4.35⭐
Genre ~ cozy animal fiction
Setting ~ Sowell Bay Aquarium, Washington & California
Publication date ~ May 3, 2022
Est page Count ~ 368 (66 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 16 minutes
Narrators ~ Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
POV ~ single 1st (Marcellus), dual 3rd (Tova & Cameron)
Featuring ~ debut, a super smart sneaky octopus, some mystery, grief, small town community vibe, slow burn
My review:
A mostly delightful debut!
Marcellus has been living at the aquarium for 4 years, much longer than he’s expected to live. Before he dies he’s on a mission to bring some happiness back into Tova’s life. I wish he had way more chapters because I loved him so much. The fun facts sprinkled in were a nice touch.
Tova is in her 70’s and enjoys cleaning the aquarium at night and has made an unlikely friend in Marcellus. Their friendship was so cute. It seemed like they were really talking to each other with their actions. Tova had a nice set of human friends, as well, who really looked out for each other.
30 year old Cameron is ready to find out who his father is, so he sets off from California to Washington with only a picture and a name to guide him. Do I think he could have been a much more mature for his age? I sure do as he was super annoying for most of the book. He bugged me towards the end with expecting to get whatever he wanted just because he thought he could do it. He did mature by the end though.
Where the plot is going is obvious, even without Marcellus’s meddling, but it’s a slow burn that’s all about the journey for each of the characters. The ending is a sad, yet heartwarming one.
Narration notes:
The narrators were quite good. I don’t have any complaints.
Get your copy on ~ Amazon
Add to your never ending TBR ~ goodreads
I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.
Book blurb:
For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.
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