There is so much to admire about this debut novel. I don’t know where to start, I absolutely loved everything about it from the colorful cover to the dynamic content. The funny thing is I had some resistance to it. In retrospect I don’t really know why. I thought it had a bit of fantasy and I have a hang up with preferring reality to fantasy. And now having read it the part I thought was fantastical was actually totally realistic and that made it pure magic. Yes, the story is about an older lady that befriends an octopus and that did make me pause. But if you had seen the documentary, My Octopus Teacher, the plot isn’t actually far-fetched. It is a beautiful story about grief, about friendship, about human and animal connections. It is a truly feel-good story with just a little bit of mystery making it a fast paced read which was just what I needed. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is a worthy read no matter your age, gender or predisposition. It is a remarkably poignant reminder to notice the creatures around us every day. I can’t wait to read what Shelby Van Pelt writes next. Though I wish I could know Tova, Cameron and Ethan longer, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a novel of my favorite type. When I closed the book, I had a great feeling of content satisfaction for having read it.

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