The Names
by Florence Knapp

From the publisher

The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a name change the course of a life?

In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son’s birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she’d like to call the child, Cora hesitates…

Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora’s and her young son’s lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly layered prose, The Names explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family, and the possibilities of autonomy and healing.

With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the “one . . . precious life” we are given. The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.

My Review

Since finishing this book, I have been recommending it to everyone. Yes, the dark parts are DARK. The domestic abuse suffered by the main characters is explicit and detailed. But what I absolutely loved about this book is the examination, through each of the three diverging stories, is how the characters adapt, deal with their trauma, and eventually find healing in a way that is meaningful for their individual journeys.

Side characters vary in prominence but the most vital ones pop up in each of the three possible paths, which I think is really beautiful. Fates are interwoven, seemingly minor moments have major ripple effects down the road, and through it all, love, family and fear response take center stage. This book lands squarely on the side of nurture over nature, for sure. Not in terms of the core nature of who we are (the gay characters, for example, are always gay), but in terms of who we mimic, who we are influenced by, what we do, how we are taught to show love, and how we are taught to value ourselves.

All in all, this is a book that will stay with me for a long, long time.