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A review by kaitie_reads
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I read the audiobook for this story, and while it was an enjoyable story, it wasn't particularly remarkable.
The story features stereotypical white people cishet relationships and drama, with a spin. The spin is a delightful octopus named Marcellus. Marcellus is a really lovely character, and I loved his placement in the story, but overall, he is more of a delightful side character and partial narrator. Going in, I thought he'd be a little more centric to the plot.
I do like Tova, our main character. She is depicted as a sweet older lady, grieving the disappearance of her son and the family she doesn't have. I do find that she judges others harshly for not knowing the weight she carries. Her grief is a little bit overwhelming because it seems to encompass every interaction and thought that she has, even though her son has been gone for decades. I was surprised that others care so much about helping her when she's consistently dismissive of their efforts.
Our other main character, Cameron, is pretty insufferable. His self-victimization and dramatics seem a little bit augmented for his age and place in life. It bothers me when characters are whiny about their self-inflicted circumstances, especially when they have ample opportunity to better themselves. Overall, he does experience a lot of growth, but I still don't like him. I don't think it helps that the narrator portrays him with a very burnout "bro/dude" style of diction.
The narration from Marcellus offers a limited omniscient view of the other characters, which is almost frustrating at times because stubbornness and miscommunication between the characters disrupt the story's progression. It felt like a lot of the interaction and development toward the end of the story was unnecessary and drawn out.
Overall, it was a heartwarming read, but I didn't care about any of the characters besides the octopus.
The story features stereotypical white people cishet relationships and drama, with a spin. The spin is a delightful octopus named Marcellus. Marcellus is a really lovely character, and I loved his placement in the story, but overall, he is more of a delightful side character and partial narrator. Going in, I thought he'd be a little more centric to the plot.
I do like Tova, our main character. She is depicted as a sweet older lady, grieving the disappearance of her son and the family she doesn't have. I do find that she judges others harshly for not knowing the weight she carries. Her grief is a little bit overwhelming because it seems to encompass every interaction and thought that she has, even though her son has been gone for decades. I was surprised that others care so much about helping her when she's consistently dismissive of their efforts.
Our other main character, Cameron, is pretty insufferable. His self-victimization and dramatics seem a little bit augmented for his age and place in life. It bothers me when characters are whiny about their self-inflicted circumstances, especially when they have ample opportunity to better themselves. Overall, he does experience a lot of growth, but I still don't like him. I don't think it helps that the narrator portrays him with a very burnout "bro/dude" style of diction.
The narration from Marcellus offers a limited omniscient view of the other characters, which is almost frustrating at times because stubbornness and miscommunication between the characters disrupt the story's progression. It felt like a lot of the interaction and development toward the end of the story was unnecessary and drawn out.
Overall, it was a heartwarming read, but I didn't care about any of the characters besides the octopus.