I didn’t know what to expect going in and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the different perspectives.

I loved this book. What an interesting concept of how your life and the lives of everyone around you can be changed by what name you are given at birth. Throughly enjoyed it and have recommended to many people.
The characters are all believable and although it switches back and forth to different characters and different times, it works.

A beautifully tragic story. Hard to read at times due to the domestic abuse content but very well done. I will be keeping an eye out for future novels from this author.

It has been a while since I have had a solid five star read; a book I know will make my top books of the year. This was it for me!

The Names had such an interesting structure, with a Sliding Doors type premise. A baby boy is born in England in 1987, and a mother considers three different choices for his name… what happens in each scenario? Not only does it alternate between these three versions, it also jumps forward seven years each time, ending in 2022. This might sound like it could be confusing, but it wasn’t, and instead really added intrigue and suspense.

The author of The Paper Palace has a blurb on the cover, and I actually feel that offers a fair comparison to this one. It’s darker than I was expecting, and trigger warnings (domestic violence in particular) should be noted.

This was a hybrid read of audio and physical and the audio was narrated by Dervla Kirwan, who is new to me, but wow, she was exceptional. This would be such a perfect book club choice. So much that could be discussed!

I enjoyed this novel about Cora, her husband Gordon and their children, Maia and their new son. Cora names her son different names in different timelines which create diverging paths for the family.

I did not love this book as much as what I am seeing from other members but I did enjoy it though. I was really interested in Gordon's life and how he reacted (I feel like I always like the messed up stuff, who knows). How he was written was really interesting and well done to me. I needed a few days to figure out how I felt about this one.

Thanks for the ARC! I give it 3 stars.

The Names by Florence Knapp is a great debut novel that I was intrigued to read. The description of the book was fascinating. The thought that a name could shape a person's destiny and that a different choice of name could lead them down a different life path was refreshing.
The story begins as Cora must make a decision as to the name of her new born son. Her husband is controlling and abusive in their relationship. At the same time he is a well liked and respected doctor. He would like his son named after him as he was after his father before him. Her daughter, Maia has her own idea as to what her baby brother should be named. And lastly, Cora has a name that she has researched that she believes is a better name for her son.
What results when she goes to the registrar office is that this decision is made into 3 separate futures for her son as each choice is made. We then follow her son every 7 years thereafter as he grows up, develops his own personality and relationships. Not only that, we discover the consequences each of the choices makes on Cora and her daughter's lives. I loved seeing how each choice impacted his life and how the lives of those surrounding him were also affected.
This book is a must read as it will leave you reflecting on each timeline well after the last page has been read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

How much do our names define us?
On a stormy day Cora is walking with her 9 year old daughter Maia to go to register her newborn son’s name. Bear (soft, cuddly, brave, strong) Julian (Sky Father: pure and free spirited) and Gordon (Great Hill: immovable, proud, rageful) are three names that are chosen and the resulting story of each of these names unfolds.
The supporting characters Mehri, Fern, and Cian offer Cora and her children alternative models of healthy relationships and I enjoyed all three of them. Themes of trauma, abuse, identity, healing and hope.
The multiple timelines took some time to understand and even though it was a page-turner with an engaging plot I needed to reread some parts, especially the Epilogue, where the stories came to sudden end. This novel would make for a great book club discussion.
4 stars, yes I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Does the name given at your birth influence the trajectory of you life? You have no say in the matter, rather the parents who choose your name decide your fate.
A few days after the birth of her second child in 1987 , Cora is taking him to the council office to register his birth. Accompanying her is her 9 year old daughter Maia. Cora and her husband Gordon have decided that the baby will be named Gordon, just like every other firstborn male in the family. But did Cora really agree to that? She discusses names with Maia who thinks that Bear would be a good name for her brother - it's soft, cuddly and kind, but also brave and strong. Cora likes Julian, meaning sky father, feeling it would still be giving a nod to the boy's father while at the same time transcending him. Cora names her son Bear, and Julian and Gordon.

