Review by Catherine Hayes
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, Emma Knight’s debut novel, is a powerful and compelling observation of womanhood in the early 21st century. Knight explores, a time when the cultural definition of the term womanhood and women’s roles in society largely came into question after the rejection of archaic boundaries and restrictions in the face of second wave feminism in the latter half of the 20th century.
The story follows Penelope “Pen” Winters, a first year international student at the University of Edinburgh who serves as the central protagonist of the novel; Christina Lennox, a family matriarch; and Alice, Pen’s friend and fellow classmate at university. Through each character, Knight explores the silent pressures, demands, and expectations that society places on women through her examination of the institution of marriage and romantic relationships alongside the power dynamics between men and women in these scenarios. Each of the three women undergoes an individual journey of self-discovery and empowerment as they begin to recognize the restrictions and prejudices that have been placed on them simply because of their gender. Yet Knight skillfully brings these three storylines into conversation with one another as each woman plays an active role in the others’ journeys, making for a moving portrayal of female friendship and support.
A truly memorable debut novel that is intelligent and character-driven, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is an important story that sheds light on the suffocating nature of society’s archaic gender prejudices. In the end, Knight emphasizes how each woman has the power and capability to define herself and her life outside the boundaries of these definitions.
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight. Pamela Dorman Books, January 2025.
Reviewer bio: Catherine Hayes graduated from Bridgewater State University with her master’s in English and currently lives in Massachusetts. Her work has appeared in Blood & Thunder: Musings of the Art of Medicine, MER Literary Magazine, Atticus Review, NewPages. She can be contacted on Twitter at @Catheri91642131.
