AlexandriaLibraryVA discussion

Questions to ask yourself while reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

- What kind of person do you think Marcellus would be if he were a human? What qualities do Marcellus and Tova both share that make this remarkably friendship a success?

- Each of these characters-animal and human-need each other in a specific way, even if they don't realize this at first. What qualities bind these characters to each other? Are they connected by loss, grief or something else?

- Remarkably Bright Creatures takes place in a Pacific Northwest coastal town in the recent past. The watery Puget Sound setting plays a major role in the plot, but how else does the setting inform the novel? How do you think the novel would be different if it were set somewhere like Arizona or Minnesota?

- Tova reflects on her experience caring for her husband through his illness and eventual passing, and with no surviving family to do the same for her, she worries about being a burden on her friends as she ages. How do you view the role of community and family in caring for older people? How did Tova's views on this change throughout the book, and why do you think they did?

- Marcellus' life in captivity is much different than the life of an octopus in the wild-and eventually. Terry reveals that Marcellus was rescued from the sea after a life-threatening injury. Aquariums play an important role in education and conservation, but some people view keeping animals, especially intelligent ones, in captivity with skepticism. What do you think?

- In the last few pages of the novel. Tova and Cameron realize how they are truly connected. What do you imagine they are doing a year from the novel's end?