Octopus Mimicus: A Literary Memoir of Love, Autism, and a Different Mind

by Michal Edelsburg

For decades, I wandered through life unmoored by any true identity. A walking dissonance. A standard deviation. Present, but absent. They call me rational, witty, assertive, sometimes even too direct... I look like you. Sound like you. Move like you. Speak your language.
But I’m not like you. I never was.

In her rare, colorful, unapologetically raw voice, neurodivergent author Michal Edelsburg shares a deep dive into the inner narrative of an undiagnosed autistic woman—inexplicably intricate on the inside, but completely invisible to the outside world.

Octopus Mimicus exposes decades of living between worlds, of a woman with a different mind hiding in plain sight, trying her best to blend into a world that was not meant to accommodate her. Full of razor-sharp (and oftentimes blunt) insight and humor, Edelsburg’s literary journey challenges both taboos and stereotypes while tackling everything from family to sexuality, love, and womanhood (sometimes all at once!), in what can only be described as a bold, unclassified, and certainly memorable debut.

Genres: Memoir, Health

290 pages, Paperback

Published January 8, 2026

About the author

Michal Edelsburg is the author of Octopus Mimicus, a literary memoir about love, identity, motherhood, memory, masking, and the experience of moving through the world with a different kind of mind.

A former family law attorney and licensed arbitrator, she spent much of her life trying to understand experiences that did not fit conventional explanations.

At fifty-seven, she discovered that she is autistic. That discovery offered a new lens through which to understand her life, her memories, and ultimately the story behind Octopus Mimicus.

Reviews

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I appreciate Michal and her story. The title and cover really captivated me. I believe that Michal's story will strongly impact some people. Unfortunately, I got held up by some of the items she focused on related to dating and sex. I felt that some conversations/details were unnecessary, came out of nowhere, and were left unresolved/secretive. The disorganization of information caused my brain to work overtime to try and parse apart the different avenues she was leading me down. I was left curious and also wondering what exactly I just read.

[Moshik Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t expect and didn’t see it coming. You must read it. Thanks Michal

[Milana Donatich · Rating 3 out of 5]

No reviews. I was privileged to read this book out of curiosity—the title immediately intrigued me. I admit I had a hard time deciding on a rating; it could have been a two or a three. But with determination to finish the book and understand the author’s intention, I stuck with it. She shares her journey authentically as an autistic person who was late-identified in her 50s.

I was glad I persevered long enough to understand the meaning of the title. The stretch between the beginning and the conclusion was very WTF for me—I couldn’t make the connections at first, but eventually, I did.

“I realized that if you take someone like that, someone with imagination or creativity like so many autistic people have, and you give them mental and physical space to express themselves freely – they’ll thrive. Like a flower in the desert. No judgment. No criticism. No guilt. The environment needs to be unbiased, and deeply sensitive to their real needs – not just physical, but spiritual, too.”

This passage stayed with me.

If you’re curious about autism in women and life in Israel, I recommend giving her book a try. I’d give it 3.5 stars due to some writing errors and a dry middle section.

[Lucy Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Octopus Mimicus is a deeply compelling and unique memoir that invites the reader into a mind that has long existed “in plain sight” yet felt profoundly different. The way Michal Edelsburg conveys life under masking, the constant adaptation, the nuanced awareness of self versus the world is both intimate and revealing.

I was particularly struck by the passages exploring relationships mothers, daughters, lovers, and strangers appear not as fixed roles but as moments of encounter within a mind navigating its own logic. The fragmented, non-linear structure mirrors the way consciousness itself works, making the experience immersive and authentic.

Edelsburg’s sharp intelligence, emotional precision, and touches of dark humor make this book stand out. It is not a self-help guide or a typical diagnosis story it is a singular literary exploration of identity, love, and self-recognition.

For anyone willing to experience a memoir that unfolds layer by layer, this book offers a profoundly moving and unforgettable journey.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover and title of this book really drew me in, and as a late-diagnosed autistic woman, I love an autistic memoir.

This was maybe not the book for me - I did finish it but it was a struggle at times. I am quite happy to admit that this is probably because apart from the late autism diagnosis, there was not a lot that I could relate to. There were some good quotes that resonated, and it was certainly a break from my usual reading pattern (I'm trying to read more diversely) and I definitely learned more about life in Israel from this book. Octopus Mimicus provides a raw and honest insight into some of the struggles late-diagnosed women experience.

And I learned about a cool new animal.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected to relate deeply to this memoir. I did not relate deeply, though there are a few poignant portions for me as a record of the lived experience of a person with later-diagnosed autism.

I think the real "meat" of this story is in the last 10-15% of the book. I will say that as someone whose autism and relational trauma dance happily together at nearly all times, I do see some benefit of the somewhat rambling details of all the author's relationships. Overall, I didn't terribly enjoy it.

[James Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were times that I would look forward to reading this book and others when I just wanted to get to the end of the chapter. Perhaps that was part of her experience and what we should take from the writing.

Human relationships are interesting and the book definitely gives insight to Michal’s relationship challenges. I wonder how generalizable her experiences are to other adults with autism.

Thank you Michal for sharing your journey with us.

[Alannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, for now. On paper this is my kind of book: fragments, memoir, a woman taking her own brain apart in public. In practice I just don’t like her, and I’ve gone back and forth on whether that’s her or whether that’s the autism, which is a weird question to be asking as a neurodivergent reader. Coming back to this when I’m in a more forgiving mood. No idea when that is.

[Nir David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply moving memoir that masterfully explore love, neurodiversity and the human experience!

[ruth steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and deeply original memoir that stays with you long after the last page. Recommended !

[ReutaBanana · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than just a memoir

I wasn't expecting to be this affected by a memoir, but Octopus Mimicus by Michal Edelsburg caught me off guard.

It's genuinely hard to put down, with raw honesty you rarely get in autobiography. Edelsburg writes about love, ambition, motherhood, and a late-diagnosed autism journey without flinching, and the way she describes "masking", performing normalcy, mimicking her way through a world that never quite fit, is both fascinating to read and deeply recognizable.

There's deep emotions, but also humor, and a strange sensuality to the writing that keeps pulling you forward.

It stayed with me well after I finished it, and i recommend it whole-heartedly!