Hello readers, and welcome to my blog. If this is your first time here, you’re not alone, this is new for all of us. I’ve named this blog The Endpapers. Endpapers, or endsheets, are sheets of paper that bind the book pages to the backing or cover. And much like endpapers, literacy and compassion for our fellow human beings are two of the most important components that hold our society together. I’d like this blog to encourage both. To that end, my posts will regularly direct you to other books by the same featured authors, books by different authors that follow the same theme, and pages where you can donate or volunteer your time to support causes related to the major themes covered in the featured book for that post.
About the Blog
I started this blog not only because I love to read, but because I think it’s important in this day and age to speak up for the things we believe in. Literacy opens doors in myriad ways. I want to do what I can to help bring attention to all the books out there that are worth exploring. Reading is important because it opens our horizons. It exposes us to new ideas and perspectives. It gives us an understanding of the world around us and an escape when that world overwhelms us.
My interests in books are varied, so you can expect to see a wide range of genres covered in this blog. I welcome suggestions for new books to cover, especially banned books. I would love for this blog to become a place of community, learning, and support for those of us who love to read and want to share that love with others.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
For my first post, let’s start with Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt, published in 2022. The book alternates between the viewpoints of three central characters. Tova is a fiercely independent widow trying to come to grips with the loss of her teenage son years before. Cameron is a thirty-year-old who got lost somewhere along the way and has yet to find out where he belongs. Marcellus, our most interesting character, is a brilliant but undervalued giant Pacific octopus with a penchant for escape.
It’s an excellent beach read, for obvious reasons, but you could just as easily enjoy it curled under a blanket by a rain-streaked window. While the story can be sad, it was a great palate cleanser between darker stories I knocked off my TBR. The small moments of humanity spread throughout the book, even by its nonhuman characters, touched my soul. Marcellus’ love of leftovers, Tova’s tender cleaning of the seal statue her son loved, and (without giving too much away) a heartfelt quest for a 1995 Grateful Dead concert t-shirt are a few of my favorite examples. The main characters have unfinished business to work through and help each other in unique ways to reach their goals. My favorite unsung hero is Ethan, the Scottish grocer with an ear for gossip and a crush on hard-shelled Tova.
For those of you who like to hit the ground running from page one, Remarkably Bright Creatures is not the book for you. This story is a lazy river of relaxation and contemplation, not an action-packed sprint to the last page. Shelby Van Pelt crafted each character with care and precision, slowly winding them into one tapestry of hope and community. This book was like a long, warm hug from an old friend. Cozy up to this novel if you’re ready to forget about the clock for a while and just drift.
More about the Story
If you read this novel and fell in love, I have great news for you. Netflix is adapting the story into a feature-length film. Sally Field will star as Tova. Remarkably Bright Creatures is Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, but she has published a variety of short stories. A full list of her work can be found at shelbyvanpelt.com.
Do Good
If you’d like to get involved with a cause that’s relevant to our eight-limbed hero, take a look at The Octopus Foundation. This organization is a Swiss company that supports the scientific exploration of our oceans. You can find more information at https://octopusfoundation.org/en/.
I’ll be back with more great reads soon. Until then, happy reading.
