Review by angelburrows - Remarkably Bright Creatures

angelburrows 's review for:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

2.5

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

To me, this book had a very satisfying ending and some very enjoyable moments along the way. But if you hate a "woe is me" self destructive character then chances are you probably won't enjoy this book. This was my main issue, I really struggled to enjoy Cameron as a character even though I don't think the intention is for us to like him. His decisions were so frustrating (which was kind of the point) but it just annoyed me. I wish there was more written from the octopus's perspective, because he was by far the most endearing character.
The plot is very simple and predictable and the characters relationships to one another takes centre stage, however their relationships don't feel very powerful or emotional so it was a struggle to keep the pages turning. I predicted the plot around page 80 and spent the rest of the book frustrated that the characters were ignoring it since it was so obvious! I did enjoy some of this book so I'm glad I stuck with it, and the ending tied up beautifully and got me a little bit emotional. All in all this is an okay book, it has an interesting concept and I see why some people like it, but for me it just didn't pack a big enough punch.

Content Warnings