Great book that I just finished: Remarkably Bright Creatures

[Wade Hampton]

I just finished one of the best books that I’ve read in a long time: Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. I hate to describe too much of the plot for fear of making it sound like a remote fantasy; on the contrary, it’s quite grounded in human realities.

But one of the main characters is a highly intelligent octopus.

I’m going to stop right there and just suggest you get a copy of the book from your library and just give it a try. I think you’ll be glad you did.


Wade Hampton Miller

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I just finished one of the best books that I’ve read in a long time: Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. I hate to describe too much of the plot for fear of making it sound like a remote fantasy; on the contrary, it’s quite grounded in human realities.

But one of the main characters is a highly intelligent octopus.

I’m going to stop right there and just suggest you get a copy of the book from your library and just give it a try. I think you’ll be glad you did.


Wade Hampton Miller

Good suspense builder, your post. I just reserved the audiobook from my library, 5-week queue. Thanks for the tip.

When I saw the title, I thought of some of the anecdotes I've often heard about crows. I intend to "read" up on them as well.

[Mandobart]

My wife is in a book club that selected that title. We travel a lot between our home and Seattle (3 hour drive each way) and a lot of camping and skiing trips. We listen to audio books on these drives.

I enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures. The development and descriptions of all the characters is done well. The story draws you in.

My only nitpick is the ending is too predictable and reminiscent of a Hallmark TV movie.

[Gromitspapa]

It's time to replace my long time missing Paperwhite, so I'll do that and read this.

In an off-the-wall and probably unrelated suggestion, try this movie. I thought it was great!

[MartinD12-20]

Just put my name on the "Hold" list at my local library.

[frankmcr]

The idea that octopuses/pi/pods are highly intelligent is fascinating. But it came up so suddenly, and spread so fast, that I can't help wondering if it isn't one of those things "everybody knows" that aren't actually true.

Like "Eskimos have a hundred different words for snow" or "Water circles the drain in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere".

[fazool]

thanks Wade - I will read it and "report back"

[MEBearrows]

Octopus Teacher is great.

[redcrow]

I read it and enjoyed it immensely. Yeah, the ending was a bit formulaic, but with the rest of the world nuts, it was A pleasant distraction.

[fazool]

Wade -

Thank you for the book recommendation!

In full disclosure, the setting was a career aspiration of mine for a while so I had a particular interest in it. However, I found the book to be so much more than the setting - it transcended that completely and made
the setting a minor backing to the story.

Like you, I won't give anything away.

The book was a very slow start, for me. I admit I didn't love it at first. In fact, I had to force myself to pick it up - I would read one of the very short chapters and set it down and lose interest. I found the characters unrelatable and unlikeable (at first). I thought about bailing out and not finishing it.

I started to finally get into the story after about 150 pages. It took a long time for me to start "coming around". At page 200, I was totally hooked. Last night I stayed up until 1AM reading the last 100 pages in a binge-read.

It was a very moving story and one of those things that "stays with you" .

I finished the book and just lay there thinking "wow!". I couldn't sleep as I lay there in the afterglow of the story.












I love reading immersive books and was a real book nerd in my youth. My wife and daughters share this nerdiness. I always struggle picking a book to read. There's no good way to know. I don't generally follow book reviews or critics either but I've had good luck picking books that are popular because, statistically, I've got a better chance of grabbing a good one.

So a personal or "known" recommendation goes a long way.

[jseth]

Wonderful book! Thanks so much for the endorsement, Wade...

I'm about 3/4 of the way through it, and it is just a ball to read!