What follows is the story of this family told in the 3 scenarios of the 3 different names. Such a clever premise. The book is divided into 7 year increments so we witness each character growing and developing, and continues to present day. Without giving too much away, I must emphasize there is a strong thread of domestic abuse throughout the book, which plays heavily in the story of each boy. But the author does a masterful job of not making it the core of the story. Instead we see strength, resilience, tenacity. Although their stories are different, the author manages to give the boys the same characteristics, talents etc because of course they are the same person, but it's so interesting to see how varied their lives become. There are side characters who play important roles in the lives of the boys (friends, grandparents) and they are also slightly different in each scenario because of the varied circumstances. The character development is superb, and although I did keep notes while I was reading to try to keep everything straight, it wasn't really that necessary after a couple of chapters. The book was so engaging that I completed it in a couple of days.
There were two small elements that dropped this from 5 to 4 stars. One is the bee sting incident. That came from nowhere, no mention of history so I thought it was too farfetched. And the ending was a bit too sudden and tidy. I won't say too much more because of the risk of spoiling.
But huge kudos to the author for this fantastic debut. I would recommend it to anyone, and I look forward to her next book.

This books follows the different paths our lives can take depending on what our name is. It is an interesting concept and I enjoyed watching the different choices play out. That said, it usually took me a while to reorient myself every time there was a character change. It felt a slight bit disconnected. I often felt like I’d missed something and was confused about what was happening. That said, it was a good read.

This was such a unique story. It takes you through three different realities, with three different names.

The Names was engaging throughout the whole book. It digs its claws into you from the first chapter. It deals with domestic abuse but also has a lot of beauty and growth. It was definitely an emotional read.

The writing was well-done, however sometimes the flow to the different POV's didn't work for me. It switches so abruptly to another character with no warning.

Dropped everything when I got this ARC to read it!! one of my most anticipated of the year and it was SO good. it's definitely very sad and hard hitting but I think there is such an underlying current of hope in this book. I usually stray away from books with male protagonists but this story is really about the family unit and the different dynamics that involves

The Names by Author Florence Knapp is her first book. It is a heartbreaking story about a family and is told with three different versions.

On a day with an enormous storm a mother makes her way with her newborn son, and nine-year-old daughter, to the local registrar’s office to file her son’s name.

Her strong-willed husband is insistent that the baby is named after him as all the men in his family have previously done.

The mother and daughter have other thoughts on the name and thus begins the three separate versions of this story.

It is a very disturbing story and topic, which is told in a very original way, and the three versions shape how the name can vary the lives of this family.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Florence Knapp and Penguin Randon House Canada for my advanced copy to read and review.

Brilliant, heartbreaking and will forever be etched in my memory. Florence Knapp’s debut novel blew me away. Is it an easy read? No. There are some devastating moments for the main character Cora and her children to get through. Was it still a beautiful story? Absolutely YES.

This one hit close to home for me. Knapp writes about spousal abuse as clear as glass. Spot on. I was blown away by her writing. It was like I was in the book myself.

The sliding doors concept of Cora naming her second child, a son, 3 different names and the trajectory of how that changed the course of their lives was genius. I couldn’t put it down. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was invested equally in all 3 plot lines. So unique and engaging!

This book will be in my Top 10 books of the year for sure. I will be first in line to buy Florence Knapps next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and the author for a free eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Names is a beautifully written novel that makes it hard to believe this is a debut!

The novel follows a family in three different alternate realities, differing based on a mother's decision of what to name her newborn son - Bear, Julian or Gordon. Each reality the reader follows skips forward seven years at a time, following the main characters journeys through each reality. While I would preface and include a trigger warning for domestic abuse (not a spoiler - it's pretty clear in the first chapter), the author examines the dynamics of domestic abuse with unflinching clarity and explores how a single decision has the potential to so drastically change each character's life and personality. Her plot is layered and thought-provoking, and while each storyline diverges, all are rich with emotional depth examining the impacts domestic abuse can have on everyone in the family - regardless of when one manages to "get out".

