🥰Thank you so much to @vikingbooks and @pameladormanbooks for the gifted book!

📖Title: The Names
✍️Author: Florence Knapp
📅Pub Date: May 6, 2025 (TODAY)

🌹Shakespeare may have asked it first, but Florence Knapp answered it best. "What's in a name?" Can someone's name alter the entire course of their life?

📖I usually don't feel the need to share much of the synopsis, but in this case, I think it may lure more people in if I do! The book starts in 1987 with Cora on the way to take her baby to register his name. Even on the way over, she's undecided, knowing that the name she chooses for her son could change the whole course of both of their lives.

🌹She's torn between three names and ultimately we are shown 3 different versions of her and her son's reality over a 55 year time period based on the name she chose for him that day.

📖I read this entire book on Sunday in two sittings! Once I started, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop until I knew the fate of Cora and her family! I was connected with all three versions of reality. I'm amazed at the creativity it must have taken to follow three different paths and make each of them so gripping and unique.

🌹The ending could not have been better! Wow 👏

📖This book is a @readwithjenna and @bookofthemonth pick this month for great reason. You'll be seeing this one EVERYWHERE, so make sure you grab a copy of this debut today!

⚠️This book is not all sunshine and butterflies as the cover may lead you to believe, so if you sensitive to certain things, make sure you check content warnings!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House | Viking | Pamela Dorman Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing debut novel by Florence Knapp, and a Read with Jenna May 2025 pick. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 sparkling stars!

Can a name change the course of a life? Cora sets off with her 9-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son’s birth. Her husband, Gordon, insists that the family tradition be continued by naming him Gordon. But when she gets to the registrar, she hesitates. Thus follows three alternate and alternating versions of their lives, shaped by her choice of a name.

Oh, my goodness, did this book touch me on so many levels. The way the stories unfold, told through the three versions of Cora’s son, moving forward every 7 years, is so unique. We also see how each different version of him affects all those around him. There are some characters that are in each version, such as Maia, his sister, and Lily, but they are also different shades. The domestic abuse storyline is also a character, showing how everyone is affected, not only in the moment, but forever. However, it’s still a very hopeful novel, one that shows the power and resilience of people, and the way love can change us. This is a must-read book and the fact that it’s a debut leaves me in awe. I literally was so engrossed in it that the rest of the world faded away. Characters and situations felt so real that it was immensely powerful. The illustrations are beautiful as well. I can’t wait to read more from this author, but this book is just spectacular no matter what may come down the road.

I feel so grateful that I got to read this ahead of publication — a meditative, emotional read with characters that felt deeply real. There were moments when I felt the pace slowed a little too much, but overall I was swept away.

Haunting book that poses the question: Does your name shape your life? The novel visits Cora, Maia, and the young baby with the changing name (Bear, Julian or Gordon) every seven years, spanning 35 years. Domestic violence ripples out throughout their lives, and I should mention it is very authentically portrayed in each of the 3 timelines. I really enjoyed the different timelines, each had hope and heartbreak in different ways.

"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."

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin/Pamela Dorman Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 6, 2025.

This debut novel is getting a lot of attention. It’s a May Book of the Month pick and a Read with Jenna Pick.

I loved the concept that something as simple as a name can change our life trajectory. We meet Cora on the day she’s going to register her son’s name. We then follow three different scenarios for Bear, Julian and Gordon.

I found it a bit confusing at times as the chapters give us updates on all 3 boys every seven years for 35 years.

While I can’t say I enjoyed every moment of this book, I can say it is one I would absolutely recommend picking up. Truly unique and unlike anything I’ve read before, this book is thought-provoking, tragic and heartbreaking, but full of hope all at the same time.

This book unfolds with 3 different sliding door story lines and asks the central question of “can a name alter the your life?” While I did find myself getting a little bit confused between the different storylines at time, I was usually able to get back on track pretty easily and I was invested in all three, finding myself compulsively turning the pages to see where each would go.

All that said, I 1000% recommend checking triggers. This book does not shy away from the tough stuff, and there were a lot of scenes that were brutal to read. However, there are also many scenes that brought tears to my eyes in a good way.

My only reason for knocking off a half star was the epilogue. I’m not a big fan of ambiguous endings, but otherwise I absolutely love this one and found myself unable to put it down.

Oh my gosh, this book is an amazing debut. My sister's family has John I, II, III and IV, so I totally get it. They all have different middle names, but the middle names all start with the letter M, so I found this book personal in that aspect. This story is about Cora, who needs to name her son, and she doesn't like the decision her husband makes. I loved all the different points of view, getting into everyone's head and reading their thoughts. Each character name was well defined, and it was clear which name I was reading about. It goes to show that even the most mundane decision of naming your child can influence a child's life and those around him. Each one was complex and had distinct hardships, even though they all came from the same place.

