“Emma Knight’s Captivating Debut: A Heartfelt Exploration of Motherhood, Friendship, and First Love”

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

In the initial pages of Emma Knight’s debut novel, she paints a picture of a commonplace breakfast for students at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Scrambled eggs, too fluffy to be real, she notes, combined with baked beans that have a subtle undertone of ash, flexible wedges of potato bread, and something reminiscent of sausage. Well, I couldn’t help but chuckle while reading this, having experienced life as a student at a British university myself back in the ’90s. Along with breakfast, Knight’s novel delves into the realms of motherhood, female companionship, and first love. The novel is titled, “The Life Cycle Of The Common Octopus.” Welcome, Emma Knight.

EMMA KNIGHT: Thanks for having me. It’s wonderful to be here.

KELLY: And I must commend you on the startlingly precise depiction of the sausage-like food (laughter) as you were detailing the cafeteria’s offerings for students in Britain. Is this a pleasure you experienced personally?

KNIGHT: It truly is, although my favorite was the porridge.

KELLY: Oh, they do that quite well.

KNIGHT: Exceptionally well.

KELLY: So tell us about your main character. Her name is Pen, and she has just arrived as a student in Edinburgh.

KNIGHT: Indeed. Pen is an ambitious, 18-year-old late bloomer from Toronto. While her full name is Penelope, she opts for the straightforward, intentionally chosen nickname, Pen. She dreams of becoming a magazine writer. Moreover, she holds a skepticism towards marriage, having rejected the idea of eloping.

KELLY: (Laughter) Oh, I didn’t even notice that while I was reading, but that’s fantastic. Please continue.

KNIGHT: Throughout her upbringing, she felt as if her parents were concealing something from her. By the age of 18, she makes the decision to discover what that is.

KELLY: Yes.

KNIGHT: She attends the University of Edinburgh, partly to distance herself from her hometown and seek adventures, but also to track down a distant friend of her father.

KELLY: This individual is known as Lord Lennox.

KNIGHT: Precisely.

KELLY: And he also happens to be a mysterious Scottish author of detective stories. Share more about him and his family, with whom we become quite familiar.

KNIGHT: Certainly, Elliot Lennox has been labeled as the peerless peer by the media. He is a celebrated writer of mystery fiction whose series of novels has captivated audiences for over a decade by the time Pen seeks him out. He is one of those lucky individuals who has discovered the ideal vocation that matches his abilities. Growing up in a magnificent, decaying castle on the east coast of Scotland, he is exceptionally hospitable toward Pen, in a manner that astonishes her. He extends an invitation for her to stay over the weekend. She sends him a letter via his literary agent, not genuinely anticipating a reply. However, he replies, encouraging her to come by train and spend the weekend.

Thus, she does, and she encounters his seemingly flawless family – his enchanting wife, Christina, and his son, Sasha (ph). She continues to tug at the thread of a family secret that she knows exists but lacks substantial knowledge about. Despite this, he almost does anything to make her feel welcomed, except for answering her straightforward inquiries.

KELLY: She does mature significantly over that one year. You write one lovely scene featuring her and her father, who unexpectedly shows up. He opts to appear and take her out for dinner, and you portray him as possessing the ability to master silence. Moreover, you express that Pen, in contrast, was still too young to understand how to avoid filling the silence. Elaborate on what you are exploring there.

KNIGHT: This is certainly something I’m still in the process of learning.

KELLY: Yes.

KNIGHT: It touches on the dramatic irony that becomes evident as one ages and can reflect on their younger self, identifying the vast gaps in knowledge that stand out. Young Pen is present with her father, and the older Pen observes her younger self’s questions for her father that he is unable to satisfactorily address. The older narrator views this scenario with heightened empathy and comprehension of his circumstances.

KELLY: You infuse so much laughter and joy, genuine delight, into the scenes depicting what it feels like to be 18 years old, 19 years old, exploring the world for the first time. There’s an abundance of banter, playfulness, and flirtation. That must have been a joy to create.

KNIGHT: I had way too much enjoyment writing the reeling ball.

KELLY: Please give us a glimpse of that scene.

KNIGHT: There’s a character named Fergus Scarlett Moore. He was, in fact, the first character to pop into my head. He swaggered into my thoughts, dressed in trousers the hue of smoked trout and wearing a melancholic expression, beginning to tease Pen. The reeling ball is filled with activity, but one of the key events happening there is a kind of courtship dance between Fergus and Pen – where both characters are uncertain about what they truly desire.

KELLY: There’s a certain Jane Austen essence in what you are describing.

KNIGHT: Oh, that’s very kind of you. I adore Jane Austen.

KELLY: (Laughter).

KNIGHT: I adore Jane Austen. Evelyn Waugh portrays humorous university scenes exceptionally well, showcasing young individuals convinced of their sophistication.

KELLY: Yes.

KNIGHT: Jilly Cooper also brilliantly illustrates the courtship dance with humor.

KELLY: Yes. And there’s something perfectly fitting about writing an actual dance while the courtship dance unfolds between the steps. It all nicely aligns. Attentive listeners might be curious about the connection between an octopus and any of this. So, can you clarify the significance of your title, “The Life Cycle Of The Common Octopus.”

KNIGHT: I’d prefer not to disclose too much, but I can reveal that the octopus in this tale serves as a metaphor for a sort of Loch Ness Monster I wrestled with during early motherhood. I doubt I’m the only one facing this. The idea of a perfectly self-sacrificing mother, for whom individual existence and aspirations completely vanish. The real-life octopus is known for dedicating much of her existence to brooding over her eggs. This creature works diligently to reach adulthood in a challenging environment and subsequently, after mating, stops eating and begins to deteriorate while caring for her eggs. This beautiful brooding phase is rather tragic. It represents a state we, as humans, should not aim to emulate. Our children require us to maintain our true selves. They need us to keep living and demonstrate what it is to be genuine individuals in this world.

KELLY: I believe you have started to answer what would be my final question, which concerns the inquiry Pen poses to herself. Does a mother have to pick between being self-serving and being consumed?

KNIGHT: (Laughter) Oh, dear. It’s a daily dilemma, isn’t it?

KELLY: Yes.

KNIGHT: No. No.

KELLY: (Laughter).

KNIGHT: A mother simply has to continue being herself.

KELLY: That was Emma Knight, truly herself, discussing her debut novel, “The Life Cycle Of The Common Octopus.” This was a pleasure. Thank you.

KNIGHT: Thank you very much, Mary Louise.

(SOUNDBITE OF FLORANTE AGUILAR’S “BAYAN KO”)

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