Van Pelt’s sharp-eyed invertebrate has an unbelievable (but wonderful) ability to grasp connections that others fail to see ... Marcellus’ wry, curmudgeonly point of view is conveyed in short journal-like remarks interspersed throughout this otherwise third person narrative ... requires a willingness to throw disbelief overboard. The various narrative strands entwine somewhat improbably, though not as improbably as a literate octopus’ skill at detective work. But if you can swim with it, Van Pelt has spawned a heartwarming tale about the importance of reaching out with open arms to make meaningful connections. I’m a sucker for happy endings, and this one, which brings a group of lonely outsiders into the equivalent of a big, communal hug, has considerable charm.

Tova’s gentle relationship with Marcellus is the heart of Van Pelt’s debut. The octopus’ point of view, though unusual, brings a magical haze to the novel, even as Tova and Marcellus realize their story is coming to an end. A unique and luminous book for fans of Eleanor Ray’s The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton (2021).

Marcellus—a thief, escape artist with a mission, and brilliant observer of human behavior—narrates his chapters with a whip-smart wit born of his nine brains, three hearts, and the impatient urgency of wanting to help his beloved Tova before his time runs out ... Poet and short story writer Van Pelt has written an irresistibly wonderful, warm, funny, heartbreaking first novel, full of gentle people (and one octopus) bravely powering through their individual scars left by lives that have beaten them up but have not brought them down.

Every so often, a debut novel comes along that is so perfectly polished and emotionally resonant that it seems impossible you don't already own several of the author’s previous works. I have no doubt that newcomer Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures will be that book for many this summer ... Whimsical, immersive and vibrantly written, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a truly tender masterpiece about grief, letting go of the past and giving yourself the permission to dream of a future. Character-driven with a propulsive mystery at its heart, it is also a poignant examination of a small-town community, aging and loneliness. Each subject is handled carefully and compassionately, but what truly elevates the narrative is the courageous thrust into the fantastical. Not every book can be narrated by a snobby, grouchy cephalopod, but Van Pelt voices Marcelle’s observations, lamentations and hunger so successfully that you’ll wonder why he isn’t narrating all the books you read ... With a soaring, surprising style that calls to mind Colleen Oakes and Annie Hartnett, and a tenderness worthy of Jodi Picoult or Fredrik Backman, Shelby Van Pelt has written the debut of the year --- an absorbing, uplifting novel populated by a cast of perfectly imperfect characters who you will want to root, sob and risk everything for.

I had my doubts about this detecting duo of janitor and tentacled gumshoe: I thought it might be too cute. But, as Marcellus might joke, I was a sucker for thinking so. His voice, which alternates with chapters featuring Tova and other characters, is scornful and sad ... Like a noir detective, Marcellus looks the ultimate deadline of death in the eye and doesn't blink. Both of these strange and freshly-imagined stories go deeper into uncharted territory for the mystery novel.

Although Tova and other characters are dealing with serious problems like loss, grief, and aging, Van Pelt maintains a light and often warmly humorous tone. Tova’s quest to figure out what happened to Erik weaves her back into other people’s lives—and occasionally into someone’s tentacles ... A debut novel about a woman who befriends an octopus is a charming, warmhearted read.

... whimsical if far-fetched ... Pelt imbues Tova, Cameron, and Marcellus with pathos, but her abrupt cycling between their perspectives can be disorienting, and her no-frills prose is ill-suited for the anthropomorphic conceit at the story’s core. While the premise intrigues, this fantastical take on human-animal connection requires a bit too much suspended disbelief.