Join our Instagram channel to discuss our book of the month, ‘The Names’ by Florence Knapp, as we read it. From every-thought-you-had-while-reading to exclusive notes from the author, there’s a lot to unpack here.
In a country where names are often run past astrologers and numerologists, where a slight tweak in alphabets is believed to shift destiny, The Names feels instantly familiar. Florence Knapp may not have been on your radar until recently, but her debut book is suddenly everywhere, from Bookstagram to BookTok to your Goodreads feed. It’s the kind of book people keep recommending, and for good reason. With its striking premise and emotional depth, this is exactly why it’s our pick of the month.
So, what is so special about The Names?
“What’s in a name?” asks William Shakespeare. In Florence Knapp’s The Names, quite a lot, it turns out. The novel opens as Cora sets out to register the name of her newborn son. She has three choices, each loaded with consequence. Gordon, the name insisted upon by her controlling and abusive husband. Bear, the tender nickname given by her daughter, Maia. Or Julian, the name Cora believes might offer her son a life free from his father’s shadow.
What follows is a three-part narrative—Gordon, Bear, and Julian—each tracing a different version of the boy’s life shaped by the name he is given. Across three decades, Knapp maps how this single decision ripples outward, affecting identity, relationships, and the possibility of escape. In one version, Cora breaks away from her husband; in another, the cycles of abuse continue to leave their mark. What makes The Names especially compelling is how seamlessly it handles this ambitious form. The prose is clean, fluid, and readable. It’s one of those novels you can easily finish over a weekend yet keep thinking about long after.
Why should I pick it?
Pick up The Names for how deeply it makes you sit with its characters after you’ve seen their lives unfold. As you move through the different versions of the Bear/Julian/Gordon’s life, what stays constant is the emotional core of the family, especially Maia and Cora.
Cora’s position within an abusive marriage is handled with remarkable care, showing not just the violence but the quieter, more insidious ways control builds over time. The book offers a nuanced answer to the question of why someone might stay, revealing how isolation and everyday decisions can shape a life. It is compassionate, unsettling, and difficult to forget.
About the author
Florence Knapp is a polymath, who studied Sociology at Southampton University before beginning her career as a secretary. She later became known for her work in textile crafts, including her non-fiction book Flossie Teacakes’ Guide to English Paper Piecing, and has contributed to a publication for the Victoria & Albert Museum. She lives just outside London with her husband and their dog and has two children. She is drawn to small, comforting details—old tiles, photo booths, house plants, notebooks, and the pleasure of hand-stitching. The Names is her debut novel and is set to be translated into more than 20 languages.
