Shelby Van Pelt’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures” Wins Our Hearts. Plus: The Nominees for Our July Monthly Pick
Our early-July meetup was skipped because not enough members could make it. This is okay. We meet twice a month with new novels and stories up for discussion every few weeks. We deserve a rest. That is not to say that we have been idle. On the contrary: the nominees for our July Monthly Pick are in:
- All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr)
- Normal People (Sally Rooney)
- What We Can Know (Ian McEwan)
Doerr and McEwan have been runners-up in previous Monthly Picks. Rooney is new and makes a first-time appearance on our list of recommendations. Voting has already started and ends today (July 10). We will announce the winner on our website shortly.
What else? Ah, yes, Shelby Van Pelt is winning our hearts with her debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures. The consensus is clear: We love the characters, the maritime setting, and the octopus even though the plot twists are a bit predictable. Marcellus’s diary entries frame the book’s plot nicely, move the story forward, and keep our interest up. Our overall rating: 4.4 stars. That is quite an achievement for a debut novel.
Addendum: Ian McEwan has won the race and is our Monthly Pick for July 2026.
