Lily and the Octopus is the 2016 debut novel of Steven Rowley.

Lily and the Octopus
First edition cover
AuthorSteven Rowley
Audio read byMichael Urie
LanguageEnglish
GenreMagical realism[1]
PublisherSimon & Schuster
Publication date
June 7, 2016
Publication placeUnited States
Media type
Pages320
ISBN978-1-50-112622-2

Plot

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A 42-year-old writer finds that a small octopus has attached itself to the head of his aging dachshund, Lily.

Background

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Rowley, a 43-year-old paralegal and screenwriter, had sold several unproduced screenplays before writing a short story about the death of his dachshund, Lily, to cope with his grief.[2][3][4] Rowley's boyfriend encouraged him to expand it into a novel.[3] Rowley wrote Lily and the Octopus in 100 days and submitted it to approximately 30 literary agents, who all declined to represent him.[4] Rowley said of the manuscript, "I was proud of it as a piece of writing, but I never thought that this was going to change my life."[4]

Intending to self-publish, Rowley hired freelance editor Molly Pisani, who later pitched the novel to her former colleague, Karyn Marcus of Simon & Schuster.[2][3][4] Impressed by the quality of the book,[2] Marcus forwarded it to Simon & Schuster editor-in-chief Marysue Rucci.[4] According to Marcus:

I woke up to an email that [Ms. Rucci] had sent me at 3 in the morning, saying "this book is incredible, I wept real tears, you must buy it" ... We knew immediately it was going to be a big book for us, and the advance certainly reflected that.[4]

In April 2015, Publishers Weekly reported that Marcus had acquired the novel for Simon & Schuster in a "nearly seven-figure" book deal.[2] The Hollywood Reporter noted that the offer "was made with unusual speed",[3] with The New York Observer calling it "a timeline unheard of in the slow-paced publishing industry".[4]

Publication

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Lily and the Octopus was published on June 7, 2016.[4]

Reception

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Booklist praised Lily and the Octopus as "an exceedingly authentic, keenly insightful, and heartbreakingly poignant tribute to the purity of love between a pet and its human".[5] Publishers Weekly called the novel "sensitive, hilarious, and emotionally rewarding", adding that "in generous helpings of bittersweet humanity, Rowley has written an immensely poignant and touchingly relatable tale".[6] Kirkus Reviews wrote, "In his funny, ardent, and stanchly kooky way, Rowley expresses exactly what it's like to love a dog."[7] Sara Gruen called Lily and the Octopus "A quirky and deeply affecting charmer of a novel [that] is funny, wise, and utterly original in its exploration of what it means to love any mortal creature."[5] Julie Klam of The Washington Post described the novel as "heart-wrenching but ultimately breathtaking",[8] and Garth Stein praised it as "a profound exploration of grief".[5]

In June 2016, Lily and the Octopus made the American Booksellers Association's IndieBound Bestseller List.[9] The Washington Post put the novel on its list of "Notable Fiction in 2016".[10]

Film adaptation

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In April 2018, Amazon Studios acquired the rights to develop the novel into a feature film.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Lewis, Andy; Sandberg, Bryn Elise (April 13, 2018). "Amazon Studios Picks Up Heartbreaking Hit Lily and the Octopus". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Deahl, Rachel (April 3, 2015). "Surprise Project Becomes Simon & Schuster's Big London Book". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Andy (April 10, 2015). "Screenwriter Nabs Near-Million-Dollar Deal for Debut Novel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Bloomgarden-Smoke, Kara (January 13, 2016). "Meet the Unknown Author of the Next Blockbuster Novel". The New York Observer. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Lily and the Octopus: Praise". Simon & Schuster. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  6. ^ "Review: Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  7. ^ "Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley". Kirkus Reviews. March 15, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  8. ^ Klam, Julie (May 24, 2016). "Lily and the Octopus is the dog book you must read this summer". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  9. ^ "Indie Bestseller List for June 22, 2016: Hardcover Fiction". American Booksellers Association. June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  10. ^ "Notable Fiction in 2016". The Washington Post. November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
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