The tangents, which are usually relevant to the tale being told and are always about marine life, break up each chapter in a way that caters to ‘small bite’ readers like myself. The author interjects many detailed and educational tangents into the relaying of her story. The Soul of an Octopus is best read a little bit each night, in my opinion. In this way the book is appropriate for a wide audience with a variety of backgrounds. All in all Montgomery’s story, and the character’s stories within it, reveal many happy experiences, like love and birth, but they also share experiences with the pressures of poor health, the pain of death, and the agony of not knowing the right answer. Each character Montgomery introduces has their own story- some happier than others. She emphatically describes the joy of getting to know new friends. Montgomery’s stories convey many emotions.

Octopus Karma at the New England Aquarium, January 2017. Montgomery does elude to some references that, as a female, I found practically humorous, but the majority of her experiences are not gender specific.

It is suitable for any adult reader, or mature teen, who Is looking for a relaxed story that can teach them a thing or two about marine life. Sy Montgomery’s style is informal, detailed, honest, and funny. She was pleasantly surprised to learn just how much octopuses can teach us, and that, even though humans are obviously very different than octopuses anatomically, our souls are not so different. Sy Montgomery comes away from her story having learned more about herself and the world around her thanks to her enthusiastic obsession with the mystifying octopus. The story chronicles the relationships she builds with the aquarium scientists and volunteers, and the unexpected, yet very special, bonds she shares with the octopuses she meets along the way.

She also takes us to the shallow ocean on a few SCUBA expeditions, and across the country to Seattle for some octopuses romance on Valentine’s day. In this non-fiction story the author, Sy Montgomery, details her journey through many trips to the New England Aquarium as she makes friends with humans and octopuses alike. Octopus Karma at the New Englad Aquarium, January 2017. It was like hearing a story from a science friend who wants to keep you informed with all their experiences, as well as share everything they learned with you. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery has an excellent balance of story telling and fact sharing. The soul of an octopus: a surprising exploration into the wonder of consciousness.

The soul of an octopus by sy montgomery