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Maia asks her mother why she doesn’t have her mother’s name if her brother is going to have his father’s. ‘Gordon’ has been passed down through the generations of men in her husband’s family. A tradition that is supposed to continue.
But Cora, the mother, thinks otherwise about the name Gordon. Her husband is a domineering bully who physically and mentally abuses her. If she names their son Gordon, she is afraid he will he become his father. Maia wants to name him Bear and Cora wants to name him Julian. These two names, including Gordon, are what give this novel its wonderful narrative structure. The narrative is split into three parallel worlds. Worlds that are ultimately the same and yet drastically different, depending on the name the son is given.
The narrative covers 35 years of the three divergent worlds. The story progresses from the perspective of the son, the mother and sister in each of the worlds. After three chapters, one for each of the ‘names’, the narrative will jump forward seven years and repeat this sequence. The differences that the change of names causes is vast, and yet at their core the characters remain the same.
The one character who changes little in each of the worlds is the father, Gordon. A despicable man, who presents himself as a pillar of the community, a trusted and almost loved family GP. But behind closed doors he is a monster who controls and dominates his wife. This domestic abuse is the main theme explored, and it is a sickening problem that plagues our society.
Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter is the obvious book that springs to mind for comparison, or Paul Auster’s 4 3 2 1. Three worlds changed from a moment in time when a name is registered.
The Names is beautifully written, with characters that tear at your emotions. A brilliant book.
Reviewed by Neale Lucas
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- Do you think the cover accurately reflects the book? If so, how do you think it’s particularly evocative?
- What did you think of the book being divided into three lives of Gordon, Julian and Bear? How did it affect your reading experience?
- Have you read another book with a ‘sliding doors’ narrative? If so, how was The Names similar or different to it/them?
- Was the prologue effective for you? What did you think of the illustrations at the start of each character’s story?
- What genre would you describe The Names as fitting into? What novels would you compare it to? Delve into genre specifics if applicable
- Did you find Florence Knapp’s depiction of the various settings authentic? Are any of the settings similar to or different from any places you’ve visited or lived in?
- Name the core theme/s of The Names? Do you feel the author handles them effectively?
- Use a quote from The Names as a discussion catalyst.
- How do Gordon, Julian and Bear grow and change because of the events of the novel? Did your opinion of them change as the book progressed?
- Did you see any of the book’s dramatic twists coming? Did any revelation surprise you more than the others?
- What did you think of the ending? Did it surprise you? Do you feel everything was resolved?
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