Group Reads Discussions 2023: "Remarkably Bright Creatures" Discuss Everything *Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Some questions to get us started!

1. What did you think of the characters and their relationships?
2. Marcellus, amirite?!
3. What worked or didn't for you?
4. Overall thoughts?

Non-spoiler thread here: First impressions

[Ann-Marie]

1. What did you think of the characters and their relationships?
It was clear that the characters were all connected somehow, a bit predictable but not in a bad way as is often the case. It kind of reminded me of Anxious People but in reverse, these characters started separately and met up at the end. I think it was sad that Tova had a grandson and had no idea for so long and Cam's life was so difficult but now they have each other. I thought the supporting characters were wonderful as well. I wanted more at the end of the book which reflects how much I cared about the characters.

2. Marcellus, amirite?!
Who knew I would care so much for a sentient octopus? I loved him and I was so glad he was able to go home for the last days of his life.

3. What worked or didn't for you?
The seemingly unrelated stories that you just know will be connected at the end and hopeful that the end will be satisfying and it was. I mean while you knew Cameron was Tova's grandson before the confirmation it didn't bother me as being too predictable. The way life works out can be sad and I wish Tova had kept the house for Cameron, it was awful that they found themselves so late but you just know that they will have the best relationship going forward.

4. Overall thoughts?
I read this in April for an in-person book club and I had concerns at first that this would be a Shape of Water thing and I was SO GLAD it was not. I would have never picked this up if it wasn't for book club and it will definitely be a top book of the year for me. I loved the characters, I thought the book was beautifully written, I listened and the narration was top notch as well. I have recommended this to several people and I do not often do that to people outside of my book circles. I was sad when it ended but I loved how it ended lol

Definite 5+ star read for me!

[Jan Mc]

I agree with most of what Ann-Marie wrote (thanks, A-M!). The first half was a slog for me, as I couldn't relate to Cameron (and didn't like him very much, honestly), but of course, Tova was great and Marcellus was fascinating. The second half was more interesting and I think the ending was wonderful.

I also listened to the audiobook and Marin Ireland's narration of Cameron's voice sounded too young to me, but was otherwise very good. Michael Urie was the voice of Marcellus and was so fun!

I also read this for a book club, but it was already on my TBR list, so I was excited about starting it. I look forward to others' remarks.

[Kim]

I agree with Ann-Marie, as well. Loved the characters, the story was a bit predictable but it didn't bother me at all, I had no problem with the pace of the storytelling, either. Just a really great read.

I was surprised I enjoyed Marcellus the octopus so much because when I read Lessons in Chemistry, I didn't fully like or accept the dog's POV. I felt like it wasn't as believable for some reason. But I listened to Remarkably on Audible and found the octopus's voice to be perfect. To me, Cameron did sound young, but I feel like that's true to life for many young adults today, so it worked for me.

I'll remember Tova and Marcellus forever. Loved their part of the story.

[Cheryl]

Oh I hope Van Pelt isn't a 'one-hit wonder.' I enjoyed it very much. Basically found myself so engaged I read it in two sessions. I am not at all surprised that it's popular, and I believe it's worthy of the attention it's getting.

More popular fiction than speculative fiction, and not [L]iterature, but so much to think about and discuss. Not 'weird' as I feared, not really at all like The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore. [Or *Shape of Water* either.] Instead it's heartwarming, wholesome, fine for teens and, of course, for women who are seeing their friends and family age, die, and leave them behind.

I, too, got tired of all the pages spent developing the character of Cameron. His reformation came a bit too easily... but then, there is a developmental brain shift about age 27-30 and I can believe it was just the right time and place for him. And long drives, ie from Seattle to Modesto, are good times to think in more depth about things.

There are of course a few too many implausibilities and gimmicks. If Ethan had been a little more assertive in trying to date Tova months ago, or if Cameron had priced the camper w/ Kelly's Blue Book and paid only it's actual value (surely a lot less), or if Tova didn't have any spare wealth or health, well, things would have been very different. But hey, real life comes up with all sorts of implausibilities, too.

