Recommended to me by: ShadowKat on Dreamwidth
The book was theoretically on the “Lucky Day” (un-reservable) shelf of a nearby library branch for a week. I finally got in today not expecting to find it, and indeed it was no longer on the shelf. One librarian placed a hold for me, since other branches didn’t have it on their lucky day shelf, but the other librarian on duty dug around and found it in a cart on the back. Not sure how he knew to look or why it was there, but I was happy to spend a Saturday afternoon sitting on my porch in the sun reading it.
This is a delightful first novel set in the Pacific Northwest about a friendship between an old woman and a remarkably bright octopus in an aquarium. Also about family ties and relationships and responsibilities. Beautifully written, lots of great details about living in the PNW. Some manipulative behavior that made me skim a few pages, wincing. It all turns out well in the end.
There are people of color in this book, woven into the narrative and into the life of this seaside town as if they belong there, which of course they do. All featured relationships are heterosexual, but there is a brief mention of speculating if there had been a girl – or boy – partnered with a young man that at least acknowledges that same sex relationships exist.
Highly recommended!
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