The Names: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND READ WITH JENNA PICK—A WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT THAT BEGS TO BE SHARED
LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL
“Dazzling.” —The Washington Post
“A magnificent novel.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse
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, 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 of 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.
The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.
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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND READ WITH JENNA PICK—A WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT THAT BEGS TO BE SHARED
LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL
“Dazzling.” —The Washington Post
“A magnificent novel.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse
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, 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 of 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.
The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.
Michelle ONeil –
Loved this book!
Loved this one! It is about a mother who has two children, and the trajectory of their lives if she names the younger one 1)after his abusive father (as expected), 2) a name of her own choosing, or 3) the name his older sister wanted. It is told in a three-way timeline, kind of a parallel lives type of thing. I listened to the audiobook and it was well done. The stories were poignant, and ultimately hopeful.
SweetRead –
Beautiful and Heartbreaking
I wasnt sure what to expect from this book when it was chosen by the book club I’m in. At first I was like I dont know if I can follow this story being re-told from different perspectives. And then it finally clicked and engaged with me.Bear, energetic and full of love. Protected for so long from realities that were before his memory was strong. Julian, memories and a life filled with tragedy and loss. A strength and worry he wasnt sure how to master. The love of family that finally made him who he was meant to be. Gordon, molded and groomed and tragedy. Luckily the love of a sister that helped round it out.Maia strong and deliberate. Afraid but knows she needs to do more. Hiding and unable to remove the shadow she is living under.Cora, family keeps her together. Tragedy unspoken. A savior that came from nowhere.The supporting characters were all amazing and well written. I did not feel like any were one-dimensional. All were necessary and needed in the story. The writing was interesting and engaging. The story is tough, abuse.Would I recommend, yes. Would I let them know that there are some tough situations and may need to go in with eyes open, yes.
Feisty Grandma –
amazing and fresh
The concept of this book and the skill with which the author writes The Names, give it a fluid and seamless rhythm. The characters are richly textured and real. It is a hopeful and positive testament to a situation often portrayed as doomed to repeat itself. I enjoyed every word of it and will seek out other works by Florence Knapp.
Bonnie Brody –
Readable, But Unbelievable
This book has an interesting premise but was ultimately unfulfilling. It focuses on Cora, an abused wife, and her family. She has a male baby and the novel projects what this child’s life would be like based on his chosen name. There are three names picked for the child – Bear, Julian and Gordon. Their parallel lives are then explored based on their names.Cora puts up with years of domestic violence perpetrated by her husband Gordon, a primary care doctor in England. He appears to be a good man from the outside looking in, and is beloved by his patients, but he is both emotionally and physically abusive to Cora. They have one son, and a daughter named Maia. All three of them have different life outcomes based on the son’s name.It astounded me that it took so long for Cora to ask for help. I understand that victimization wears one down, that there is shame involved and that, ultimately, the victim gives up hope. However, the extent of her Cora’s abuse is horrific. It seemed inconceivable to me that no one noticed.I resented the authors’s use of what appeared to be a gimmick in order to examine a profound problem in domestic relationships. The aspect of generational trauma is briefly examined but the focus of the novel is on Cora and her children. Her husband, Gordon, is not fully fleshed out and is presented as a shell of a man without distinct characterization.As a clinical social worker, I have worked with multitudes of abused women and this novel just misses the mark. The social services Cora interacted with are portrayed as ineffectual and blind to what is occurring. In real life, it would astound me if this could happen.As one can tell, I am not a fan of of The Names by Florence Knapp. Though readable, it just doesn’t seem to get to the gist of family violence.
Kathleen B. Walker –
What’s in a Name?
This is a story about the naming of a baby boy and the consequences of that decision in his life. A mother is abused by her husband and wrestles with the idea of giving her son his name and twice decides, at the last minute, to name him something else. The book takes us through three chosen names (Bear, Julian, and Gordon) the last being the name of her husband, and the outcomes of each. The author visits the three names every seven years, allowing the reader to observe how it has influenced both the boy’s life and those around him.It is interesting to see how the boy’s personality develops under each name. The reader learns the change in names results in three different lives for the boy and for his family.I actually read this book twice. First, I followed the established format of reading the stories of all three names at the juncture of every seven tears. Then, I went back and read each name individually throughout the seven year time periods. I suspect this second path may be the way the author actually wrote the story. It gave me a clearer feel for each life.How much influence does a name have on one’s life? I know people whose names just seem to fit. I know people who lean toward a nickname in order to feel more comfortable. And, I know people who have been given a family name.This is a thought-provoking first novel, and after reading it I realize giving a child a family name is something that should be considered seriously.
MLBbookworm –
Really cool concept and great story
I read around 50 books per year and only write reviews for a small number of those. I have been raving about this book to friends and am reviewing it several weeks after reading it because it has really stuck with me. Such a smart concept and the stories themselves were fascinating.I was so enthralled in each storyline that I found myself going back to check things to make sure I was remembering earlier references correctly. I loved that some of the same characters pop up in multiple storylines. The approach really had me thinking about how one choice can set us in completely different directions. This book is both thought-provoking and almost impossible to put down. I highly recommend it!
🩷 Arley Girl 🩷 –
I really cant recommend this book highly enough. I have read hundreds of novels and this one is particularly breath-taking and unlike anything else I have ever read. I have often wondered how our first names shape us and found people to often live up or down to the name, so many times….it seems no mere coincidence. In this novel shaped by the aftermath of domestic violence we see three narratives in Bear, Julian and Gordon. A baby boy registered in 1987, whose name-choice affected his birth family and himself in various ways. Told in 7 year intervals, we see the different lives the child had growing up into a man dependent upon his name and likewise his family. I wont detail more of the plot or outcome, but the story was breath-taking and thought provoking. Knapp’s style of writing was like poetry in motion. Captivating and descriptive, but not repetitive, flowery and long-winded as many mid-sections of novel’s get. Some sentences really touched your heart and each word was needed. I read this book in one day, almost unheard of for me as it was so original. Put simply it’s the book I wish I’d wrote!
Francesca de Capoa –
Coinvolgente nella sua drammaticità, originale nella struttura, introspettivo nell’analisi apparentemente deterministica del ruolo del destino nella vita umana, questo libro offre un’acuta riflessione sull’antica dicotomia tra genetica ed educazione nello sviluppo della personalità. Tre nomi diversi generano tre storie diverse, ma con un comune denominatore: alla violenza si può sempre dire di no.
Amazon Customer –
A great read?
Cliente de Kindle –
The moment I read the synopsis of the book I knew it will be interesting, but I did not think it would break my heart and made me cry a lot hehe I highly recommend this book. Is one of the best books I have read this year. Thanks to Goodreads challenge I got the opportunity to read this book so I am very happy I chose to read it.
Michaela –
Häufig empfohlen und das absolut zu Recht.Das Buch zeigt unglaublich viel (Missbrauch, Manipulation Sexualität, Erwachsenwerden, Berufe, Liebe finden), aber auf eine unglaublich gute Weise.Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass ich mit allen drei Versionen so mitfiebere.