Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus!

This book started out very slow. It didn't pick up until the 4th or 5th chapter. Penelope and Christine were my favorite characters but I cannot say that I would recommend it. It is not what I thought it would be but I'm glad I read it.

This was just ....okay. Not about Octopuses at all so if that's what you're interested in, it's not gonna happen for you.

slow. boring at times. 2 stars Thank you NetGalley for the arc

A totally engaging coming-of-age novel set in Scotland. It centers on Pen Winters, a Canadian who is a first year student at the University of Edinburgh. She's arrived with her childhood best friend, Alice, and the two quickly become great friends with Jo, a Scottish fellow first-year. Pen has long been intrigued by Lord Elliot Lennox -- a Scottish aristocrat who was her father's best friend in college. Eventually, she reaches out to the Lennox family and is invited to their estate, where she is warmly welcomed. Once there, she begins to fall in love, and also to slowly unravel an old family secret. Appealing characters, great setting, and a quietly suspenseful plot make this a book that is hard to put down. I look forward to recommending this title.

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a promising debut. A coming of age story about a Canadian student who goes away to university in Scotland, partly in the hopes that she will find answers to a family secret.

I think some things were done well. I loved the aughts setting and I love a family saga with a bit of mystery. The prose was very nice. I'm not sure the plot really tied everything together and I think the premise may have overdelivered.

Ultimately this was a fine read for me and it gives me hope for Knight's future work but it was not a favorite.

I enjoyed this book; although it felt more like a young adult novel that adult literary fiction. The characters were interesting, and I was invested in their outcomes.

I don't know why this book is so popular. I found it a bit dull. People will probably get it confused with the other good story about an actual octopus. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight is a debut novel which shows potential, but honestly did not hold my attention. The coming-of-age story involves Penelope "Pen" Elliot Winters; she's from Toronto and is a new student at the University of Edinburgh. She's also determined to learn more about her parents' relationship and thinks that a local aristocrat who was a friend of theirs may be informative. A visit to his estate results instead in her being attracted to his elder son, Sasha, but Pen is very naïve. Although this title is a Read with Jenna selection, the story is confusing, has a strange almost "sinister" vibe, and moves slowly.

This was a real page turner. I found my self not wanting to put it down. It should be called the lifecycle of the common family. Very touching at times and heartbreaking.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! I was really excited for this one, the cover intrigued me and when I saw it was a Read with Jenna pick I was pretty hyped. But, sadly, I couldn't get into this one. I never really connected with the character, the plot wasn't engaging, it just didn't make me care enough. I didn't love the tone/voice. This one is for the slow, vibey, highbrow, coming-of-age readers.

Arriving at the University of Edinburgh, Pen suspects her divorced parents in Canada are keeping a secret. She believes the key lies in Scotland, where her father’s old friend, now the famous writer Lord Lennox, resides. Invited to his grand estate, Pen uncovers family truths just as she experiences first love and the complexities of adulthood. The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a compelling novel about campus life, self-discovery, and the many ways women navigate motherhood—exploring how looking back can help us move forward.

Knight is a promising new writer, though this advanced edition could benefit from refinement. The opening and closing need a stronger connection to the plot, and the storyline itself could be more finely honed to enhance its impact. However, the heart of the story is solid, the characters are delightful, and overall, the book was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Emma Knight's "The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus" is a fascinating and informative look at the surprisingly complex life of this intriguing cephalopod. Knight's writing is clear and engaging, making the science accessible to a wide audience. From their unique camouflage abilities to their complex mating rituals and short lifespan, the book explores every stage of the octopus's life with beautiful detail. It's a must-read for anyone interested in marine biology or simply curious about these remarkable creatures. The book likely also includes stunning visuals, further enhancing the reader's understanding and appreciation of the common octopus.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝘾𝙮𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙊𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙪𝙨
by Emma Knight
384 pages

Update: Though slower paced, I have not stopped thinking about this satisfying character drama. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Kinght was a slower paced family drama for me as a reader, and I didn’t read it all in one day.

The story focused on Pen’s first year away at university - her best friend Alice accompanied her there seeking to become an actress. The subplot of the two friends surviving their first year was also my favorite side narrative as this novel was multifaceted. It did remind me of Elena Ferrante at many points, and I may change my star rating higher once I think about it more.

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 . . .

This was an excellent debut novel. I need more time to think about how I felt about this one, but I need other readers to give this one a try so we can discuss it - this is your pick for a women’s fiction book club. A perfect choice as a Read With Jenna selection.

Thank you @pameladormanbooks & @netgalley for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

QOTD: Do you ever change your mind about a book and change your star rating higher once you’ve had more time to process it?

Please read so I have a buddy to chat with!

#readwithjenna #arcreading #currentlyreading #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #womensfiction

Oh how I wanted to love this! It had so many things that made it seem perfect for me: both a complicated family and coming of age story, set in Scotland, from Pamela Dorman, AND a Read With Jenna pick. Unfortunately it just fell flat. The premise was never established enough to hold much weight, there were a lot of superfluous characters that seemed unnecessary, and I was left feeling very unsatisfied. One thing I did love was the writing, so I look forward to trying more from the author in the future.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I realized I was halfway through and still didn't give one fig about any of the characters. It was just more of the same - angst, a "mystery" that could be solved if someone just asked, and more angst. I tried to finish it, but I just couldn't. Curious as to how it got it's title and a bit curious as to the mystery, but not curious enough to finish it.

Octopus wasn’t bad per se, but I found myself disinterested every time I picked it up and ultimately, couldn’t make myself finish it.

For me, the writing style was challenging for me to focus on and I often found my mind wandering. It felt like a historical fiction book, yet it was not. I was buddy reading and my buddy got further ahead and told me it was more of the same so I decided to not go any further. I really dislike DNFing NetGalley books but this one just couldn’t hold my attention. Just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a classic "university tale" set early in the 21st century (which allows for some fun writing involving technologies of that time period). I felt a connection to many of the characters and thought their interaction was well-done (I wish I'd had a group of friends like that in college!). The "mystery" of the past was interesting but sometimes got lost in other plot movement. I did not particularly appreciate the changes of point of view within a single chapter, but this was more a matter of taste than one of being confused. This is a book I'll recommend to readers with the caveat that if they're expecting an octopus tale (e.g., in the realm of Remarkably Bright Creatures) they're going to be disappointed.

I enjoyed the writing in this immensely—great character development and dialogue. I did wonder where the story was going a few times, which slowed down my reading, but I found the conclusion to be very satisfying. This will be a slam dunk for anyone who loves campus novels and coming of age stories.

I have to admit that I almost didn't finish this book. It was a long, long way around to get to the ending. I didn't really feel anything for the characters. It just wasn't for me, I guess.

This novel was challenging for me to get into and that can stem from a number of factors but I know it's now a Jenna Bookclub Pick so people will pick it up and read it so I'm not worried about the fact that it didn't grab me. It was an interesting setting, that's for sure, with a Canadian young woman heading to Scotland for university.