By Robert McCool
What a delightful book! "Remarkably Bright Creatures" (HarperCollins, 2022) by a debut author, Shelby Van Pelt. This book has been on the New York Times bestseller list numerous times since its publication and the author won a Reader's Choice Award for Best Debut Writer.
It remains one of the most read pop-fiction books and was the first unanimous selection by Ada Book Club members for 2025. I have to thank Jill Simmons for bringing this book to our attention.
First off, it has the most unique voice for a narrator and commentator on human behavior. Marcellus McSquid (inappropriately named on the plaque above his tank, as he is a Giant Pacific Octopus, not a squid.) opens the book with a commentary on his conditions and the visitors beyond his glass tank. He tells you of his intelligence (for example, his ability to read) and you need to be aware of this throughout the novel as his personal life is explained in too few commentaries.
