Page 16 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens- March '24

Page 16, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Book Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures

By Nils A. Shapiro ways, I began to choke It is in the very special chapters throughout the book
When my two wonderful up at the enormity of involving Marcellus’s most important place in the story that
daughters, Brett and Hillary, the experience and, this remarkable creature contributes the narrative himself,
surprised me recently with with tears streaming each time announcing the timing of the events taking place.
a gift copy of this book it down my face, spoke His first: “Day 1,299 of My Captivity”…
was clear they remembered softly to this Sy of the Marcellus had spent most of his life in the freedom of the
my telling them several sea: “Do you realize open ocean, before he was captured 3 1/2 years earlier and
years ago about having had what’s happening? Do placed in the small, boring “prison” of a tank that shortens
one of the most emotional you know that you’re the life of these intelligent cephalopods, and he is now aware
experiences of my life. I had dying? I know it’s to that his own will soon be ending.
just written a rave review for save your babies. I wish His only friend, Tova, has grieved for many years over
The Soul of an Octopus, a I could help you.” After the loss of her son, Erik, a high school senior who died
nonfiction book that went on to climb the bestseller lists in a while I was told it was mysteriously several decades earlier in a case that was
25 countries around the world. Its award-winning author, time to leave and had officially ruled a drowning while he was in his boat at sea.
Sy Montgomery, whom I had never met before but who has to uncoil the tentacle. Another important character in the book, Cameron, is
since become a dear friend, called to thank me and invited It was an experience I introduced as a 30-year-old man raised by his Aunt Jeanne
me to meet her at the New England Aquarium to meet Sy, will never forget. when his mother abandoned him soon after his birth.
the giant Pacific octopus that had been named after her. I mention all of the above because an octopus named Following a series of employment difficulties and some
She explained to me, however, that I would have to make Marcellus is one of the main characters in Remarkably research he now believes that his natural father, whom he
the visit soon because, as her book explains, after a female Bright Creatures, a debut novel by Shelby Van Pelt. In her has never known, has become a wealthy real estate tycoon
octopus lays her 100,000 eggs she instinctively immediately acknowledgements she credits Sy Montgomery for what living in Seattle and makes plans to confront the man with
rests her eight tentacles on top of them to protect them from she learned in The Soul of an Octopus. the intent of demanding some financial compensation for
predators in her natural ocean habitat. From that moment on Van Pelt’s novel is itself a remarkable achievement, all the years of parental neglect.
she no longer forages for her own food and slowly, over a a highly imaginative and beautifully told story of When the planned meeting with his assumed father is
period of weeks, starves to death – sacrificing her own life relationships, memories, sadness, family and love. delayed, Cameron takes a job at the Sowell Bay aquarium
long enough to allow her babies to be born. An elderly widow in her 70s, Tova, works evenings at the temporarily replacing Tova when she is injured, and the two
I knew from Sy’s book that octopuses are among the aquarium in her town of Sowell Bay, Wash., mopping the gradually form a genuine friendship.
world’s most intelligent creatures, having been on this planet floors and keeping the glass walls of all the exhibits clear While in Sowell Bay, Cameron begins to develop a
for millions of years with almost no evolution because they and clean. She genuinely cares for all the various creatures relationship with a young woman, Avery – and author Van
are almost perfect for their environment. They recognize within their enclosures and often feeds them but has a Pelt adds to the cast of characters Ethan, owner of the local
individual human faces – the one I was to meet already knew special affection for, and connection with, the giant Pacific market. All are interesting and worth getting to know.
Sy the author as a friend – and can easily solve complicated octopus, Marcellus, whose restless nature and renowned But it is Marcellus who, with his intelligence, intuitive
puzzles provided by the aquarium on a regular basis to intelligence is reflected in his constant successful escapes understanding and scientifically accurate physical skills
prevent their becoming bored. from his tank to explore – and sometimes devour – the tasty ultimately brings together all of the complex strands of this
When I arrived, after Sy the octopus greeted Sy the samples from nearby other tanks. It is a secret that Tova does book’s imaginative story line to a satisfying, yet magical,
author by raising a tentacle out of the water and wrapping not disclose to the aquarium’s officials lest they punish her conclusion.
it around her waist and holding it there for quite a while, eight-legged friend. Instead, she always catches him and As for me, it was after I had read page 250 of this book’s
the author unwrapped the tentacle, turned to me and said, returns him to his tank. 355 pages, at a special moment in the narrative, that I put
“It’s your turn, Nils.” It is a fact that, because they are gelatinous and have no the book down and, feeling all choked up, with the memory
I was taken aback for a moment, was handed a small fish bones, even octopuses whose tentacles stretch to 6 or 8 feet of my own earlier experience, called both my daughters and
that had been the octopus’s favorite food, then stood and wide are able to squeeze through holes as small as 1 or 2 thanked them for their very thoughtful gift.
looked down into the tank. A tentacle arose from the water, inches wide. They have also been known to figure out how I suspect you will want to thank me for sharing this
took the fish gently from my hand ... but dropped it. She was to open locks. wonderful book with you.
already too weak to eat and was starving. But the tentacle
came up again and slowly wrapped around my wrist! She
was tasting me – she could taste down to my bloodstream
with any part of her skin – and, having accepted me as a
friend of her friend, slowly wrapped a tentacle gripping me
gently, suction cup sucker by sucker that felt like wet velvet
around my wrist and held me there in greeting a very long
time.
Soon, realizing that this was a creature as different from a
human as would be a visitor from outer space – its mouth is
in its armpit – but is at least as intelligent as a human in many

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