This is an odd but enjoyable book once I understood there were 2 "timelines" based on names given to a young child. Gordon and Cora have a baby boy and without Cora's knowledge, Gordon names him after himself. Then unbeknownst to Gordon, Cora names him Bear. And we're off...on an adventure that changes with each name. So keep track but enjoy the dual timelines as it's fascinating to realize that Shakespeare was right when he questioned, "What's in a name?" Crazy but mind-bending!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Best book of the year. This story is about how a name can change the trajectory of a person’s life, but the underlying theme here is about how a woman handles brutal domestic abuse from her husband and the long term impacts it has on her kids. Using three different potential names, each of which carries consequences linked to the abuse, Florence Knapp sets in motion her own butterfly effect for these characters. While each story differs in significant ways, a ray of hope is left with all of them. A brilliant story (or stories) that kept me reading until I finished, but still wishing for more. An easy 5 star rating.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

Nomen est omen. What fascinating premise for a novel, and one I can't believe I haven't come across before!

As someone who recently named her first child (and, like Cora, the mother in The Names, was considering three very different options), I found this concept utterly engrossing. The domestic violence was heartbreaking - and handled thoughtfully and convincingly - and I totally bought Gordon's reaction to each of the names; it was easy to see how each of Cora's choices, plus his reactions, sent them and their two children down distinct paths. This is my first time reading Florence Knapp - I think it's her fiction debut! - and I found her to be a strong storyteller and vivid writer.

That said, the last third was a bit disappointing for me for two reasons (will try to keep things vague for spoiler reasons): one is that I didn't understand why a main character would prioritize not alarming his child over seeking help for the injury that would kill him. (If Knapp was determined that his story should end in 2020, it easily could have been from COVID, which had already been incorporated into the plot.) I also don't love that we ended on the father's perspective - I would have preferred not to hear from him at all, and I think it tainted the book a bit for me.

Overall, though, I was curious and eager to read this book based on the blurb, and I couldn't put it down once I started. I think readers who gravitate towards family-focused and sliding-door stories, like The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas, will love this. I look forward to recommending it and discussing it with readers - I expect this to be a very popular book.

I really wanted to like this story, but I was too confused with the different storylines intertwined. I couldn’t remember what was happening. I had to put it down before I finished.

I was excited for a chance to read and review “The Names” by Florence Knapp.

How often are you forced to make a decision and wonder about the door not taken? This novel explores this opportunity. Cora and her husband welcome their second child, a boy. However, the baby is born at home and, as a result, Cora needs to venture to the registrar's office to register his birth and record his name. Mom, Dad, and Big Sister each have their own suggestion and this novel explores the results of the three possibilities over a multi-decade span.

I never have read a premise like this and really enjoyed the three narratives. While this novel had some choppy parts, it really resonated with me. I read this novel very quickly, but I want to read it again, so I can appreciate more of the experience.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to Florence Knapp, the publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review this book.

I absolutely loved The Names by Florence Knapp. As someone fascinated by the influence names can have on our identity and intrigued by the concept of parallel, ‘sliding door’ type timelines, this book was everything I could have hoped for. I couldn’t put it down—it was beautifully written and deeply moving. Each timeline was compelling enough to stand as a story on its own, but the way they intertwined made the book incredibly unique. A truly remarkable read that will stay with me for a long time.

My words cannot do justice to describe what a special experience it was to read this book. Beautiful, heartbreaking, I cried more reading The Names than I’ve ever cried reading anything before. These characters will live in my heart forever. I cherish the time I got to spend with them. I loved this book so deeply. I will truly be thinking about it (and recommending it) for the rest of my life. Five stars is not enough, five hundred stars wouldn’t be enough.

What’s in a name? The Names weaves together three stories of the same family where the course of their fate was altered based on a name. It is masterfully done - gut wrenching and yet hopeful at the same time - truly remarkable.. A must-read. WOW.

Florence Knapp’s The Names is a beautifully written, introspective novel that explores themes of identity, memory, and family with subtlety and grace. Knapp’s lyrical prose and attention to detail draw readers into a quiet, reflective story that feels both intimate and universal.

a book with a really interesting concept: it traces the relationship between a boy who is named 3 different names, in a family with a timid mother and an EXTREMELY emotionally and physically abusive father. structurally reminds me somewhat of yaa gyasi's homegoing. 3 storylines, each visited 7 years later. very ambitious, quite moving at times, other times the plot feels a bit heavy handed (for example: the bee sting in Bear's storyline did not need to be there; the detail with the cameras I wanted to believe but was pretty unrealistic, and a few more). A flawed but interesting, ambitious, and ultimately quite moving book with a strong prose style.

