A Modern Fairy Tale For Adults Is How I’d Classify Remarkably Bright Creatures
We call ourselves the Edgy Eves. (Every self-respecting book club needs a solid name.) Our last book was Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
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A modern fairy tale for adults is how I’d classify the novel. A fairy tale due to the anthropomorphism of an octopus, and how I was delightfully led into and through the woods of the tale. The novel wasn’t what I expected; I’d expected something deeper, perhaps more philosophical, but as I said, it was delightful all the same. RBC kept me reading until the end, which is worth noting. With the millions of books available, I don’t waste time finishing everything just because it’s in front of me. RBC was a nice break from a list of heavier reading, I’d been doing research on my latest novel.
As A Writing ProfessorAbout Author Margaret Lukas
I’ve always got one eye open to writing techniques I find well done and those that can teach me something new. Here are the top three things that caught my attention.
One
The characters are well-rounded, relatable, and quirky. The protagonist, Tova, a seventy-year-old woman has a special relationship with an octopus she’s named Marcellus. An odd relationship indeed, but I found myself quickly getting beyond my hesitations and into acceptance. Tova believes and made to believe in her, I rode the tale with her. She carries an inspiring strength of character and her relationship with Marcellus is one of love and healing. Despite grieving the deaths of her son and husband, with Marcellus she faces each day with gratitude and determination.
Two
The characters are revealed layer by layer throughout the novel. These continuous revelations keep surprising and are a powerful pull that kept me invested. A thoughtful member of the Edgy Eves stressed she “really disliked” one of the main characters. But given her angst, I thought the comment proved just how well the character had been drawn. Good writing makes us feel. We read to feel and be transported. A reader’s reaction might range anywhere from love to hate, or from fear to bliss and those are all legitimate, but a novel that doesn’t make the reader feel, falls flat.
Do I recommend Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures?
Absolutely.
Three
The giant Pacific octopus, “a remarkably bright creature,” has only short monologues. They aren’t over-long, threatening to break the delicate thread of reader immersion by spending too long in the fantastic. Getting to know Marcellus felt natural and a shared experience.