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A review by speculativeshelves
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was...fine? I had higher expectations based on how much hype this book as gotten since its release but I didn't find it particularly groundbreaking (outside of the octopus POV chapters). If I wasn't reading this for a book group, I likely would have DNFed this. However, despite not being super invested in the story overall, I thought the ending was great.
The plot was incredibly predictable and I found it frustrating that characters were not putting the pieces together as quickly as I did. It was also equally frustrating that there was a lot of miscommunication (or no communication at all) that didn't make sense and only existed just for conflict. It may not have bothered me as much if this was a shorter book, but it wasn't so it dragged.
I had mixed feelings on our main characters. Marcellus, of course, was the standout and while I had to suspend my belief when it came to his role in the story, I consistently enjoyed his POV. I wish he had more! I also wish we could've had more scenes between him, Tova, and Cameron. I generally felt like this story had less of an octopus presence than I expected.
Tova was likeable and I was invested enough in her story but I think having at least one flashback to her time with her late husband and son might have made the story stronger.
The other POV, Cameron, was completely frustrating. While I eventually appreciated his role in the story, his chapters were a chore to read. He constantly made poor decisions, which would've been okay if he had stronger character development in the end but he didn't really and I just lost my patience with him (especially because he was 30).
Honestly the reading experience of this book was quite strange because I simultaneously felt like this book was entirely too long but it also could've benefitted from a few more chapters of character development (making this a longer book).
Ultimately though I'm realizing that cozy small town contemporary stories are just not for me. They are, however, the kinds of stories that appeal to A LOT of other readers and so I can see why it's well loved. It's a lovely and generally gentle story about family with a satisfying ending and a great rec for readers looking for a lighter/low stakes read with some depth.
The plot was incredibly predictable and I found it frustrating that characters were not putting the pieces together as quickly as I did. It was also equally frustrating that there was a lot of miscommunication (or no communication at all) that didn't make sense and only existed just for conflict. It may not have bothered me as much if this was a shorter book, but it wasn't so it dragged.
I had mixed feelings on our main characters. Marcellus, of course, was the standout and while I had to suspend my belief when it came to his role in the story, I consistently enjoyed his POV. I wish he had more! I also wish we could've had more scenes between him, Tova, and Cameron. I generally felt like this story had less of an octopus presence than I expected.
Tova was likeable and I was invested enough in her story but I think having at least one flashback to her time with her late husband and son might have made the story stronger.
The other POV, Cameron, was completely frustrating. While I eventually appreciated his role in the story, his chapters were a chore to read. He constantly made poor decisions, which would've been okay if he had stronger character development in the end but he didn't really and I just lost my patience with him (especially because he was 30).
Honestly the reading experience of this book was quite strange because I simultaneously felt like this book was entirely too long but it also could've benefitted from a few more chapters of character development (making this a longer book).
Ultimately though I'm realizing that cozy small town contemporary stories are just not for me. They are, however, the kinds of stories that appeal to A LOT of other readers and so I can see why it's well loved. It's a lovely and generally gentle story about family with a satisfying ending and a great rec for readers looking for a lighter/low stakes read with some depth.