Literary Fiction
Working through grief can lead people down life changing paths. For some this means finding a new routine, chasing a new dream, or starting over someplace new. For others, coping with grief means keeping busy and befriending some unlikely, but remarkably bright creatures.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
A New York Times Bestseller * A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick
Soon to be a Netflix Film
"Remarkably Bright Creatures [is] an ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut. . . . Memorable and tender." --Washington Post
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.
To Drink
On the banks of Puget Sound, Seattle is a city known for coffee. Home of the very first Starbucks, you won’t be hard pressed to find a great cup of joe in the city. So, lets that morning pick-me-up flavor and prepare some delicious drinks. Create your own Dalgona Martini or Vanilla Cold Brew Cooler.
Ingredients
Ice
2 oz. Baileys
2 oz. vodka
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. instant coffee
2 Tbsp. cold water
Directions
Step 1. Fill a cocktail shaker or glass with ice. Add Baileys and vodka and stir or shake until chilled. Strain into a martini glass.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, coffee, and water, then heavy whisk until silky smooth and shiny. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and holds its shape.
Step 3. Scoop whipped coffee mix on top of the martini and enjoy.
Ingredients
1 cup of cold brew coffee
¼ cup vanilla syrup
½ cup of coconut milk
Ice cubes
Vanilla or coffee bean for garnish
Directions
Step 1. Fill glass with ice and pour in the cold brew coffee. Stir in vanilla syrup until well mixed.
Step 2. Slowly pour in the coconut milk and stir gently before serving.
To Cook
Recreate some of the Pacific Northwest’s best dishes by stepping into the kitchens at the famous Pike Place Market. From crab cakes to Pink Door pasta to marketplace tea cakes, you can bring the market to your kitchen, minus the flying fish.
Pike Place Market Recipes: 130 Delicious Ways to Bring Home Seattle’s Famous Market by Jess Thomson and Calre Barboza
More about the Octopus
What does the world look like through the eyes of an octopus? See how one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet lives their life at the bottom of the sea.
Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery and Warren Ka Carlyle
If you like Remarkably Bright Creatures, then you’ll enjoy:
What would happen if the world came across a species of octopuses that developed their own language and culture? If Marcellus has you wanting more intelligent talking octopuses, then pick up this thrilling sci-fi novel.
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
For a more heartfelt novel featuring unlikely animals and unsolved mysteries, jump into the life of Emma Starling. She finds herself on the hunt to find a missing friend alongside her father and the small animals he is hallucinating.
Unlikely Animals, by Annie Hartnett