This was a very unique book with different layers to each character's story, and the timeline flowed beautifully as well, all 35 years. It is a wonderfully written and emotionally profound story, and what I took from it is what one choice can do to someone's life and how that single decision can affect someone's life for a long time. And we all must remember that even small decisions can have big consequences. This was a tough read, and it really got to me without a doubt.

4.5⭐️ Wow! This was an incredible book. But warning there are some disturbing episodes of domestic abuse which almost led me to stop reading. But I am so glad I did not. Each iteration of this family’s story was outstanding. I couldn’t put this one down.

The Names is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. The subject matter is difficult but handled with grace and tenderness. The structure of the book is unusual, telling concurrent versions of the lives of the main characters, based on the initial action taken by Cora. Each section advances seven years at a time. Other characters also appear in each version of the lives of the main characters but also with differing fates.

I went into this book blindly and was just blown away by the story and the characters. This is a book I could pick up and read again just to be sure I didn’t miss anything. The writing is so compelling and I read this over the span of two days.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Pamela Dorman Books for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Quite a fascinating read. It's very "Sliding Doors" but with names - and the thought that if you had a different name would you have a different life. Very poignant story with a little boy who could potentially have been named Bear, Julian (Jules) or Gordon (after this father) and three very different, yet similar versions of his life. There is abuse in here, and at times it's very hard to read. I try, however, not to shrink back from reading things like that because it's important to remember it exists and life is not rainbows and ponies. Some people have really sucky lives!!! And it makes me glad to only have my own problems and not any of these!!!

THE NAMES is the fascinating and creative debut novel by Florence Knapp. This thought-provoking story explores how a name can define a person’s and family’s fate, leading them to completely different relationships and life journeys. Cora is the wife of a well-respected local doctor, Gordon Atkin. What no one outside their home realizes is that Dr. Atkin is a cruel and abusive man with his family, especially Cora. Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to the registrar’s office to give a name for her newborn son. Her husband demands that the boy be called Gordon after generations of males in his family. But Cora hesitates. What if she defied her husband and gave her son a different name? Spanning over three decades, the story follows the fate of the family members if the baby boy was given three alternate names. The three storylines are beautifully-written and engaging. There is brutality and heartbreak, but also love and hope in each. I enjoyed this intriguing and emotional book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

This book was darn close to perfect! I loved the concept and watching the growth of the main characters. I did struggle placing which Maia was in each timeline, since her name didn't change, and sometimes remembering which exact storyline I was in took a moment. But following Bear/Julian/Gordon was much easier! I also really enjoyed the ripple effect of the changes on those around the main characters and how the parts they played in each version of BJG's life were altered a bit as well. The entire book was thought provoking, not only on the potential impact of a name, but also on how society views certain professions and the power they yield. And while I don't think most names have as large an impact on a life as exhibited in this book, this was a great way to see how every choice can make a difference in an entire world!

⚠️ Trigger Warning: mental and physical domestic abuse ⚠️

In this debut novel, Cora, a mother of two, is registering her newborn son’s birth. She’s desperate not to follow her abusive husband’s instructions to name the baby after him, as is tradition in his family. The story plays out in three separate life paths for Cora and her children, resulting from each of the three names she chooses.

This has a unique plotline. It’s heavy and tragic in many ways. Overall, I found it confusing and hard to keep track of. The three alternate versions of their lives are written simultaneously and move forward in 7 year increments. It was challenging to follow and I had to keep reminding myself which one I was currently in. It may have been better to separate each one and have the book just made into 3 separate parts.

Thank you @netgalley and @vikingbooks for this advanced reader copy. This book hits shelves on May 6.

Please bear with me for a moment, for something personal but relevant to this review. In July, 1974, I legally changed my given name. In 1980 I married and started using my husband’s last name. The person I was before those two changes is not the person I am today. In fact, when I look back at her, I don’t really care for her very much; I much prefer the person I am today. That said, I’ve often wondered if my life might have turned out differently if I hadn’t changed my name. In Knapp’s debut novel, she investigates the life of one boy and his relationships with his family, on three separate planes – with the name Bear, with the name Julian, and with the name Gordon. As you can imagine, this is the type of book that spoke to me personally, but for more than just the names.

