I picked up The Soul of an Octopus because, ten years ago, I was utterly enamored with Sy Mongtomery’s The Good Good Pig. My expectations were so high that the contrast between what I learned about the inner lives of octopuses, and the Stockholm Syndromesque relationships between them and their keepers, quickly became too disappointing—and too tiring—for me to enjoy.
The subtitle “A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness” clearly states Montgomery’s purpose. And she starts her exploration off well enough. She’s meeting Athena, the New England Aquarium’s 40-pound, 2-1/2-year