The Names, by Florance Knapp

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with another review! 

I know, I wasn't expecting one this quickly either, but I have a book I want to talk about, and there's nothing else for it, but to put out another review! 

This one is about The Names, Florence Knapp's stunningly beautiful debut novel, and I cannot wait to tell you all about it! 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it. 

Title: The Names

Author: Florence Knapp 

Genre: Fiction 

Status: Standalone

Release date: 6/5/2025

Pages: N/A (Listened to audiobook). 

Blurb: "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 the birth of her son. 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 for 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."

My Thoughts

Trigger warnings: Violence, abuse, manipulation, mentions of sexual abuse, toxic relationship, alcoholism, child abuse, gaslighting, pandemic related-stress. 

These triggers are a pretty big part of the story, so please err on the side of caution when picking this up, if you have experienced any of these triggers, in any aspect. 

You need to understand the premise of the novel if you're going to follow this review. 

The Names starts in 1987, when mother Cora, takes her son to have his name registered. The name Gordon has been passed down through generations, and her husband Gordon, expects him to be named the same. Her thought: what if he turns out like her abusive husband? 

From that point onwards, he may be named Bear, the name her daughter Maia chose; Julian, a name that means sky father, that she chose herself; or Gordon, of course. Each chapter jumps to the next name, and every three chapters, they move to a new time period, seven years later than the last. 

For a debut novel, The Names is exceptional. This novel pans decades, until Maia and her brother are adults, and although the story goes far beyond what Cora named him, it all stems out from that original chapter. The job her son chooses, to the relationships of those around him, even where he grows up. At certain points I had to pause the audiobook, just to take in how a chapter had ended, and trace it all back, to see how we got to this point. 

Honestly guys, this book had me hooked from start to finish. I found myself trying to find time to listen to this audiobook, finding jobs to do where I could listen to just one more chapter. I finished it in four days, so it wasn't hard. 

Like I said before, the marital abuse is a fairly large part of it- the whole reason Cora considers not naming her son Gordon is because she doesn't want her son to end up like her husband, so please consider that before picking this book up. 

Saying that, it isn't the whole story. The majority of this book is hopeful, with some beautiful moments, particularly between Cora's mother, Silbhe, Maia, Julian, and Cian. There are some really lovely moments between some of the characters, that make up much of the story. 

All in all, I very much doubt that I won't be putting this on my Favourite Books of 2026 list, even with 6.5 months to go. It was my first 5 star (new read) of 2026, and I think it'll be hard to beat. The Names was moving and honest, and if you have the stomach to read a novel of this magnitude, then I highly recommend it. 

Okay! Those are all of my thoughts on Florence Knapp's debut, The Names! I hope you enjoyed it, and I really hope I've convinced some of you to give it a go (despite the heavy material). 

One more thing: for everyone that has been on my blog, or even returned, in the last month or so, thankyou so much! The views have been exploding recently, and I cannot thank you guys enough! 

That is all I have for you all today, so I hope you have a good day, and I'll see you all soon! (Feel free to comment below, by the way.) 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx