While we generally review non-fiction works for the Honey Dew Review, we felt this novel was too relevant and powerful to ignore. A beautiful piece about human loneliness and lost family ties slowly stitching back together, Remarkably Bright Creatures is as witty as it is moving. Sometimes it takes the books in the Self Development section to find personal growth, but at other times it takes a remarkable piece of fiction, so potent it can reach in and alter you forever.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a multiple-point-of-view work, going back and forth between several characters, including Marcellus the giant Pacific octopus. At times multiple POV can serve to cover up poor writing or result in minimized character development. That is not the case for this book. Each character in Van Pelt’s debut novel is rich with detail and personality, so much so that they feel like old friends by the time the story concludes. Tova, a widow in her 70s, is such a spitfire and hard-working character that we found ourselves inspired to adopt her cleaning schedule and deep clean every Wednesday. There was a lot to learn from Tova, after all. Cameron, the other main character aside from Marcellus, is a perfect depiction of adolescent angst stuck inside a 30-something body and the lessons and love it takes to move past it.
There is a theme of mystery throughout this work, however, the reader solves much of the mystery long before the characters do. The characters, more than anything, are the stars of this story. With themes of loss, grief, perseverance, and rekindled family bonds, this is a feel-good read that will leave you with a smile on your lips.
We chose to include Van Pelt's novel in the Honey Dew Review because the themes explored within align with the topics we think are most relevant to our readers, including mental health related struggles and finding healing and well-being. Anyway, the year should end on an uplifting note, and Remarkably Bright Creatures delivers.
The Honey Dew Review gives Remarkably Bright Creatures 4.5 out of 5 stars. To see what our star ratings mean, see below:
⭐️ Not a book we recommend
⭐️⭐️ Decent story/some good content, but lacking substance or writing skill
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Well done; good quality writing or research, a worthwhile read
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Extremely well done; well written with excellent story/content
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Breakthrough work that stands out from the crowd, resulting in personal growth by the reader
