“Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures is the debut novel by Canadian author, Shelby van Pelt. Published in 2022, it tells the story of Tova Sullivan, a widow who begins working night shifts at Sowell Bay Aquarium, and Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Tova’s son, Erik, also mysteriously disappeared at sea over thirty years ago. Tova and Marcellus strike up a remarkable friendship and the old invertebrate soon takes it upon himself to work out the truth behind Erik’s disappearance. A heartfelt and poignant exploration of grief and the process of healing, if you loved Shelby van Pelt’s bestselling story, join us at What We Reading for the best books like Remarkably Bright Creatures!
A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
Kicking off our list of books like Remarkably Bright Creatures is Fredrik Backman’s global bestseller, A Man Called Ove. Ove is the sort of man who points at people he doesn’t like, who has staunch principles and a short temper. He’s been branded the ‘bitter neighbour from hell’ by his neighbours.
But, behind the cranky exterior, there is a deeper story and a profound. One November morning, a sociable young couple with two energetic young daughters move into the house next door, accidentally running over Ove’s mailbox in the process. What follows is a heartwarming and funny story of unkempt cats and unexpected friendships that soon begin to change a grumpy old man and a local residents association to their very core.
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Gravity Is The Thing – Jaclyn Moriarty
Twenty years ago, Abigail Sorenson’s brother, Robert, disappeared one day before his sixteenth birthday. That same year, she began to receive scattered chapters from a self-help manual called the Guidebook, which promised to make her life so much more than she could ever imagine. The Guidebook soon becomes a comforting constant in Abi’s life as she bounces from her brother’s disappearance, a move across continents, the breakdown of her marriage, and a new life as a single mother in Sydney.
Then, two decades later, she receives an invitation for an all-expenses paid trip to learn the truth about the Guidebook. What follows is exactly the opposite of what she could have expected. Nevertheless, the trip leads to a journey of self-discovery that will completely upend how Abi sees her life.
Once Upon A River – Diane Setterfield
On a dark and stormy night, a remarkable event occurs in an ancient inn on the River Thames. The regulars are busy telling stories when a grievously wounded stranger bursts through the front door holding the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, however, the girl stirs, takes a breath and, somehow, returns back to life.
Whilst the locals debate whether this is the work of magic or whether there is a scientific explanation buried somewhere, three families emerge to claim her as their own. A wealthy young mother knows she is her kidnapped daughter. A farming family are keen to welcome their new granddaughter into their fold. The parson’s housekeeper sees the spitting image of her sister in the child. Like Remarkably Bright Creatures, Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River is an atmospheric mystery that explores the power of connection and the process of healing.
Lessons In Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus
Similar to Remarkably Bright Creatures, Bonnie Garmus’ 2022 historical fiction story Lessons in Chemistry was another debut novel that won worldwide acclaim. Set in the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only as a single mother but as the reluctant face of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.
Facing the dogged social expectations and rampant sexism of the time, her unconventional approach to presenting proves revolutionary. As it turns out, Elizabeth isn’t just teaching women how to cook. She’s daring them to challenge the status quo. Like van Pelt’s work, Lessons in Chemistry is at times hilariously funny and at times wonderfully observant in its commentary on gender inequality and the importance of staying true to yourself.
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Evvie Drake Starts Over – Linda Holmes
In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth ‘Evvie’ Drake rarely ventures out of her painfully empty house. A year on from her husband’s death in a car accident, everyone in town, including her best friend Andy, believes her grief keeps her locked inside. And Evvie doesn’t correct them. Meanwhile, in New York City, former Major League pitcher Dean Tenney, Andy’s childhood friend, is struggling with what miserable athletes call the ‘yips’.
After a media storm threatens to derail his career entirely, an invitation by Andy to move to Maine appears to be the break Dean needs. He moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, and the two agree to a simple arrangement: he won’t ask about her husband, and she won’t ask about his baseball career. But rules have a habit of being broken, and soon Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts and accept that there is always a chance for transformation.
The Garden Of Small Beginnings – Abbi Waxman
Another one of the most touching books like Remarkably Bright Creatures about grief and learning to live after losing a loved one comes from Abbi Waxman in her 2019 story, The Garden of Small Beginnings. Ever since her husband’s death in a car crash three years ago, Lilian Girvan has been a single mother. But, just as she’s coming to terms with being a widow, she finds herself feeling overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.
Her boss at her textbook illustrating job signs her up for a vegetable gardening class. Believing that rolling her sleeves up in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be any worse than laying about in her pyjamas, Lilian recruits her kids and insanely supportive sister to help her at the Los Angeles botanical garden. Through the quirky group of gardeners she finds there, Lilian soon learns that in every life a little sunshine must come through, regardless of whether you want it to or not.
Nothing To See Here – Kevin Wilson
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates but nevertheless formed an inseparable friendship during their years at their elite boarding school. Until Lillian had to leave suddenly after a scandal. After barely speaking in the years since Lillian receives a letter from Madison asking for help. Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family, and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. But there’s a catch: both twins spontaneously combust whenever they get agitated. Naturally, Lillian thinks her old friend is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.
Over the course of one humid and demanding summer, Lillian and the twins gradually learn to trust each other, stay cool, and out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Taken aback by the sudden feelings of protectiveness she feels for the children, Lillian soon begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her. Could this summer be the start of the amazing life Lillian had always dreamed of having?
Unlikely Animals – Annie Hartnett
Another touching book like Remarkably Bright Creatures with that deals with disappearances, grief and healing through animal themes and magical realism, Unlikely Animals is a 2022 novel by Annie Hartnett. Emma Starling is a med school dropout who has returned to her hometown to care for her father who is dying of a mysterious brain disease. He has also been hallucinating small animals and the ghost of long-deceased naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes, known for letting wild animals live in his house.
Emma returns home knowing that she will have to deal with her dad’s illness, her mother’s judgement and her brother’s recent stint in rehab. What she isn’t prepared for, however, is the news that her high school friend is missing. And no one is bothering to look for her. Her father appears to be the only one convinced she is still alive. Together, Emma and her father set in motion the kind of miracle both she and her town need.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
