Book review: The Names by Florence Knapp
Genre: Literary fiction
Release date: May 6, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4.34
My rating: 4.5
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The Names by Florence Knapp is one of my favourite books of 2025 so far. The concept is interesting. It asks: what is the impact of a single decision? Can one moment redirect the course of your entire life?
In this story, we follow Cora, a woman in an abusive relationship, who must make a choice. What name will she give her new son? Will she pick the name her husband has imposed, Gordon Jr. Will she pick Julian, a name of her own choosing but that means ‘sky father’—a meaning that she hopes will be enough to appease her husband, or will she choose the name that her young daughter is proposing, Bear, because it reflects being soft and cuddly yet brave and strong.
Three stories unfold, each based on the outcome of the three options. We watch as each character ages, hits different key life events (and decisional moments), and see the ripple effect on their own respective decisions.
It’s an impressive debut novel that speaks to family legacy and generational trauma. It also reads easily (although be warned that it delves into hard topics such as domestic abuse).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Other books you may enjoy:
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Where Butterflies Wander by Suzanne Redfearn