The Names by Knapp, Florence

"A magnificent novel, thrumming with life in all its pain and precariousness, yet suffused with the glorious possibilities of love and redemption." --Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Horse

"The Names is a truly gorgeous, heart-opening novel. I couldn't put it down, and I'm grateful to have Cora and her children living inside my heart now. What a wonderful book!" --Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

"Magnificent. A stunning, hopeful, bitterly beautiful novel....Read it. It's very special."--Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark

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, 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. 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.

With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one . . . precious life" we are given. The book's brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.

Author: Florence Knapp
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Published: 05/06/2025
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.08lbs
Size: 9.32h x 6.34w x 1.15d
ISBN: 9780593833902

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 03/14/2025 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2025
Publishers Weekly 03/17/2025
Booklist 04/01/2025 pg. 57

About the Author
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.