I really loved this first novel by author Shelby Van Pelt. It's about a woman named Tova Sullivan who has endured significant loss over the years and who has taken a job as an evening cleaner at the local aquarium. Tova lost her son when he was just 19 in mysterious circumstances at sea. She lost her husband a few years ago, and her brother has also recently died. Tova's job at the aquarium brings her into contact with a highly intelligent Pacific octopus who has a penchant for escaping his tank for short jaunts around the aquarium to look for snacks. The octopus, named Marcellus, also holds the secret to what happened to her son years ago, and he sets in motion a series of events that lead to Tova learning about her son and much more. There are a lot of great characters in the book, including a local shop owner who has a crush on Tova, a young man who's searching for his father, and the members of Tova's knitting group. The interplay between all of the characters and especially between Tova and Marcellus is funny and touching. The writing is wonderful, and I couldn't put this book down. I'm looking forward to the author's next book!
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