Remarkably Bright Creatures: Book Review

 

Published 3 May 2022

In her 2022 novel Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt creates a story of people who are looking to belong, looking for what is lost, and finding connections in unexpected places.  And the story is facilitated by an intelligent, observant octopus named Marcellus. 

Marcellus lives in the Sowell Bay Aquarium where a widow named Tova works.  Tova is entering late life and dealing with some challenges to her health. She is also spending a lot of time reviewing her life and wrestling with some regret.  She does not have a lot of social connection; however, she meets a shopkeeper from Scotland and conducts some awkward low-level flirting with him. 

Tova's story alternates with Cameron, a man leaving his twenties without having a solid job or strong social connections. His mother abandoned him, and he has had trouble dealing with his mother's shortcomings so that he can progress with his own life. 

I admit that I was more interested in the octopus and in Tova than I was with Cameron initially. I feel as though I have observed a lot of young people who are drifting and lost. However, I finally found a way to connect with Cameron and care about his well being. This happened when he (mild spoiler alert) got a job at the aquarium where Tova works and Marcellus lives. 

It's a gentle read that deals with some heavy themes: love, loss, family, aging, purpose, regret, forgiveness and more.  It's 300 plus pages, but it was still a quick, engaging read. 

Related: 

Books on Aging

Late Life Happiness Boost: U Shaped Happiness Curve

 

Image by Smithsonian Institute
via Creative Commons

There are many researchers of the human life span that question the phenomenon of a "Midlife Crisis." However, there are researchers seeking to establish that people tend to experience a dip in happiness in midlife that creates a U shape: measurable happiness in ones 20s, a dip in their 30s to 50s, and a boost in their 60s and 70s.  

The Economist published a 2010 article. There is a paywall, but you can view a graphic that illustrates the concept. 

Midlife is a time where many adults are overburdened with responsibilities: they are trying to work for promotions; they have children at home who need their time and attention; they are trying to adjust expectations for their marriages, which can lead to divorce or newly negotiated roles within the family system; they are comparing their visions for their life with the realities of their life; they are hitting their limitations, which not only includes financial limitations but limitations to their character and health. 

Managing expectations vs. reality is sobering if not terrifying.