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My critique of 2* for Remarkably Bright Creatures may disappoint you, but it is my honest response to having listened to just over 50% of this Audible edition. I make no apologies for not having finished. I simply did not like this book, although I can understand why others might enjoy it for a light and heart-felt read. The plot revolves around an unresolved and mysterious calamity in the past of the main character. (view spoiler)[The underlying movement of the novel revolves around the suicide of a young person. (hide spoiler)]

Remarkably Bright Creaturesis not a book about conservation or the ecology of the ocean, which would have been extremely interesting and relevant to a novel featuring an octopus. It borders on fantasy, but would be described as magical realism as it is set on earth but features talking, introspective animals. There are two primary narrators. Tova is an elderly widow with a tragedy in her past; Marcellus, is a giant Pacific octopus who has been kept in an aquarium for his entire lifespan, and whose lifespan is nearing its natural end. There is a sub-plot with a minor character who seemed inserted primarily to add a touch of complexity to the plot, and who occasionally appears as a minor narrator.

Do you like sea creatures? To enjoy this book, the image of an octopus with wiggling arms, tentacles and watery eyes needs to appeal to the reader. Clams, snails and crabs and other sea creatures populate this book, as the magical realism persuades you that an elderly woman can communicate with an octopus and that the octopus attempts to relate to his "associates".

Remarkably Bright Creatures is described as a "nice" read, "feel-good and tender". The narration is simple and even languid; I would describe it as chatty and comfortable. The narration was not convincing to me in this Audible version; to be more precise, the old lady voices were not that different from that of the 30-something young men. The voice of the self-aware octopus Marcellus was the most convincing, if you find a talking octopus persuasive.

But I digress; I am dropping this book because I have an aversion to sea creatures and fish of all kinds. If I saw an octopus, even safely behind the glass of an aquarium, I would shudder and remove myself. Quickly. In fact, as I prepared, to read this novel based on the recommendation of two trusted friends and numerous “nice�� reviews, I searched for a comic and cartoon image of an octopus to remind myself that this story, after all, is just a story. Octopus do not reach their arms out of tanks and grab the observers' arms, even with the friendliness intentions.

Against the deluge of positive reviews, I am putting this book down firmly. If you think you would like to befriend a talking, thinking octopus who easily escapes his aquarium to pursue adventures, this book it for you. But for myself: I am leaving it behind under a pile of magazines before the creature escapes the pages and blinks at me!