This book is absolutely worth a read - captivating, engaging, and uplifting yet heartbreaking at the same time.

Three names, three different life trajectories. The lives ensuing after the naming of Cora’s newborn son differ so drastically, akin to a choose your own adventure story. Such a beautiful depiction of a mother’s love and the way a child’s life and extensions of it can be shaped from birth.

This story was unlike anything I have read before - such a beautiful depiction of each character and the lives they lead over 35 years. I found myself desperately wanting to know what happened in each storyline after each period of seven years passed. Recommending this to everyone who listens. What a debut!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy.

In The Names, Florence Knapp explores the quiet yet seismic power of identity through a single, life-defining moment: naming a child. The story begins with Cora Atkin walking to the registrar’s office to officially name her newborn son. Her husband, Gordon—an exacting, abusive man—insists that the child be named after him and his father. But Cora, hesitant to link her perfect baby boy to the legacy of these domineering men, quietly dreams of a different name: Julian. She even tells her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, that if she had her way, she would choose that name for what it signifies to her—hope that her son might rise above the legacy of violence. Maia, in turn, chooses the name Bear: soft and kind, but also brave and strong.

The novel unfolds in three parallel timelines, one for each potential name—Gordon, Julian, and Bear—tracing the lives of Cora, Maia, and the child over the next thirty-five years in seven-year increments. This structure allows Knapp to examine how a name, and the expectations and narratives attached to it, can shape a person’s path. More broadly, The Names is a meditation on how domestic abuse echoes through generations, and how children, even those not directly targeted, absorb the pain and consequences of that violence.

What stands out most in Knapp’s novel is her honest and emotionally intelligent portrayal of domestic abuse. She moves beyond surface-level depictions of physical and verbal violence to reveal its more insidious forms—particularly the isolation and erosion of autonomy experienced by victims. Knapp shows how abusers can methodically sever their partner’s relationships and support systems, leaving them powerless to escape or even be believed. At the same time, the novel thoughtfully explores how difficult it can be for adult children of abuse to reconcile their love for a victimized parent with the fear, frustration, and helplessness that linger long after the worst violence has passed.

While the novel is beautifully written and thematically rich, it didn’t quite have that ineffable spark that makes a book a full five-star read for me. Nonetheless, it is a moving and important story—one I will not soon forget.

Final rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Canada (an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada) for providing me with an early copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Can the choice of a name set the course of one's life? Can a name impact how one is perceived in society, how they connect with others, or their self-perception?

In this case, the answer is yes. In The Names, by Florence Knapp, the choice Cora makes in naming her newborn son has a profound impact on her entire family. The story leaps to life in the beginning chapters as Cora names her baby boy either Bear, Julian or Gordon, and sets in motion three distinct traumas that set their lives on distinct paths. Composed in seven-year increments, the reader follows the lives of Cora, Maia and Bear/Julian/Gordon along with their family and friends over the course of 35 years.

This was a novel that grabbed me in the first chapter and held on tightly to the end. I found myself reading it late into the night, during sports events, while cooking, and while eating. I smiled, I cried, I reflected on my own life and that of those I know. Even when not actively reading, the book remained on my mind, often distracting me from other tasks.

This novel was one of the best I’ve read in a long time. I love how the characters were impacted, not only by major life events at the beginning, but subtly throughout their lives by the perceptions of others and how they viewed themselves. As a debut novel, Florence Knapp has certainly proven herself by crafting this beautifully written, imaginative, and occasionally haunting work. The theme of domestic abuse runs throughout the narrative, yet there is also a prevailing theme of hope as the complexities and beauty of life unfold.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My name is Rhonda. I cringe even writing that; I have hated my name for my entire life. As a little girl, I’d meet friend’s parents for the first time and they’d be visibly surprised when I told them my name. I’d apply for waitressing jobs in college and prepare to never hear back because I was sure they’d be picturing an old lady instead of a young girl when they picked up my resume. I’ve considered going by my middle name but always chicken out; afraid to go to all of the trouble only to have people always think of me as Rhonda anyways. The moral of this story? Names definitely affect our lives, or at the very least, our feelings about ourselves.

