From the publisher:
A witty, atmospheric, and brilliantly told novel that offers compelling portraits of womanhood, motherhood and female friendship, along with the irresistible intrigue surrounding an extraordinary British family
Arriving at the University of Edinburgh for her first term, Pen knows her divorced parents back in Canada are hiding something from her. She believes she’ll find the answer here in Scotland, where an old friend of her father’s—now a famous writer known as Lord Lennox—lives. When she is invited to spend the weekend at Lord Lennox’s centuries-old estate with his enveloping, fascinating family, Pen begins to unravel her parents’ secret, just as she’s falling in love for the first time . . .
As Pen experiences the sharp shock of adulthood, she comes to rely on herself for the first time in her life. A rich and rewarding novel of campus life, of sexual awakening, and ultimately, of the many ways women can become mothers in this world, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus asks to what extent we need to look back in order to move forward.READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY
“Knight’s gorgeously intimate, cleverly insightful wordsmithing will certainly impress and entertain.”—Booklist
Two friends from Toronto, Pen and Alice, begin their first year at the University of Edinburgh. Over the course of the year, the novel explores their journey as they grow both together and apart, forming new friendships and navigating romantic relationships. Pen also delves into her family’s past by tracing one of her father’s old university friends in Scotland from the 1980s, seeking answers about her parents’ divorce and her unusual middle name.
This book is a nostalgic read, filled with themes of female friendship, empowerment, first love, and family secrets. Both Pen and Alice’s storylines showcase their development as young women in the early 2000s. The author tackles complex issues such as sexual misconduct through a student-professor affair, infidelity, single motherhood, and more, weaving these narratives into a rich tapestry of life and relationships.
Unfortunately, the book really dragged for me. I kept picking it up and putting it down, and that’s never a good sign. It was very slow, but because it was a book recommended by Jenna Bush and was published by Pamela Dorman, whose books I usually adore, I plodded on, but it wasn’t worth it.
Finally, the title kinda pissed me off – it made me think of the fabulous Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, which I’m sure was a deliberate choice, and trust me, it had nothing in common with that book. The octopus doesn’t even show up until almost the end, and it is no Marcellus! The octopus is used as a metaphor over the course of a page or two, and that’s it. So, if you are looking for charm, look elsewhere.
Normally, I wouldn’t even have finished this book and I should have trusted my instincts. I really hate to pan a first novel, but with all the marketing and buzz this book has gotten, I’m going to live with it. I know some people love it, but I am not one of them.
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight. Pamela Dorman Books (January 7, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593830451. 384p.
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