Naming someone infuses into them all the love, hope, despair, and desperation of the namer. Doubly so if the name is a family name, carrying the weight of generations. Cora understands that names have power, which is why she does not want to name her son after his abusive father. The book follows the family through three name options, including the family name. Each name universe is unique and lived in. I enjoyed the different characterizations of each version of the family, and the revelations of what they learn, lose, and find as a result of having an abusive partner/parent. There are several narrative through lines, including friendships and relationships, but what I especially enjoyed was that there were 'canon events' that crossed through each name universe that elicited different responses from the characters. The Names is a stunning exploration of family and the nature vs nurture argument.

“The Names” by Florence Knapp is a family drama about the long term effects in choosing the name for your child. I found this concept very intriguing and this story which takes place over 35 years shows how the same child evolves with 3 different names. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize this story is really about domestic abuse and the horrible effects on every family member. I found the story to be difficult to read and depressing. I think it would be helpful to others if I categorized this as a trigger warning. I do think this author has a lot to offer and I look forward to reading her future books.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Florence Knapp's The Names hooked me with its fascinating concept and kept me turning pages. Each chapter alternates perspectives, presenting Julian/Bear/Gordon as the same yet different individuals. Just as I became invested in one version of him, the narrative would shift, keeping me intrigued and reflecting on how much a name might shape a life. It even made me wonder how different my own life might be with another name—though perhaps not as drastic as Cora’s journey!

Knapp’s writing is both engaging and thought-provoking, making this book a surprisingly quick read despite its depth. The alternating chapters added momentum and variety to the story.

Thank you to Florence Knapp, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Press, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another fabulous book from a debut writer, Florence Knapp writes about how the naming of a person can affect their lives. Cora gives birth to a son. In the book the son has 3 story arcs given the name she has chosen for him. And of course three completely different storylines. It’s an unusual premise that works beautifully. I really enjoyed this story. Recommend for all public libraries.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the different point of views throughout. This book definitely makes you think about if your life would be different if you had been named something else.

4.5 rounded up. This was such a unique premise and I was instantly hooked. The way one small choice butterfly-effects its way into someone's life in not 2 but 3 stories makes for a great read.

At one level this.is an engrossing family drama with appealing characters. At another it’s an overly schematic novel, with parallel storylines that can become confusing. Knapp is talented and I can see why her plan for the book would appeal. But I’m still unsure that the structure was a wise choice. Yes, it allows latitude to examine the determinism of three options, but that becomes a rather rigid setup.
Also, Gordon the abusive husband is such a one-dimensional character..Yes, he’s given a family background that is supposed to explain his awfulness, but that seems paper thin too. I think the novel would have been stronger with a more rounded figure as its villain.
I’ll be interested to see what the author does next.

Bear/Julian/Gordon...all the same person, but their stories told in parallel. How each of their lives were shaped because of the name their mother chose for them.

I absolutely loved this story and it really made me think about the importance of the names we choose for our children. How that name can define who that person becomes, partly because of the way others may react to that person based on their name. Equally interesting was how the lives of the people around him were impacted by the name that was chosen for him.

The story does revolve around domestic abuse which might be triggering for some, but was tastefully done. If there is a way for a domestic abuse story to be tasteful.

I want to thank the author Florence Knapp, PENGUIN GROUP/Viking Penguin and Netgalley for an ARC or The Names.

I couldn’t put down this novel. The idea that the name given to an infant changes not only the course of their life, but all the lives orbiting around him was fascinating. The central theme of domestic abuse was difficult at times, but gently and respectfully handled. These characters were so real. As the author jumped ahead to each time period to update us on the three different lives being lived by Bear, Julian, and Gordon, I found myself thinking of them as three separate characters. What a unique outlook!
I know this book will stay with me. The characters were so vivid and the story so heartbreakingly real. . I will be recommending this novel to my reading friends and my book club. Thanks to Netgalley for introducing me to Florence Knapp and her wonderful, authentic voice.

The synopsis caught my eye instantly, because my mother, too, chose between three names for me—and the one she calls me to this day is the one my brother picked. I don’t know if that’s why I connected to this book so much, but I found it to be a beautiful, life-affirming, touching story with so much depth and nuance to every character.