The Names: 'The best debut novel in years' Sunday Times

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!

This novel is a masterclass in storytelling and psychological depth, built around a simple yet profound premise: what if your life changed based on the name you were given at birth? It follows three parallel narratives; where Cora has named her son Bear, Julien, and Gordon. The author explores the power in a name, and how a name might steer identity, relationships, and fate. I found the concept so clever. The idea that a name could shape the lives of a person and that of their close contacts really resonated with me. I’ve often questioned my own name fit, finding Anne-Marie too ordinary, too ‘religious’ and too safe. Regardless, I still feel I ended up in the life that was meant for me! The author also provides an index of the meaning of the different character names at the end which was an enriching touch, as each name was so deliberately chosen. Bear’s arc was my favorite: warm, emotionally grounded, and quietly heroic. His love story with Lily, his moment with the crying child on the train, and his struggle to balance ambition with love were beautifully told. Julien’s story was tender and sad, yet redemptive. His battle with self-doubt and inherited trauma, and eventual emotional awakening, brought a quiet satisfaction. Gordon’s version was hardest to read with a transfer of abuse, control, and manipulation chillingly portrayed. Ultimately, the novel asks: do our names define us, or do we shape our own stories? This book shows how it is possibly both. A super and highly original read.

The Names is the debut novel from Florence Knapp and what an incredible debut it is. The concept is simple enough: do our names affect the person we become and influence the paths of our lives? Names used to be chosen very carefully for their meaning, although we don’t do that so much these days, perhaps hoping to imbue the child with the qualities of the name. Cora is in an abusive marriage and when she goes to register the birth of her son, she has three names to choose from. Her daughter, Maia, wants the baby to be called Bear, Cora favours Julian which means sky father but her husband Gordon wants the baby named after him. The story then splits into three parts and we follow the journey of boy to man, with each section showing an alternate version of life for each name choice, jumping forward seven years each time. Cora’s choice of name for her son has three different outcomes and leads to three very different lives for her, her son and Maia. Although the book is about the life of Bear/Julian/Gordon, I’d say it’s equally a very powerful exploration of controlling relationships and how they affect a family. It was so fascinating to read the three different scenarios and see where the lives diverged over the years or sometimes where they touched. Are the characters essentially the same, regardless of name or does it have a profound effect on their lives in so many ways? This book is so thought-provoking. Each variation of the life has its emotive, memorable and moving scenes. This is an amazing debut novel and Florence Knapp is without doubt a very talented writer. I found The Names utterly compelling, incredibly moving and very powerful. Without doubt, one of my books of the year.

The Names is one that stays with you long after the final page. Katherine Knapp writes with a quiet intensity, weaving together a story that is both simple in its form and deeply complex in its message. At its heart, this is a book about identity, memory, and the stories we carry those we inherit and those we choose to tell. Knapp’s writing is spare but evocative. She creates space for reflection, allowing the emotional weight of each moment to land with quiet power. There’s a subtle rhythm to her storytelling nothing rushed, nothing wasted and this restraint is what gives the novel its depth. What makes The Names especially impactful is how universal its themes feel. There are lessons here for all of us about the importance of listening, the courage it takes to confront our past, and the grace in truly seeing another person. It’s a book that invites empathy and self-examination, without ever preaching. Ultimately, The Names is a story of becoming; tender, layered, and profoundly human. Highly recommended.

I read this book in one sitting. I was totally compelled by the premise of the book, the reality of the characters and the rawness of the story. On finishing the book, I held it close to me and said 'wow'. The concept of the multiple lives it could be possible to live, because of the decisions we make, is something I've often though about. Knapp manages to weave the core elements of the characters humanity across each version of their lives. This book is so well written, so totally considered, leaving me incredibly emotional many times. This is one of the best books I have ever read; I like to give away book but this one I will keep and read again and again. Thank you for this stunning work

I had been recommended to read this by several friends and had also seen it on many online lists so was delighted when it was chosen as a book club read. I had to get the hardback as it is not yet available in paperback - I always prefer a paperback but I suspected this would not take long to read. The book was first published in 2025. There are 330 pages. The story focuses on a boy born in 1987 and it looks at his life every 7 years. In each part there are 3 sections that consider his life with three different names. The storm at the start creates an excitement, giving a magical atmosphere where anything could happen. I hadn't expected the problems in Cora's relationship with her husband and the casual acceptance was shocking, as was the effect on Maia's demeanour. Initially the fascination is around the effects that the different names has on the baby's family - the impacts of which start to form his life. This would be a good recommendation for a couple splitting up as you really get to understand how children react to parental conflict. The third option for the child is to be called Gordon, the same as his father. When reading those chapters, his personality seems to merge with that of his fathers and I was often not sure whose story I was reading. Each name as an illustration at the start of their chapter, with their meanings becoming clear as the life they represent develops. We focus mainly on the relationship between mother and child without really understanding the motives of the father and I would have been interested in his side. Although, whenever we see the father I was shocked by his cruelty much of which is so passive - eg taking the remote control to work with him. I eventually realised this book is not about him and that his victims (and i include the children) are the key to learning about his abuse. There are several parts of the book that hit me with huge emotional waves - unusual for a book to effet me like that. These life changing moments are always unexpected and sent shivers through me. As the lives develop independently, links are created and commonalities progress - Lily in particular is an important connection. I wanted the ending to be more tidy, even though life usually isn't like that. This novel is fiction and I wanted a fictional ending. At the end there is a list of characters which irritated me. There were some very relevant notes about the names amd I'd have liked to think about these at the start of the book.

It is extraordinary that this is a first novel. Florence Knapp’s writing is assured and flows with precision and grace. The three alternative plots device could be a mess but is handled intelligently and we are never lost or confused as to which route we are following. The central character, Cora, is in a deeply abusive marriage to a sociopathic doctor. A single decision, the choice of their baby son’s name when she goes to register his birth, is the fork from which the story streams diverge. Though the abuse and its effects are disturbing, this is ultimately a joyful book, celebrating life and love, with many moving and heartwarming scenes to protect us from despair at the power a cruel man can choose to exert over a woman. The richly drawn characters and their different stories will stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait to read Knapp’s next novel.

A neat idea, three parallel tales in one book. It’s been done before, most notably by Lionel Shriver, and in the film “Sliding Doors”, but this triple version creates three mother and son relationships depending on which name is chosen at the child’s birth. While each version of the boy grows up in a different way, his mother’s life also unfolds differently but with crossover moments and characters. The result is a gentle multilayered narrative in which small choices have significant consequences, and the mother’s trajectory becomes the focus of attention. There is tragedy and joy, not always when (or in which story) you expect them. The three versions of the son are less interesting than his mother, and his character develops less, strangely making each of the very different versions of him somewhat two-dimensional. There is also a sense of the moral message being driven home in a less than subtle way by the end of the novel. Nonetheless, while it doesn’t quite live up to its star billing, The Names is a clever way of dealing with a troubling theme and is an enjoyable read.