[Kaia]

I really loved Tova and Marcellus, and I would have been content if the book had only focused on the two of them (and had more pages for Marcellus). I also liked Ethan quite a bit. Like some of the other posters, I disliked Cameron, and there was a point about 1/3 of the way in where I would see the next section was from his perspective and groan (though they did improve by the end). I agree with Cheryl that his reformation seemed too easy - or perhaps more that it all happened too quickly to be believable. I also think if the author had chosen to make him younger - more like late teens / early twenties - his character (and how others responded to him) would have felt more realistic to me. He seemed very immature for 30.

I did enjoy the story overall, and I certainly sped through it. It was a little too predictable for me, however. Maybe I have just read too many books of this type, or it could be that for me, even though the characters weren't perfect people, it still felt too perfect. I feel like I should have had an emotional response to what happened, especially at the end, but I really didn't, even though I was satisfied with how things turned out.

[Cheryl]

Honestly, Cameron seemed immature, period. I know plenty of people his age and *older* who are stuck & confused & short-sighted. But he does figure things out in the end, and then we have a chance to decide to appreciate him. I decided Yes; he's a good guy after all.

[Jess]

I read this a few weeks ago in the form of an audiobook. The actor who voices the part of Marcellus is Michael Urie, and just wow....he does such a great job! He voices Marcellus in this pompous way that is just perfect and makes you love him more. I loved the happy ending of the story :)

[Kirsi]

I loved the audiobook, too, and Marcellus especially. He's my new spirit animal. The best character in this book by far!

I remember constantly wanting to whack Cameron over the head for the first half of the book, because he was infuriating and I couldn't stand him. Seeing him grow as a person and get his life together was very satisfying, though. Tova I loved from the start.

[Dixie]

I read this book early in 2023 and was really disappointed, especially after all the hype around it. Remove the octopus and it was, to me, a very predictable, banal family drama of the sort I would expect to see in airport bookshops and on lists of beach reads. I was surprised, to say the least, that our group considered it a "fantasy" -- as if dropping a sentient octopus into a Liane Moriarty novel would make that book a fantasy? Anyway, 'nuff said. I hate to rain on anyone's parade, and I'm happy for those who enjoyed it. Clearly not my cup of tea (or my definition of fantasy).

[Anna]

Dixie wrote: "I was surprised, to say the least, that our group considered it a "fantasy" -- as if dropping a sentient octopus into a Liane Moriarty novel would make that book a fantasy?"

I don't think most people read all the books before deciding what to vote for, so all we can go on is how people have tagged the books, and this one was tagged magical realism, which falls under the fantasy umbrella.

[Peaktopeak]

I enjoyed reading this. I liked Marcellus. There were few surprises but I enjoyed seeing the characters come together and receive and provide resolution. I finished a few days ago and now that I have some distance from it, I really appreciate how much of the story hinged on Marcellus, if I had not been bought into his voice (at least while reading) - ALL would have been different. That really is quite a feat for the author. Dixie makes a good point about dropping into a Moriarty novel - lol - but I liked it and would look for more from this author.

Tova was hard to get to know but I enjoyed watching her finally open up and explore letting people into her life. I thought, for Tova, that hinged on finding family yet also freeing herself from expectations.

On Cameron, I found him to be much like Millennials I have known and been acquainted with. I agree his turnaround could have used more explanation, I personally felt that it was Tova's focus and attention on him. Like maybe he had never experienced that before? Maybe Simon Brooks' info? In keeping with the fantasy element, I liked to think that just being in Sowell Bay acted on his soul.

Marcellus' last statement made me laugh out loud:

Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.

Well, we do try!!

[Sarah]

I agree - there’s not enough SFF elements for me. Seems like the author is using a sentient octopus locked in a zoo as a parallel for down and out suburbanites. Even Marcellus’ main drive is ennui. So much of modern fiction deals with the isolating ‘normalcy’ of suburbia that it’s a cliche.

I’m glad others are enjoying it - I have an aversion to fiction.

