Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a heartwarming novel about unexpected friendships, healing, and the mysteries of the past. The story follows Tova Sullivan, a lonely widow in a small coastal town in Washington, who takes a job cleaning an aquarium to cope with her grief. There, she forms an unusual bond with Marcellus, a curmudgeonly, observant octopus with a keen eye for human secrets. Through Marcellus’s perspective, the story reveals a touching and humorous exploration of loss, connection, and the power of unlikely relationships in uncovering long-buried truths.