I was instantly intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book - a story that examines just how much a name can affect a person’s life. The book starts out with Cora who is on the way to the registry to name her newborn son. Her husband, Gordon, is an abusive man who insists that the baby be named after him, in the tradition of the men in his family. At the registry, Cora makes 3 different choices, and we get to follow the life stories that follow based on the names she chooses. The first, Bear - the name her daughter Maia suggests. The second- Julian, the name Cora has always loved and envisioned for her son. And the third - Gordon, her attempt to keep the peace with her husband.

I loved following the stories and seeing how different each of the paths were; the characters were so well developed in each one, and I felt attached to them quickly. As we switched back and forth, the timelines would shift ahead which was sometimes confusing to follow on a kindle; I want to read this again in a real book format so that I can easily flip back and forth. The only thing I felt was missing was the connection the names had to the resulting lives. For me, it felt like it was just the decisions that Cora made in the registry that day - to completely defy her husband, to follow her own heart, or to acquiesce to his demands - that changed the paths forward, not so much the names themselves.

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for the arc of this book, I really, really enjoyed it. It officially comes out today! 🎉

3.5 stars !

'The Names' is a vast and unknowing exploration of how names shape the person you are. This story first roped me in with its premise, and the characters really surprised me. Cora was a neglectful mother to Gordon, yet protective and faithful with Bear and Julian, and this disparity highlights the difference between having power to control something like your baby's name and being unable to. I understood this deeply, yet I was disappointed that Cora would shove aside an innocent baby because of her own husband. Maia was so incredible and sweet and powerful to me. The way she would step in and try to meditate and calm down her father when Cora would anger him to a point >>>>>. She was so loving and nurturing to her brother Bear, and had so much love in her heart for the people she cares for. I loved seeing her interact with others around her and her personality flourishing. Bear was just a sweet little angel cupcake, so carefree and happy, naive of how his parents were constantly bickering and arguing about the family name, because he didn't need to insert himself, so he didn't. Bear fit his name perfectly, strong and determined, but with his own soft side and comfortably playful. One of the best choices Cora made was to defy her husband. Seeing the light drain out of her eyes after twice having to get a beating because she named their child something other than Gordon, and to also determine how Gordon was so much different then he was now before he let her in, cracked my heart in a weird way. So many people actually go through marriages and relationships like that each day, and to see another woman have to go through that makes me sad. The exploration of names in this book and how they may not shape you completely, but in some way early on, fascinated me. You can shape yourself into who you truly want to be, never give in to anyone else's happiness or pleasure at the very expense of your own, and conforming to standards is insightfully a stupid idea. A great mind cruncher. <3

Florence Knapp's The Names is a stunning, lyrical mediation on memory, family, and the quiet power of naming the things - and people -that shape us. With prose that's both restrained and emotionally charged, Knapp invites readers into an intimate landscape where the past lingers just beneath the surface of the present.

The narrative unfolds with deliberate grace, weaving together fragments of personal history, cultural memory, and introspective reflection. Each name mentioned feels like a small incantation, pulling threads of forgotten lives and hidden truths into the light. Knapp's ability to imbue the ordinary with profound meaning is remarkable, her storytelling is subtle but deeply resonant.

What stands out most is the tenderness with which Knapp handles themes of loss, belonging, and the complexity of identity. Her voice is clear, compassionate, and wise - never overwrought, always honest. The Names isn't just a book you read; it's a book you feel, one that stays with you long after the final page.

Highly recommend!