The Procrastinators Book Club discussion
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Remarkably Bright Creatures
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★Buddy/Group Read Retirement★
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Remarkably Bright Creatures (June 2024) Buddy Read Discussion - Dia & Jen
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Chapters 1-2
(view spoiler)
I don't think it's necessary to mark spoilers if you're talking about the day's reading. If you had read up to chapter 10 on day one, sure.
Although Tova gets lonely in her home, she opted to find an overnight position without co-workers. Why do you think that is? Do you like to have co-workers or do you prefer working along?Apparently one thing cleaners really like about their jobs is the immediate results they see. As long as no one's on Tova's neck about how many toilets she's cleaning per hour or how much product she is or isn't using, she probably enjoys the work for its own sake. She also seems to enjoy talking to the animals, which most people would probably find weird.
I was a freelance business English teacher for years, so I mostly didn't have coworkers. Now I teach at a university and have a lot of nice colleagues, but also some who are actively uncooperative. So I think there are benefits and drawbacks to both situations.
Mod
Jeanne and Cameron kind of got came out of nowhere. I do find them to be enticing characters already and I’m looking forward to see how they will interconnect within the story, with both Tova and Marcellus. Is Jeanne one of Tova’s neighbours? Do Cameron or Jeanne visit the aquarium? Very random.
Not much context was provided for who they are. I assume every character in a novel is there for a purpose, though, so we'll find out. So obviously the book is partly set in an aquarium, and it's not clear yet how we're meant to feel about them as a result of reading this. Have you ever visited one? How do you feel about them?
Personally I love them and will sometimes go out of my way to visit them if I'm in a city with a good one. My consistent favourite displays are always the penguins, the octopus, and the jellyfish. But each one usually has something very cool that makes it special.
I'm still travelling so a bit behind in the reading and updates as I can't really sit down and do it. Ch 1 - absolutely loved it! I also love how self-aware the octopus is, even knowing that he's called Marcellus. I felt really sorry for it, saying that it's been held a prisoner and only have so many days left.
ch 2 - @Sophie I wonder if that was his way of thanking Tova? but then it left bruises so I'm not sure hahha. maybe when you're at her age nothing phases you anymore!
@Jen I love aquariums too, and zoos or animal sanctuary but at the same time I always feel conflicted. They're probably not good for the animals, but some of them are endangered/recused and need to be bred in captivity, and releasing them into the wild afterwards is probably not good for them.
I don't know if either of you are on Tiktok but I'm slightly reminded of the tiktok guy who got famous for buying an octopus pet for his son, and suddenly they find out the octopus has laid eggs! (which is very rare especially for octopus in captive as they only lay eggs when they feel safe, but they always die after laying eggs). I watched all their tiktoks and it made me cry. i think their name is tiktoktopus or something like that if you're interested.
Ch 3 - I feel the same way about herring too! it's a little sad that even though many food sources are described on the informational plaque for visitors, the aquarium itself doesn't feed Marcellus those food. Ch 4 - I really feel sorry for Tova. It mustn't have been easy, the tragedy involving her son.
Ch 5 - I like how it seems like Marcellus is talking to us. Ch 6 - @Sophie I have a feeling Cameron will start working for the aquarium soon? Given that he's lost his job. Maybe we'll see him interacting with Marcellus.
Mod
I have to agree with you. I’m struggling to see where else he’d fit into the story.
I do really find Cameron to be a complex character, he almost slightly antagonistic (not in a villain way), and I do really feel for and empathise with him. If he does work at the aquarium, I can foresee Tova being a comfort to him, and vice versa.
I’d like Marcellus’ chapters to be a little longer, and I want to see him interact a little more with Tova. Then again, we aren’t actually that far in, I just think because we’re reading at a very slow pace that it takes events a little longer to occur.
On the other hand, it's the one buddy read I'm actually managing to keep pace with. In my other one, I'm like halfway to where I'm supposed to be!I also wish we had more of Marcellus' point of view, but he is an octopus who mostly hides behind a rock and plots how to escape his tank at night so he can eat other fish within 18 minutes, so I'm not sure how much more content he could generate.
In their own ways, Marcellus, Tova, and Cameron are all at points in life where they could use a friend who was a cheerleader for their happiness. Who do you find yourself cheering for the most as you read?I'm team Octopus! Only because it's such a unique character, and because he knows how little time he has left. Apparently they're solitary creatures, so he wouldn't really interact with others except to mate. But maybe interspecies relationships are possible?
Mod
I’d also like Tova to get some closure regarding Erik and what happened to him.
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Marcellus said he saw some familiarity in Cameron’s walk when he went for his interview at the aquarium- definitely hinting at his bio father. I don’t think it’s this Brinks guy he’s looking for, but I really don’t any possible theories as to who it could actually be yet. Maybe they haven’t been introduced?
I haven't looked up any spoilers for this book, but isn't Cameron's dad going to turn out to be Erik? That seems very obvious to me. And then Tova has a family again.
I finished it today. It's pretty good, but very predictable.
Mod
Wowwwweeee. What an amazing story!
It was so wholesome and sweet. It breaks your heart and then puts it back together again.
It was super fast paced and not my normal taste in books but I loved it. I’ll definitely look into reading similar.
I was shocked to find out it was a debut, it was so well written.
My one gripe is that I wish we saw more of Marcellus! He was the epitome of a grumpy old man and he was so entertaining.
It was just a warm, engaging and emotional read, I highly recommend. :)
I'm well well behind but I've been in a reading slump for most of June. I don't keep track of the ch numbers anymore, it's too tedious to count. but when Tova started to pay more attention to Marcellus and he talks about seeing her house key in the ocean omg my heart dropped.
@Sophie @Jen looks like you both guessed who Cameron's father was as well before it was revealed. I've just gotten to where Sandy told Tova the name of the girl Erik was with. and this is Marcellus' wish coming true! I wonder how he'll facilitate their interactions so that they can come to the same realisation.
I've just finished it, i definitely enjoyed that. I kept cheering on Tova and Cameron (though he was an idiot close to the end, but glad he came to his senses). The ending was bittersweet for everyone. @Sophie I agree with your last comments! and @Jen I agree, it was quite predictable and there wasn't much of a conflict.
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Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:
Week of 06/01
June 01: Chapter 1-2
June 02: Chapter 3-4
Week of 06/03
June 03: Chapter 5-6
June 04: Chapter 7-8
June 05: Chapter 9-10
June 06: Chapter 11-12
June 07: Chapter 13-14
June 08: Chapter 15-16
June 09: Chapter 17-18
Week of 06/10
June 10: Chapter 19-20
June 11: Chapter 21-22
June 12: Chapter 23-24
June 13: Chapter 25-26
June 14: Chapter 27-28
June 15: Chapter 29-30
June 16: Chapter 31-32
Week of 06/17
June 17: Chapter 33-34
June 18: Chapter 35-36
June 19: Chapter 37-38
June 20: Chapter 39-40
June 21: Chapter 41-42
June 22: Chapter 43-44
June 23: Chapter 45-46
Week of 06/24
June 24: Chapter 47-48
June 25: Chapter 49-51
June 26: Chapter 52-54
June 27: Chapter 55-57
June 28: Chapter 58-60
June 29: Chapter 61-63
June 30: Chapter 64-66
PARTICIPANTS
~ Dia
~ Jen