Books Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel  by Shelby Van Pelt (Author)

Shelby Van Pelt is an American author from Tacoma, Washington, now living in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. She is a longtime flash fiction and short story writer, with several collections published by independent presses. Remarkably Bright Creatures is her debut novel, which has been a New York Times bestseller and received critical acclaim.

Inspired by a viral video of an octopus attempting to escape its tank, Van Pelt wrote the story from the perspective of a curmudgeonly giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. Her novel blends human and animal viewpoints to explore themes of grief, friendship, home, and love. Tova, the novel's elderly protagonist, is loosely based on Van Pelt’s late grandmother.