I think this book hit me at just the right time in a very generous holiday mood. Normally I get bored with saccharine curmudgeon stories, à la A Man Called Ove. Perhaps the sentient Octopus that could read and understand English reeled me in - pun intended? Or perhaps the curmudgeon in question being a grieving mother melted my heart. I empathized with all of the characters and found the way the pieces of the story finally came together (I think there was one too many near misses) was satisfying.