You may have heard of this book because the movie just came out on Netflix featuring Sally Field as one of the human main characters. My friends and I started a book club or, more so, a relaxed version of a book club. Everybody pretty much reads at their own pace, and we discuss as we go along.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a heartwarming story about grief and connections. It follows two human characters and octopus and their journeys through loss and finding each other. You meet the octopus, Marcellus, as he likes to be called, first out of the three main characters. The opening chapter is a cute, interesting look into Marcellus’s mind and his view as an octopus in captivity. He tells you he knows he only has so many days left based on the signs around his exhibit about giant Pacific octopuses. Each of Marcellus’ chapters is titled by how many days Marcellus has been in captivity at the aquarium, which become an important part of Marcellus’s story as he develops a relationship with Tova, the aquarium’s cleaning lady. Tova is an elderly widow who talks to Marcellus during her night shifts and forms a bond with him after untangling him from some wires during one of his secret escapes from his tank. Marcellus can tell Tova is grieving the past loss of her son and the recent loss of her husband. Eventually, Tova hurts her ankle, and the aquarium hires Cameron, a struggling 30-year-old guy who just moved to the area looking for his dad. Marcellus is upset because he hasn’t seen Tova since her accident until she shows up at the aquarium to check in on Marcellus and the aquarium. Marcellus notices Tova and Cameron are connected in some way. I won’t spoil it, but Marcellus makes it his mission to get Tova and Cameron to see the connection before he runs out of strength as his days in captivity wind down.

Marcellus’s chapters are my favorite. I was always wanting to get back to his point of view and see what he was up to at the aquarium. He’s very smart, and the writing does a great job capturing the thoughts of an intelligent creature stuck in captivity. I highlighted my favorite part where Marcellus remarks he doesn’t understand the phrase “smart cookie,” which he heard from the staff who discovered he had been escaping from his tank and eating the sea cucumbers in the nearby exhibits. He goes on about what he understands about cookies and humans loving cookies.

Marcellus’s chapters are short, but they’re joyful moments in between the loss and grief Tova and Cameron have faced before finding each other. In each of their points of view, you learn the title is true for all three characters.

It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s a bit of tear-jerker, and it’ll be a great beach read for the summer.

— Caroline Craig, administrative & advertising coordinator