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Remarkably Bright Creatures
By Shelby Van Pelt
Ecco Press, 9780063204157, May 2022, 368pp.

The Short of It:

Delightful.

The Rest of It:

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. ~ from the publisher

I am not a fan of magical realism but when it’s done well? I can’t help myself. Tova, a lovely woman working at the aquarium befriends a large Pacific octopus. He escaped and got tangled in a bunch of cords so Tova came to his rescue. You see, Marcellus, is quite the adventurer. He escapes his enclosure nightly, gathers little things here and there but he has a secret that he’s been trying to share with Tova but she hasn’t quite caught onto it yet.

Tova is happy cleaning the aquarium and she enjoys her nightly visits with Marcellus and company, but after her brother dies, she begins to ponder her next step. Should she move into a retirement home? After spraining her ankle while tending to Marcellus, she comes to the conclusion that although she has friends, she doesn’t have anyone to care for her when that time comes. Life is nothing but a bunch of decisions, isn’t it?

Interwoven into this story is also Cameron’s story. A young man, unemployed and searching for the father he’s never known. Without any real ties, he heads north to look for his father. Luck is not on his side though. His bag is lost at the airport and inside it, the only chance he had at making a little money. Penniless, and desperate he calls his aunt, borrows more money and invests in a run down camper. Thinking, hey, at least I can live in it.

Although Cameron is used to living by slim means, he desires more. He desires a more stable life, and he hopes his father can be a part of that. What begins as a quest for an inheritance becomes something much more. While trying to make a living, he meets Tova at the aquarium.

Between the loss of Tova’s son Erik, the loss of her brother Lars, and the entrance of this young, wayward boy, Tova takes a liking to him and the two form a bond.

This is a beautiful story. There was one part where Marcellus’ secret hits me and I gasped. Out loud. Gasped. Nearly shed a tear. What a wonderful story! I had heard great things about this book but the magical realism turned me off. Boy, was I wrong. I ADORED this book. It will be on my fave list for sure but you all need to read it! It’s been out for a long time but hey, just pick it up. Trust me.

Highly recommend.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

All the Colors of the Dark
By Chris Whitaker
Crown, 9780593798874, June 2024, 608 pp.

The Short of It:

A slow burn, page turner.

The Rest of It:

*No Spoilers*

In the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges–Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. ~ from the publisher

I was first introduced to Whitaker’s writing when I read We Begin at the End. Oh boy, I sure loved that book. I loved the characters, the story, all of it. So when I heard that Whitaker had another book out, I jumped at the chance to read it. All the Colors of the Dark is very similar in tone. A young feisty protagonist, an officer of the law, and a broken and flawed “do gooder” raised by a single mom battling addictions. When a wealthy local girl goes missing, Monta Clare’s very own Patch the Pirate comes to her aid. Pirate? Because Patch is missing an eye and oddly enough, the loss of an eye does not prevent him from seeing all that is around him. The danger, the sad reality of the hand he was dealt, and the ability to paint these girls, the missing girls.

As Patch becomes obsessed with these missing girls, because after the local girl, there are many others. He does his part by painting them and posting them in an attempt to bring awareness to the community but also as a means of closure because he, too, has a survival story to tell and it haunts him.

Saint, Patch’s good friend, sees in him someone she could absolutely love, but Patch has his own battles to fight. What he’s experienced will never leave him. As much as Saint and her loving Grandmother look out for him, he is a wayward soul, on his own path to redemption. You know how a feral cat is? Patch is like that. Lovable but doesn’t know how to receive love.

All the Colors of the Dark is a mystery at its heart. Who is the kidnapper? There are a lot of twists and surprises, which I loved. It DID remind me of a book I read recently, The Return of Ellie Black. If you liked Ellie Black then you will also enjoy All the Colors of the Dark.

Here’s the thing with Whitaker, his stories are so much more than what they first appear to be. This book can be considered a coming of age story, a small town gem of storytelling really. It will tug at your heart and you will find yourself reading late into the night. I pulled my reading light out so many times while reading this one. The best time to read it was in bed, in a dark room. I did not want to leave these characters.

Highly recommend. It will be on my list of faves at the end of the year.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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