Editor’s note: The opinions of the smart, well-read women in my Denver book club mean a lot, and often determine what the rest of us choose to pile onto our bedside tables. Sure, you could read advertising blurbs on Amazon, but wouldn’t you be more likely to believe a neighbor with no skin in the game over a corporation being fed words by publishers? So in this series, we are sharing these mini-reviews with you. Have any to offer? Email bellis@denverpost.com.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” by Shelby van Pelt (Ecco, 2022)
Initially, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” made me think about the Oscar-winning movie “The Shape of Water,” because in both works a woman’s life is transformed by a mysterious amphibian whose tank she cleans. This similarity is only superficial, though. Here, Tova, a widow, develops a relationship with an aquarium-bound octopus named Marcellus. Other humans are drawn into their net of understanding and respect in a most satisfactory manner. Of course, the story is often fantastical, but the twisting tentacles of the tale charmed me. There are numerous characters to truly like, and no need for villains — life itself takes care of that role. Yet the occasional darkness doesn’t pervade, and light filters down. Van Pelt’s debut is accomplished and mature, not exhibiting the uncertainty so often in debuts. Well done. — 3 stars (out of 4); Neva Gronert, Parker
“The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder,” by David Grann (Doubleday, 2023)
Based on the true story of the HMS Wager that wrecked off the coast of Chile in 1741, this novel is packed with action, complex characters, mystery, disputed recollections and a multitude of facts about the lives of 18th-century mariners. Who knew that the phrase “under the weather” stems from the practice of keeping sick crewmen below decks, sheltered from the harsh weather conditions “on deck,” for example? Grann finds the sweet spot in keeping all the pieces balanced and, in the end, you’re just rooting for everyone to survive. I dare you to put it down. — 4 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
“Our Souls at Night,” by Kent Haruf (Vintage Reprint 2016)
Native son Haruf’s final masterpiece features a paean to older love in fictional Holt, Colorado. Both Addie and Louis lost their partners years before and finally work up the courage to offer one another the second chance they each deserve. Unexpected obstacles, their own histories as well as adult children, challenge them to find mutual fulfillment in their lives.
This was Haruf’s only book written at break-neck pace to complete an elegy for the finish of his own existence. 4 stars (out of 4); Bonnie McCune, Denver (bonniemccune.com)
“All the Sinners Bleed,” by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron Books, 2023)
A murder mystery set in a small town in southeastern Virginia, by an award-winning author of “Southern noir” fiction. Complex, believable characters, warts and all. This one left me hoping for a series based on the protagonist, Titus Crown. — 3 1/2 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