I would remind you that couple years ago I read the Booker Prize winning novel “Prophet Song” which had a pretty high “yuck” factor for me, and which has sadly proved to be somewhat prescient. It was a powerful novel, and deserved that prize, but I found myself feeling a bit detached from the characters, despite how sympathetic they were. I mention this because one of the reviewers on Goodreads said they had to DNF this novel because of the spousal abuse that Cora suffers through from her husband. I’m sorry to say that I know exactly what that type of abuse looks like first hand, and there were a few times when I also thought to stop reading this book. However, just when I thought I’d had enough, Knapp jumps ahead and takes us to a spot in time to see how these characters are faring with Bear, Julian, and Gordon. These seven-year jumps, and the diverging narratives of the three possibilities is what kept me reading.

Admittedly, there were times that I wished Knapp would have elucidated further about certain aspects of things that obviously happened in the gaps between the timelines, which did make me a touch confused. Even so, when I allowed myself to just go with the narrative’s flow, and watch these events unfold as separate stories, I realized just how powerful this book actually is, despite the “yuck” factor of the abuse, and possibly because of it as well. What impressed me the most was how Knapp was able to take little things from each of the timelines and very softly introduce them into the others, without them impacting the timeline she was describing. It was as if she was saying that the other worlds continued to exist at the same time, but they didn’t need to affect each other. This is something you might not notice, because it was done so subtly, but if you do, they’re like little sparks tossed into the darkness. Amazing!

Now, I was almost certain that I couldn’t give this book a full 5/5 stars because the abuse was, well, frankly triggering for me. And then, something happened, and one of the characters said something that just had me burst into tears (and I’m welling up right now as I write this). The thing is, what made me cry was something that was hopeful, despite a tragic event, and no, not in a mushy way – it was just an off-hand remark that brought it on. So, yes, this must get the full, unequivocal 5/5 stars from me. And you can believe the critics who are saying that this is the best debut novel in a very long time. My goodness, if this is her FIRST book… what will her next ones be like? Extremely highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Cora is registering her new son’s name and is having trouble deciding between 3 names; so, the rest of the book imagines their lives with the son as 3 different versions of himself. We get to see into their lives every few years as each version and it is quite engrossing to see how each plays out. It follows Cora, her daughter, and the son in each storyline. All of them had things that were wonderful and things that were not so much, just like all of our lives. I can see why this would be a great book club read, as there is lots of room for discussion about which version of their life you would choose for them. Solid choice for anyone!

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~ Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Cora Atkin, wife of a beloved physician, is about to name her newborn son. When asked what name she has chosen, she pauses. She has three names in mind: one is her daughter's favorite, one is her favorite, and the third is her husband's favorite...

"The Names" is a debut novel with a unique premise that asks the question: Can a name change the course of one's life? In this story, Cora chooses each of the favorite names, and with each is an alternate life of Cora's family that plays out in alternating chapters, every seven years, from 1987 to 2022.

I love that this story is never predictable, always unexpected. Fully aware of the spousal abuse before I began, and the shadow it can cast, this story feels neither dark nor depressing. There is a lingering hope and an increasing sense of something more, an opportunity for something better to come during each alternate life. There are stumbles and sadness along the way, but that is part of life, right?

I didn't want to let go of these characters, and I didn't want the possibilities of this story to end. It is a remarkable debut with beautiful writing and creative storytelling, and I look forward to seeing what is next from this author.

"The Names" by Florence Knapp is why I read and love Speculative Fiction!

4.5⭐

Thank you to Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books and Florence Knapp for the gifted DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I read about 1/4 of it and just gave up. Not enough character development for me and I found it a bit confusing with the names changes. I will not post on Goodreads or Amazon because I didn’t finish. There are lots of positive reviews so I am sure it will do fine.

A book about a family and the the difference in a name. This book tells three concurrent stories about a family and the different lives they lead when the mother Cora chooses a different name for her son. It sounds like a gimmick, but it's really well done. I really wanted to know what happened to everyone in each story line.

The Names by Florence Knapp

This book opens with a violence scene so upsetting, I wanted to close the book. I received an ARC from #Net Galley for this title, so I have an obligation to finish and write a review. It needs a trigger warning for familial mental and physical abuse. That said, I will review the book.

I was thinking the book would be about how your name given at birth would affect your life-for better or worse. It’s more about the effects of who is in your life that affects how you turn out- names not withstanding. It was confusing as to the three boys lives, yet it was the same boy. I did not see how their names had any bearing on their lives. I hope this constantly switching is not a device that will catch fire among authors.

I’ll rate this title 3 stars. It just wasn’t for me.

This is a heavy book! Don't go in thinking it's a light story about sliding doors moments. Does your name have the power to change the trajectory of your life? This story seems to tell us that yes, it does. We follow a young boy through his life, but each story is told from the perspective of a name he is given at birth: Bear, Julian, or Gordon. Trigger warning--lots of spousal abuse. That made this story hard to read. I was not a fan of the epilogue sadly. I will be thinking about this book for awhile, but I don't think it's on my favorites list.