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The Names

'The best debut novel in years' Sunday Times

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The Names

By: Florence Knapp
Narrated by: Dervla Kirwan
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About this listen

 A once-in-a-generation debut from a major new talent, The Names is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark.
'I've just been blown away by the best debut novel in years . . . A genius idea for a book'
Sunday Times

'Wildly original and emotionally profound'
Observer

'An unadulterated success: moving, evocative and utterly convincing'
The Times

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. Going against his wishes is a risk that will have consequences, but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? The choice she makes in this moment will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerged. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will enable him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image - but is there still a chance to break the mould?

Powerfully moving and 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.

CHOSEN AS A SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY MAIL, RED, PRIMA, STYLIST and EVENING STANDARD BOOK OF 2025 | A READ WITH JENNA BOOKCLUB PICK

'The viral literary hit of the summer'
Grazia

'A beautiful, heartwrenching, utterly original novel'
Miranda Cowley Heller

'The 2025 book that will be everywhere . . . One of those rare books that makes you glad to be alive'
Stylist

'Magnificent . . . Read it. It's very special'
Chris Whitaker

'Beautifully written, and wise and tender . . . An utter original'
Jojo Moyes

'Exceptional . . . will stay with me for a very long time'
Anita Rani, Woman's Hour

'Heart-shattering . . . a sucker punch of a novel'
Pandora Sykes

'A modern classic'
Jenna Bush Hager

'Heartbreaking and yet brimful of hope . . . Exceptional'
Mail on Sunday

'Brilliant . . . one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you, but which you'll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend'
The Times

'Astonishing, unique and incredibly moving, The Names is a beautiful novel about the courage of a mother in the moment she names her child . . . I know it will stay with me for a long time'
Jeanine Cummins©2025 Florence Knapp Best of 2025 Family Life Genre Fiction World Literature Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

The Names is a beautiful, heartwrenching, utterly original novel - this one will stay with me for years to come (Miranda Cowley Heller, author of THE PAPER PALACE)
A sucker punch of a novel that I think will be one of the biggest books of the year (Pandora Sykes)
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, multi-million-copy bestselling author of HELLO BEAUTIFUL)
I'm in AWE. Powerful, moving and beautiful, The Names takes an important subject and handles it perfectly (Marian Keyes, author of GROWN UPS)
Haunting and heartfelt; I couldn't look away from this emotionally charged story of fate, family and heart-shattering what ifs (Claire Daverley, bestselling author of TALKING AT NIGHT)
Magnificent. A stunning, hopeful, bitterly beautiful novel. The Names is a story of decisions, both grand and miniature, of how each is sewn into the tapestry of what makes us uniquely us. And how a single change can be our making and unravelling. Read it. It's very special (Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK)
Every so often a truly special book comes along, one that stays with you long after turning the last page. I raged, cheered and wept alongside Bear, Gordon and Julian. Compassionate, haunting and gripping, it urges you to reflect on the path not taken, the infinite small decisions and sacrifices that lead us to our own particular lives (Elizabeth Macneal, author of THE DOLL FACTORY)
Unlike anything I've ever read, The Names is wise and surprising and thrumming with life. A very, very special book (Bobby Palmer, author of ISAAC AND THE EGG)
This is exquisite storytelling with unforgettable characters and moved me deeply. Watch out for The Names. It's a big one (Jennie Godfrey, author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS)
I read it in three greedy gulps . . . a story of a family broken by cruelty but healed by resilience, love and possibility (Jo Browning Wroe, author of A TERRIBLE KINDNESS)
The Names is a tour de force of storytelling. Knapp crafts a world where names are keys that can unlock the truth about who we are and who we can become. At once haunting and revelatory, The Names is a brilliant exploration of the choices-big and small-that define our lives. Each character is drawn with a complexity that lingers long after the last page. A truly mesmerizing and profound book that I'll never forget (Alison Espach, author of THE WEDDING PEOPLE)
Brilliant. I was amazed by how much joy Florence Knapp could get into a book so filled with tragedy. Incredibly moving and unexpected, and inventive. It's a real tour de force (Emma Healey, author of ELIZABETH IS MISSING)
All stars
Most relevant
Very well narrated, you can’t skip a beat or you will get confused between stories .. definitely worth a credit !

Interesting story !

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I enjoyed this book for the different possible lives. apparently brought about by a name choice. The book unfolds in seven year timelines. It keeps your interest, having some predictable turns, some less predictable. I look forward to a further book by Florence Knapp.

Interesting book, set in three threads of the same world, three possibilities.

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What's in a name? What would happen if you were called something else entirely?

We meet Cora on the day she goes to register her new baby son, and follow her family's lives down three different - cataclysmic - paths.

A key theme throughout is the disturbing abuse Cora experiences at the hands of her "nice" GP husband. Each route they take sparks, in one way or another, from the three different names she chose for him that day in three alternate worlds: Bear, Julian, Gordon.

As someone who's been fascinated by names and the power they hold since I was a child, I absolutely devoured this. It's got everything I love in a novel. As well as the innovative "sliding doors" concept, it's beautifully written, got rounded characters with depth, moral dilemmas, power and justice, and a series of satisfying conclusions.

My book of the year so far, absolutely loved it.

My book of the year so far, absolutely loved it

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I finished this immaculately written book in two days, putting everyday life on hold because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The characters are vivid and varied thanks to a wealth of tiny observed details and the author's depiction of the complexities of human nature. The story of their evolving lives is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in turns and will stay with you afterwards. Highly recommended.

Spellbinding writing.

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A solid storyline that is close to my heart, sensitively and carefully explored by the writer. I found it moving, warm, sad and touching in equal measure. If left me feeling as if I had a cosy blanket wrapped around me… perhaps some of this was the beautiful narration.
Loved it.

Beautifully written

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