Shelby Van Pelt

“Then, with a twitch, my limbs awaken, and I am alive again. I do not say this to give you false hope. My death is imminent. But I am not dead yet. I have time enough to bask in the vastness of the sea” (349).

No matter the tragic events of your past or the bleak resoluteness of your future, there is always room for hope, even when you think all is lost. Like a sunken treasure sitting in the darkest depths of the cold sea, there’s always something bright to be discovered in the dark. This is what grieving widow Tova and wandering orphan Cameron come to understand when their paths serendipitously cross—and then stay crossed and connected by meddling Marcellus, a remarkably bright creature.

In this book about family and home, loss and misunderstandings, there’s so much to love: the magical realism of a communicative giant Pacific octopus with a sardonic voice, the connections between broken and lost characters in a small town, and the unfolding mysteries of loved ones who disappeared decades ago somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

While this is a solid 4.5 for me, there are some things I didn’t love: I’m not a fan of dramatic irony, but I know how frustrated Marcellus felt. For me, it took awhile for the book to gain speed (not until after the first 100 pages), but that’s certainly how bogged down in the mire grief can be—much like what the characters are experiencing. And while I was instantly drawn to Cameron and Ethan and Jeanne and Avery, it took me awhile to feel that same magnetism towards Tova—much like the veneer of her stoic Swedish stock. So, even with elements that I didn’t love, in the end, I really appreciated how purposeful and seamless all pieces intertwined. This is one I’d certainly recommend diving into—you won’t be disappointed with the treasure you uncover.… (meer)

Seventy year old Tova Sullivan needs to keep busy since her husband died. She's needed to keep busy for years in fact, since her son Eric was apparently drowned - his body was never found. So she works as a cleaner in the town's aquarium. And it's here she establishes a bond with an elderly octopus, who also gets to tell his story in short occasional chapters. Suspend your disbelief. This works. The other main character is Cameron, a man with a chip on his shoulder searching for the father he never knew. This book tells the story, the journey of each of them, with a light touch: with humour and with wit. A light, yet involving and engaging read.… (meer)