by Shelby Van Pelt
Reviewed by Linda:
I loved this quirky debut novel (the first book I've ever read to be narrated, in part, by an octopus). Tova, a widow whose only child died under mysterious circumstances, finds some purpose to life when she begins a cleaning job at a local aquarium and makes a surprising friend. We also meet a frustrated young man who excels only at losing jobs and a grocer who puts on a cheery facade to cover up his loneliness. This is a beautiful story of loss and recovery with help from the natural world.