A review by purplepenning
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

A charmingly original debut with a Fredrik Backman vibe! Tova is an older woman who has lost her share of loved ones and, sometimes to her friends' dismay, copes by staying busy and applying Scandinavian stoicism. While staying busy at her cleaning job at the aquarium, she makes an unexpected friend — a surprisingly deft, gently humorous giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. Observing what others may not,  Marcellus unlocks the mysteries of the past and opens the possibilities of the future. 

I loved Marcellus the first time I read this, but the audiobook version is so good that I fell even deeper for him on the second read/listen!
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