A review by oxfordcommas91
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I wanted to love this one more than I did. I think it has all the right ingredients, but didn’t quite feel like it ever hit its stride in the way I hoped it would. The relationships weren’t fleshed out enough (why is Tova incessantly annoyed with her best friends? Why is Ethan so hopelessly in love with Tova?) and I found I wasn’t as connected to the characters as I wanted to be. As the author introduces the characters, I found it rather easy to put the pieces together of the puzzle which took away from some of the satisfaction I’d the “big reveal” at the end. 
I love octopuses and wish that the author had held back just slightly - the fact that Marcellus can read and understand English was one step too far for me. Otherwise, Marcellus’ chapters were my favorite of the book. Marcellus and his snarky (yet insightful) observations about humankind kept the book on track and added to its charm.
For whatever downsides, the book does (finally) build to a satisfying conclusion and the puzzle pieces click into place. Marcellus and his friends of the human persuasion are all deeply flawed but charming characters that you find yourself rooting for. A nice “warm” read read will leave you feeling hopeful about the world. 
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