The Soul of an Octopus

May 25, 2015
The ever-curious Montgomery (author of Temple Grandin), a naturalist who writes books for children and adults alike, sets out on a quest to learn what it's like to be an octopus after she meets an octopus named Athena at the New England Aquarium. Upon introduction, the young octopus reached her tentacles out to her new acquaintance, winning over the immediately fascinated Montgomery. The pair developed a relationship that Montgomery charts as she relates her frequent visits to Athena. Athena's sudden death plunged Montgomery into a deep grief, but she returned to the aquarium to meet Octavia, the first in a series of octopusesâfollowed by Kali and Karmaâthat reveal to Montgomery just how brilliant these cephalopods can be. She reveals that octopuses often get bored, requiring diversions and toys to keep them occupied; that they change colors to show anger, hunger, annoyance, and pleasure; and that they are not always motivated by hunger, but often crave attention once they receive it from humans. Montgomery's deep love of these creatures often causes her to excessively anthropomorphize them, but her depictions of her intimate experiences with her cephalopod friends ring true, allowing readers to see them in an entirely new light. Agent: Sarah Jane Freymann, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary.

Sy Montgomery is fascinated by octopuses, and why wouldn't she be? With the ability to change colors at a whim to camouflage itself, expand and contract its body to fit in tight spaces, and taste through the many suckers on its tentacles, the octopus has many mysterious qualities that have intrigued, enraptured, and even frightened people for centuries. As she narrates her experiences meeting and learning about different octopuses, she sounds palpably excited; her enthusiasm for the octopus and her fellow octopus enthusiasts shines. Given that Montgomery is a layperson, what the book lacks in terms of in-depth scientific exploration is made up for by her evident eagerness to understand the octopuses she encounters at her local aquarium and on scuba expeditions. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

June 15, 2015

This intimate and spiritual work relates Montgomery's (Quest for the Tree Kangaroo) experiences communing with octopuses in aquariums and in the wild. She clearly conveys the visceral experience of reaching into a tank and touching the creatures and watching octopuses from birth until death. While spending time with the animals, she also enters a fascinating community of people who share her love of aquatic animals. The work is mesmerizing and read by Montgomery herself, which reinforces the intimacy of her experiences. She builds from her encounters with the octopuses and the people who care for them to a meditation on consciousness beyond humanity. The only negative aspect to this work is the audible paper noise in the background. VERDICT A not-to-be-missed listening event for animal and ocean lovers. ["Anyone captivated by the natural world, from interested middle school readers and up, will be engrossed by this account of a strange--and unexpectedly beautiful--animal": LJ 6/1/15 starred review of the Atria hc.]--Tristan M Boyd, Austin, TX

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