- Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary
**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 the birth of her son. Her husband, Gordon, respected in the community but a controlling presence at home, intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and name the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates.... Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of their lives, shaped by Cora's last-minute 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 for autonomy and healing. Through a prism of what-ifs, Florence Knapp invites us to consider the "one ... precious life" we are given. Full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family and love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store.
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Character
Grave, earnest, spare and contemporary.
- gravecomic
- earnestironic
- sparerichly built
- contemporarynostalgic
- unpretentiousprestige
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About the book
- Author
- Florence Knapp
- First published
- 2025
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- Salamandra, Eichborn, Pamela Dorman / Viking
- Editions
- 6
- Language
- English, German, Spanish, Dutch
- ISBN
- 9788501923608
Where to read
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On Open Library, 2 have read it and 12 want to.
“Cora's mother always used to say children were whipped up by the wind, that even the quiet ones would come in after playtime made wild by it.”
Florence Knapp has previously written a non-fiction book about a centuries-old method of quilt making, as well as contributing to a book for the Victoria & Albert Museum. She lives just outside London with her husband and their dog. Their two children have now flown the nest. ***The Names*** is Knapp's debut novel and will be translated into more than twenty languages. Author photo © Sophie Davidson (<a href="https://www.caa.com/entertainmenttalent/books/author/florence-knapp" target="_blank">Source</a>)
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