[Cheryl]

Sarah wrote: "... I have an aversion to fiction..."

Please clarify. You're in this group which reads fiction, and you write fiction, so clearly you don't mean exactly what you said... do you?"

[Sarah]

Cheryl wrote: "Please clarify. You're in this group reads fiction, and you write fiction, so clearly you don't mean exactly what you said... do you?""

Sure - my preference leans toward genre fiction (SFF, mystery, speculative, etc.) instead of literary fiction.

[Cheryl]

Ah, got it.

[Brian]

Cute story but a little plain and predictable. I'm happy for having listened to the audio book but it wouldn't be a first choice for me. The end was a bit of a head scratcher for me as I kept wondering if I would have taken Marcellus to the ocean or not. Would I want to be let out of prison to die alone in my childhood home or go out with my friends near by even if it was a prison for most of my life. Perhaps I'm way overthinking that part. lol

[Cheryl]

No, not overthinking. That's an excellent question, and everyone's answer will be different. And I bet that the answer we might think now, in the abstract, might change when we're actually faced with end of life issues.

Think about how the elderly and ill humans deal with choosing their last care. Home? Nursing home? At home hospice or hospice care in a facility? I'm 60, my husband older, neither of us will live as long, or at least as well as, the amazing Tova, so we think about this stuff and are glad there are fun books that show us others' perspectives.

[Farmer]

I wasn't a big fan either and it was also mainly because it was more of a book-club book than a nerd book. The writing style wasn't bad at all, the story was just very contrived and predictable. I didn't like that what seems like it should have been big finale reveal was instead explained to us fairly early in the book and we had to wait for the boring process of everyone else to catch on...stinking spoiler spilling octopus.

[Monica]

I really enjoyed the book. Agree that I wouldn't have thought to classify it as "Fantasy". Admittedly, I don't read much fantasy and so I don't have a broad base for analysis. I don't generally find the characterizations in scifi and fantasy that I do in litfic. I do not really find that much emotional depth in scifi in general. I'm glad I read this! I think there are a lot of writers that aim for the emotions and lightheartedness that miss the mark. Though the plot seems cliche (and it is) it's hard to do, well. I thought it was a great summer read, uplifting, lighthearted and well written. Though I figured things out as soon as Marcellus said something about the common gate of their walk, I kept thinking why doesn't she know it's the other son. I thought it was going to veer into the "son I gave away and don't talk about" territory. Tova's son never really comes alive in the story, nor her relationship with him. I thought Cameron was a pretty typical Gen Z. They all seem young to me. I thought his character was well written and familiar. He didn't come across as younger than 30 to me; he came across as aimless and immature. A lot of men still wrestling with finding ways to make their father proud. They don't seem to grow up until maybe they become fathers themselves. Heck he could have been 40. And Moth Sausage is a pretty good garage band name! I listened to Audible for this and a good narrator is everything! This had two very good narrators.

[Cheryl]

I agree, the author took ideas we are familiar with, and characters too, and made them her own with her skill. For example, yes, Cameron would have been believable to me even if he were older (unfortunately).

[Raucous]

Day 105 of my failing to get back to this book... Oh - who am I kidding? This one is a DNF for me. So I'm trawling through the spoiler thread to find out what I missed. I see that Marcellus already filled me in on the surprises.

I loved both Marcellus and Tova as characters. My problem with finishing the book is that I've had way, way too much experience with Camerons. I know one in his 40s and so I'm totally with the people who say that the character is believable even at 30. Too believable and far too frustrating. I read fiction in part as an escape and there is so much I'd rather do with my life than read about Cameron. The more time he got in the book the less I wanted to read it. I'd have so preferred a narrative without him.

One thing that puzzles me about this book: why was Marcellus a long term inmate at this aquarium? I live near a town that could very easily be a stand-in for the one in this book. The aquarium here only keeps giant Pacific octopuses that they display for a year before returning them to local waters so that they can complete their lifecycle. The Seattle Aquarium does the same and so I'd thought that was the normal practice in this area. It's not like there's a shortage. I sometimes see them from our deck. Is there ever a reason given for keeping Marcellus?

