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Tova Sullivan may be 70 years old and slight of build, but she can work hard. And even though she has sufficient savings to live on, she has a job at night cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. It keeps her busy. Her husband died fairly recently, and her only child, Erik, disappeared on a boat 30 years ago.
One night, she discovers the aquarium’s giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus, outside of his tank. The octopus has been managing to escape most nights for short stints, unbeknownst to anyone. But she helps him and keeps his secret, and the two become unlikely friends.
When a young man comes to the small town from California, he ends up pulled into Tova and Marcellus’s orbit. He gets a lot more than he bargained for in deciding to make an extended visit to Sowell Bay. And his presence makes a profound impact on Tova and others.
This is a charming novel. It would be heartwarming without the octopus, but its role in the story really makes this book stand out. The book is told in third person for all characters but the octopus. The octopus talks about himself and what he observes in first person throughout the story. Marcellus is at the end of his lifespan and has lived most of his life in captivity in the aquarium, and he’s seen a lot of humankind. He is smarter than they give him credit for and sometimes is just “so over” them. He’s a bit grumpy and cynical. So his attachment to Tova, and what he does for her, is that much sweeter.
I loved all the characters and couldn’t put the book down because I was so eager to see everything come together as I knew it would. But then I was sad it was over because it was so delightful. Just a fun, captivating book about family with an unusual element in the form of an octopus narrator.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes 2 uses of strong language, around 75 instances of moderate profanity, 45 uses of mild language, and 5 instances of the name of Deity in vain. Sexual content includes kissing and understood sex but no details.
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