However, I’m going to tell you a far different tale. In seeking a treasure in an undersea cave he encounters a belligerent octopus. I read every single one, with gratitude.Let me begin this edition of Jim’s Book Review by saying that ever since I saw John Wayne in “Wake of the Red Witch” several decades ago I have been very leery of octopi. Have you read a book lately that grabbed you unexpectedly? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send me an email. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy realistic fantasy, a coastal setting, and of course the fresh perspective of a tale told by an octopus truly a remarkably bright creature.
In the acknowledgments, author Shelby Van Pelt thanks the agent’s assistant who initially reviewed her query letter and then wrote in the margin to her agent-boss: “This is either brilliant or bananas.” I’m going with brilliant. I also learned a lot about the Great Pacific Octopus, though of course without more research I can’t be sure which “facts” are actually true. Together, they deliver a satisfyingly full-circle ending, both in the big and small picture. We care what happens because of the unique richness of Marcellus and Tova’s relationship. Though the story is somewhat predictable-and rather, um, fantastic, in all meanings of the word-the specificity of detail, especially when we’re wrapped up in the many legs of Marcellus, keeps it all surprisingly believable. I kept reading, trusting the author to eventually connect his story back to the more intriguing original storyline… and soon I understood why we had to see the world through Cameron’s eyes as well. I was eager to hear more from these two when Cameron, the third narrator, butted in he’s a rather cardboard version of a down-and-out 30-year-old who decides to go in search of his father (if only to shake him down for child support).
They develop a strong bond-especially once Marcellus realizes that a ring he found deep in the ocean, before he was captured, belongs to Tova’s drowned son. She also begins to share her life story with Marcellus, through his tank’s glass, which she simultaneously tries to keep fingerprint-free. Because she’s also a remarkable creature, Tova rescues him-and keeps his late-night wanderings a secret. One evening, Tova finds Marcellus entangled in a charging cord, unable to return to his tank after a late night snack on abandoned takeout. The first chapter is less than 500 words long, and it definitely leaves us wanting more… but after this introduction we move on to Tova, the 70-year-old woman who comes after hours to clean the aquarium.
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