My Friend the Octopus: from the author of Darwin's Dragons

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Vinnie and this giant octopus communicate through their mutual understanding of colour, which inspires Vinnie’s drawings of it. Galvin's second outing is another historical fiction novel this time transporting us to Victorian Brighton. However, apart from the constant use of the term ‘devil-fish’ to describe the octopus, and the awful working conditions of the young girls who made Paris Green fabrics, I struggled to find a great deal of history in this historical fiction. Bit by bit, she becomes more independent and forms local friendships, including the octopus in the local acquarium.

But the shy girl soon finds the vibrancy and scenery of Brighton invigorating – it’s a more casual, informal life than the one she’s used to, with its strict manners and airs and graces, and she quickly falls into Aunty Bets’ straight-forward way of life, helping her run the café. We were working by candlelight, a few crumbs of ginger cake and the remains of my bedtime milk – laced with honey and brandy – on a tray. I particularly liked Temitayo’s ambition and her commitment to carving out her own path in life and not just accepting the staid and restrictive future that others had planned for her.Through observing and interacting with her, Foster gained a new, awed understanding of both nature and nonhuman intelligence — a sensation conveyed to the viewer in the way directors Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed shape Foster’s footage into a narrative. I would love to read this book aloud to a group of children and it also lends itself well to a topic about the Victorian era, which it captures so well. But while Vinnie learns more about Ghost's personality, she also realises that she doesn't know much about the people she thought she knew best, and something strange is going on. Min tolvåring var dock inte jättenöjd med att det var så stort fokus på mamma-dotter-relationen i boken; hon ville kort sagt ha mer äventyr och mer bläckfisk.

The cover is beautifully illustrated with fold out flaps to explore, making an enticing start to an excellent book. Despite it being set in the Victorian age it is told from a contemporary perspective with its relevance for today's readers. There he met and gradually befriended a female octopus, visiting her every day until she felt comfortable playing with him. You are following a sheltered 12 year old girl who is unexpectedly dropped off to stay with an aunt she’s never met in Brighton in 1893.

The film shows Foster's growing intimate relationship with the octopus as he follows her around for nearly a year. Set in Victorian times and told through a twisty mystery story, the book touches on victorian working conditions, child labor and gender norms. Parallels can be drawn with today’s ‘fast fashion’ and the exploitation of cheap labour to meet this demand. Believe it or not, when I started writing Darwin’s Dragons, I didn’t know it was going to be a historical story!

My Friend the Octopus’ is a fabulous, many layered story which is full of colour and historical detail. She develops from a timid young girl, who has had a very sheltered and controlled upbringing, into someone who is daring and self-confident, able to make her own choices and pursue her own interests. Her Aunt runs a small cafe in the aquarium and her mother just leaves her there saying she is going to Paris and Vinnie can't go with her. Forced now to surface for breath, she lives in sight of the chillier Sussex sea with her husband and two sons. As with Darwin’s Dragons, the cover and inside flaps by Gordy Wright, are worth a mention and are works of art in their own right.It is historical fiction at its best, packed with captivating characters, fascinating detail of the period and social history. The film, which Foster began filming in 2018, was ten years in the making and was the first South African nature documentary to be a Netflix Original. The bond between Vinnie and Ghost is particularly heartwarming, drawing readers even closer to this fascinating animal. The characters are full of depth – such as Vinnie, a budding illustrator and Charlie, a hopeful journalist.