Remarkably Bright Creatures: Review

You know, I like to think I’m a big enough person to admit when I’m wrong, and this book proves that to be true. I. WAS. WRONG. 

Each month, my book club chooses what we read based on a little voting system. One person sets up a poll with 4-5 books, we all vote, best one wins. A few months ago, Remarkably Bright Creatures landed in a poll and I laughed it to death. Why on EARTH would I vote for a book about a detective octopus… come on. I can’t remember which book won out that month, but it certainly wasn’t octopus-man. Since then, this book has cropped up over and over. I’ve spoken to a few people, including the book club member who recommended and eventually read it, as well as some other friends, all of whom could not rave about it enough. So alright… I put it on my Libby holds and voila, it became available. I needed a palate cleanser, literally I needed to clean out my brain, so it worked out well. And now here I stand, completely admitting how wrong I was.

Highlights:
Marcellus is in captivity, spending his days trying to eek out whatever enjoyment he can, while he still can. 
Tova is winding down. She’s lived a nice life, but there’s still something missing. A mystery unsolved, an aching she can’t quite ease.
Cameron is on a mission. He’s determined to find his missing father and make something of himself. 
Three lives, and an adventure filled with drama, love, loss, and humor. 

What I thought:
This is just one of those books. It’s a book for everyone, a book that just makes you feel good at the end of the day. Sure, it has mystery and intrigue, it has infuriating moments and sad stories, but at the end of the day, Remarkably Bright Creatures is just that, remarkable and bright. 

This book doesn’t have romance. It doesn’t have a big thrill or major story building. It’s just a book about a few characters trying to find their way in life. It DOES in fact have an octopus, though he’s not the fantastical creature I thought he’d be, and while he is just a backdrop for the greater story, he’s one of my favorite characters. Literally, I’d be walking along my neighborhood minding my own business when a Marcellus chapter would have me howling. They were so random, so hilarious, and so utterly… I don’t know how… OCTOPUS-y. 

Bottom line: this is the perfect mild read. It’d be a great gift – yes, I’ve already gifted it to someone – and is sure to hit every reader right in the feels.