This is a book that several people had told me that I should read, or expressed surprise that I hadn’t! So, I did, and strange story that it is, it will certainly not be quickly forgotten. The main reason for this is that overseeing the whole thing is a large Pacific octopus. He lives in an aquarium at the sea life centre where Tova Sullivan has worked as a night cleaner for the many years since her husband died. She has several reasons for needing to keep busy as there is also an unresolved mystery that risks consuming her mind. Her son Erik disappeared aged 18 and was presumed dead although his body was never found. Tova knows there is more to the story of his last hours than has been made clear to her but she can’t find a way through to the truth.
The octopus who is indeed a ‘Remarkably Bright Creature’ sees the resolution to all these worries and concerns when a young man called Cameron takes over the cleaning job when Tova hurts her ankle but how can he communicate this to the people who need to know?
As far as I can see this book is the author’s only novel, written in lockdown times. Maybe why write another when your first offering brings in vast amounts of money, is translated into many languages and also becomes a successful Netflix film. Also of course, for a new writer, the penning of a second book is infinitely harder as the expectations have been set and the bar is high.
There is a sense of originality about this story which is rare, and the humour is gentle and wry. I will be interested to see if she manages to publish more.