The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus Audiobook By Emma Knight cover art

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus

A Novel

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The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus

By: Emma Knight
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY

“Undeniably delicious.” —The New York Times

“A spellbinding debut about friendship, motherhood, first love, and the choices that bind us. . . I couldn't put it down!” Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Summer Will Be Different

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.©2025 Emma Knight (P)2025 Penguin Audio
Family Life Friendship Genre Fiction Women's Fiction Scotland Witty

Critic reviews

“The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a spellbinding debut about friendship, motherhood, first love, and the choices that bind us. Emma Knight whisks us away to Scotland, where Penelope Winters navigates her first year at Edinburgh University while untangling a family mystery. I couldn't put it down!”Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Summer Will Be Different and Meet Me at the Lake

“Brimming with heart, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a story about parents and children, friends and lovers, and that moment when a young person must strike out on her own to claim the life she most wants. Emma Knight swept me off my feet.”Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street

“Whip smart, unrestrainedly fun, and bursting with heart. . . A novel about finding ourselves, falling in love, and meeting that precious group of friends whom we call family. . . Joyous, clever, and wholly transportive.”—Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

What listeners say about The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus

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Vivid Writing Well-written Characters Heartfelt Story Wonderful Book Lyrical Musings
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More more more!!

Such an excellently told story. I couldn’t get enough and was left truly satisfied with that craving for more !!!! Highly recommend!

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Beautifully written, beautifully narrated

This is a really good listen. The narrator is a phenom and the story is unusual. It really hooks you.
Delightful characters.

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Excellent writing

Beautifully narrated/ excellent writing/ detailed richly developed characters/ vivid descriptions of landscape and interiors/ lyrical musings on life’s many journeys and choices made

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Get this wonderful book!!! Couldnt put it down!!!!

Whether or not you attended college- you have a history of your early adulthood- when youre away from your family, and trying to figure out who you are- this book will hit home with you. Its so great! The writing is so colorful and thorough!!!

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Incredible writing!

I loved the study into friendships and family roles that aren’t always what they seem.

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Gorgeous prose, women’s connections to themselves and each other, and fantastic narrator.

Gorgeous prose, memorable multi-dimensional characters (especially the female characters), intelligent without being didactic, and expressed what is to be a girl, woman, wife, mother through the lens of each character while making different choices. Their choices. I saved so many passages, and though the narration was exceptional (so much so that I want to listen to other novels due to her voice and voice acting skills) I also want to buy the novel and underline all of the sentences and pages that I loved. It will be full of yellow.

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A wonderful book!

The characters and their stories are so well written. It’s a fascinating listen with an excellent narrator.

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I’ll miss these characters!

Oh, I’ll miss these characters! The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a witty, heartfelt story of friendship, first love, motherhood and self-discovery. Set in Scotland, it blends college life with family drama as Pen uncovers long-hidden secrets and finds herself along the way. Brilliant character development and a rich exploration of womanhood make this an unforgettable read!

** I listened to this one and loved the audio version. The differences between American and Scottish accents really brought it to life. That said: I had times when I thought this is so well written wish I would have gotten the actual book to really take in the words myself. Excellent book either way!

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Pursue your dreams

The common octopus has many similarities with human women regarding child rearing, care and their own pursuits. A little slow to get going and the overly romance like love story was often cloying. Overall I did mostly like this story

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Delightfully vivid writing

The parent/child dynamic that emerges is profound and insightful. The characters are relatable and the writing is delightfully vivid. It took a while to get interested in the story but the writing kept me reading.

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