[Cheryl]

There is not a reason given. Sometimes we all do things that don't seem to make sense. My adult child is 27... I hope he finds his own path by the time he's 40....

[Bobby]

Lot of great comments. When I think fantasy I tend to think Lord of the Rings or Conan the Barbarian. I guess keeping the octopus in an aquarium for the rest of its life was a little license. There was a degree of predictability to how things came out but there were surprises. After I got past 58% on my Kindle Paperwhite I couldn't put it down. First half was slow for me. But as the story progressed I got chills at different revelations and cried at the end. My only question is whether my wife will like it. She likes murder mysteries by David Baldacci and does not like SFF and she is no where near as sentimental as I am. I also have adult children who are trying to find their way.

[Bonnie]

Last year I read The Island of Missing Trees, which had a sentient fig tree. I liked Marcellus much better and thought the explanation for his self-awareness and curiosity was much more believable than that of the fig tree.

I could believe it, and only frowned near the end when I realized there was no way for him to have recorded or written his chapters!

I didn't mind Cameron's sections, except for when he went to Seattle and actually met Mr. Brinks in a weird downstairs place? There was something about that... seemed to come out of a bizarre TV show (Mr. Robot, Twin Peaks, The OA) rather than this book. That didn't work for me; also the predicaments that were keeping Tova and Cameron from getting the connection (e.g. Ethan getting upset about the t-shirt so Tova left early) became a bit much.

Enjoyed it and think I will also remember Tova and Marcellus.
I'm glad Tova's donation went for a bigger and better tank for future octopi at the aquarium.

[Bonnie]

There's an upcoming buddy read book, The Mountain in the Sea, with another intelligent octopus. October 5.

Buddy Reads 2023:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Liane]

Finally got this from the library and finished it in a couple days. I enjoyed it, but I agree with those who say it was predictable (from at least 2/3 of the way in).

Also, I agree that it wasn’t much of a fantasy.

And lastly, Ann-Marie, I agree that there’s a similarity in style to Fredrik Backman. I think Tova is a female Ove.

[WTEK]

I actually really liked this book even though I usually hate things that are so...idk easily wrapped up and overly connected. But I guess she made me care about the people (and yes Marcellus is a person lol) and made me want them to find out their connection to each other. Plus I just needed a cozy type read last week I guess. I do wish there had been more Marcellus (who doesn't?), and it would have been nice if Tova had kept the house, but I guess that was her finally moving on from being arrested by her grief.

[Molly]

I am super late to the party (the waitlist on this at the library was ridiculous), but I finally read it and it was cute. A little too predictable for my taste but I think I understand why this is popular. It's extremely accessible and Marcellus does add an interesting element to a very familiar story. Definitely wouldn't classify this as fantasy in any way, but a decent experience overall.

[Mareike]

Necroposting:

1.
I really liked Tova and her practical but also slightly crochety outlook on the world. Her warming up to Cat was delightful to experience.
I also liked the slow burn romance with Ethan.

I'm a bit "meh" where Cameron is concerned. He was so immature in the beginning that I mostly found him annoying and was wondering why I should feel sympathy (or him-pathy?) for him. Especially cause he was so busy blaming everyone and everything else for his own mistakes. He did get better over time and I was mentally yelling at him to not be stupid and go back to Sole Bay in the final stretch, but still. (With characters like that, I always wonder if we'd be expected to sympathize to the same degree if they were female but written in the exact same way.)

2.
MARCELLUS!!! But also Cat!

3.
I thought the "solution" was a bit too obvious and the book somehow aso took too long to get there.

4.
I enjoyed it! It definitely touched me. I just woukd have liked Cameron to be a bit less of a stereotype and for things not to be quite as predictable.

[Christopher]

I really enjoyed it - I found myself looking forward to getting to read it at the end of the day. Not too speculative, just light magical realism with the Octopus.

Was a literal found family type story.