The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus By Emma Knight Book Review
Have you ever picked up a book because of its cover and title, only to realize it’s about something totally unexpected? That’s exactly what happened with “The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus” by Emma Knight. Despite what you might think, it’s not really about octopuses, the title is actually a clever metaphor that ties deeply into the story’s themes.
This book is literary fiction with a strong coming-of-age feel, centered on Penelope Winters, a Canadian university student who heads to Edinburgh in 2006. Pen is navigating her first year at university while uncovering family secrets, sorting out friendships, and stepping into adulthood. She’s also trying to make sense of her parents’ divorce, her own awakening desires, and the complexities of motherhood and female friendship. The tone balances warmth and wit with moments of emotional depth, touching on motherhood, identity, love, and family legacy.
What makes this book stand out is the rich setting, the University of Edinburgh provides a charming, atmospheric backdrop, and the complex, realistic portrayal of female friendship between Pen and her best friend Alice. Readers often mention the beautiful, sometimes challenging Scottish vernacular and the smooth way the story moves between multiple storylines. While the plot can feel a bit sprawling at times, each thread adds flavor to an overall cohesive story. Emma Knight’s prose has been praised for its wit, intelligence, and sharp observations about life, relationships, and choices, with a style that’s both intimate and elegantly crafted.
Reader reactions are pretty mixed. Some found the book slow or disjointed, with too many subplots diluting the main mystery, and even described the characters as annoying or the story frustratingly amateurish in parts. Others absolutely loved the novel, calling it a beautifully written, heartfelt debut with unforgettable characters and a powerful look at motherhood and friendship. Many appreciated how the octopus metaphor, about the exhausting, self-consuming nature of motherhood, runs throughout the story. Several readers compared Knight’s storytelling to Sally Rooney’s, noting the blend of intellectual banter, academia vibes, and emotional insight.
From my perspective, this book will really appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven, slightly literary novels about young women figuring out their place in the world. If you like stories set in evocative university settings with complex family drama, or if you appreciate books that tackle motherhood and friendship with nuance and warmth, this one’s probably for you. But if you prefer tight, fast-moving plots or straightforward mysteries, it might feel slow or overly ambitious. The multiple perspectives and subplots can be a lot, and the payoff isn’t a thriller climax, it’s more about the emotional journeys of the characters.
So, thinking about all that, if you’re into thoughtful coming-of-age stories full of heart, relationships, and some literary flair, give The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus a shot. Just be ready for a layered read that asks for patience and reflection more than quick thrills. And if you do pick it up, let me know what you thought!