Shelby Van Pelt is the author of the hit novel Remarkably Bright Creatures about a giant Pacific octopus who develops a relationship with the cleaning lady at the aquarium where he is held captive (that's how he's sees it anyway). The novel has been adapted by Netflix, which released the film on May 8.

The octopus, Marcellus, is kept in the fictional Sowell Bay Aquarium, which sits on Puget Sound. And he’s not happy about it. He considers the aquarium a prison, and he’s all too aware of the limited time he has left in his life.

Marcellus may not be warm and cuddly like other animal narrators before him, but he does set the audience up for tears. Shelby stopped by KUOW while on tour with the film to talk about how the octopus came to life on the page and now the screen. 

And... if you need some help filing the octopus-shaped void after reading the book or watching the movie, check out Shelby and Katie's Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):

• The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
• The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Read more about Shelby Van Pelt (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

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