The Names by Florence Knapp

The Names by Florence Knapp

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Names-Novel-Florence-Knapp/dp/0593833902

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217245618-the-names

Synopsis:
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.

About the Author:
FLORENCE KNAPP is a writer whose short stories have been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and won the Bath Short Story Award’s Acorn Award. She is the author of a non-fiction book about a centuries-old method of quilt-making and has also contributed to a book for the Victoria and Albert Museum. She is passionate about children’s literacy and has worked alongside her husband for the past fifteen years creating educational apps for use in schools. Florence lives in Kent with a dog, Nell, and her musician husband, who, thankfully, is absolutely nothing like the one in her novel. Her two children have recently flown the nest. The Names is her first novel.

Author’s Website: https://www.florenceknapp.com/

Article – Breakfast with Florence Knapp:
https://us.toa.st/blogs/magazine/florence-knapp