Tova Sullivan works the night shift cleaning the Sowell Bay Aquarium to cope with the isolation of widowhood and the disappearance of her son thirty years ago. She forms a connection with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who understands human behavior and keeps secrets about the night Tova’s son vanished. When a young man named Cameron arrives in town searching for his estranged father, Marcellus uses his intelligence to bridge the gaps in their shared history, helping Tova uncover local mysteries and confront her grief.
Readers interested in the logistics of interspecies communication and the mechanics of late-life isolation find value in this story. It appeals to those seeking a depiction of how social connections form outside traditional family structures. The narrative provides a perspective on aging and the cognitive abilities of marine life. Readers walk away with a specific look at how curiosity and observation can resolve long-standing trauma and facilitate new interpersonal bonds in small-town settings.
Insights from Remarkably Bright Creatures
“There is a dignity in it. In a floor that reflects the ceiling.”
Tova stays busy with her cleaning job at the aquarium to avoid the quiet. Keeping your hands moving is often the only way to carry grief for thirty years.
“Humans are, for the most part, remarkably bright creatures.”
Marcellus can see right through people from his tank. He knows we are mostly just lonely souls looking for a connection we once lost.
Cameron feels like a failure because he never found his father. Sometimes we blame our bad luck on a missing piece that was never actually the problem.
“I shall miss her. My Tova.”
A giant Pacific octopus only lives for a few years. It makes every interaction between him and Tova feel heavy and precious.
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
