/ are looking for.

Content Warnings

boop123's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging reflective 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

This was a cute read and one of those books that got me out of a reading slump.

Love the dynamics between the characters, especially Cameron and Tova, who formed an unexpected friendship not knowing what was about to come later on. As well as with Tova and Marcellus despite the communication barrier.

Overall, a reflective read that tackles on subjects like complex family issues, grieving and moving on, and stagnation in terms of life decisions and how can you change it for the better that's well within your capabilities.

Content Warnings

tashba's review against another edition

3.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-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

Remarkably Bright Creatures achieved what it set out to - inspire readers to reflect on the meaning of family with the help of a lovable anthropomorphic octopus. Also a good picture of how grief transforms over a lifespan.

Content Warnings

oceanwriter's review against another edition

4.75

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The cover of this book has been jumping out at me since it was published and I’ve heard a number of different people reviewing it and speaking about it, but for some reason, I wasn’t super interested in picking it up (the idea of a narrating octopus, perhaps?) until a friend of mine gave a glowing recommendation.

Tova doesn’t have much in her life after the deaths of her husband and son. Her son’s mysterious and sudden death particularly weighs on her. Her job cleaning the Sowell Bay Aquarium is more or less what keeps her going, much to her friends’ chagrin as they wish to see her retire.

Tova forges an unlikely friendship with the aquarium’s octopus, Marcellus. Tova realizes something exceptional about this sea creature (apart from his escape artist capabilities). In turn, Marcellus tries to communicate to her the answers she’s desperately been looking for surrounding her son’s death.

This book was so heartwarming and I liked seeing an older protagonist in a realistic light rather than an over-the-top 70-year-old trying to act like a 30-year-old. Though the story is mainly centered on Tova, we also see bits of narration from Marcellus and a man named Cameron, whom Tova meets as the story progresses.

Honestly, I think without the addition of Cameron’s POV this would have been a full five starts for me. He had good character growth but was insufferable in the beginning and I didn’t find myself caring what happened to him. He did grow on me though, but I don’t think he necessarily had to be a main voice in the story. The heart of the story is Tova and Marcellus for sure.

Content Warnings