Remarkably Bright Creatures Audiobook By Shelby Van Pelt cover art

Remarkably Bright Creatures

A Novel

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Remarkably Bright Creatures

By: Shelby Van Pelt
Narrated by: Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
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About this listen

A New York Times Bestseller!

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a beautiful examination of how loneliness can be transformed, cracked open, with the slightest touch from another living thing.” -- Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively listenable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

©2022 Shelby Van Pelt (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers
Animals Literary Fiction Mystery Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt Witty Tearjerking
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Critic reviews

"This fantastical debut audiobook will enchant listeners. Gifted vocal artist Marin Ireland portrays Tova, a 70-year-old widow with a heart of gold whose teenage son died under mysterious circumstances 30 years earlier. Ireland's encouraging tones suit Tova, whose compassion touches everyone, and every creature, in her small Washington town.... A fanciful and enjoyable listening experience." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: 13 Listens to Get Through the SAD-dest Time of Year


Have you ever felt stuck or lonely during winter months? This isn’t just a you problem. Something about those gray skies and short days really gets to us—and while the onset of winter brings its own challenges, these last few weeks of the season can feel interminable. Whether you hope to learn more about seasonal depression, embrace your feelings, or look for some escapism, these listens can power you through the end-of-winter blues.

Editorial Review

Michael Urie for octopus teacher of the year
Instead of adopting a pandemic puppy, I set up a quarantine fish tank. So, believe me when I say: hearing Michael Urie voice a cephalopod (for at least his second time!) makes scraping algae off glass way more fun. From distant mothers and anonymous fathers to deceased husbands and lost sons, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel revolves around absence, as its humans (all brilliantly voiced by Marin Ireland) take solace in the routines that keep the Sowell Bay aquarium afloat. But it’s Marcellus, with his eight tentacled arms and advanced intelligence, who connects the dots in their stories. As he observes, the sea keeps secrets, "but humans struggle to use their words to tell each other what they truly desire." Caring for my tank always leaves me refreshed, so I’m certain my fish have wisdom to share with me too. — Haley H.