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The Names
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
The Names is a truly gorgeous, heart-opening novel. I couldnt put it down, and Im grateful to have Cora and her children living inside my heart now. What a wonderful book! Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful Magnificent. A stunning, hopeful, bitterly beautiful novel....Read it. Its very special.Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark 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 her son's birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she'd like to call the child, Cora hesitates... Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora's and her young son's lives, shaped by her 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 of autonomy and healing. With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one . . . precious life" we are given. The books brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.
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Cathyloves2read
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Mehso-so

The Names is a bold, inventive novel structured around three possible lives of one protagonist—each shaped by a different name. It‘s thought-provoking and unlike anything I‘ve read, though often confusing. I‘m still unsure about the epilogue, but the originality made it worth the read.

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Sapphire
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

I found the premise intriguing, and the book held my interest. I cared for each version of the characters,but overall I found the book depressing. I didn‘t cry reading it. When I was done I felt dread and cried.

Sapphire I do wish I had a hard copy to look up the artist she mentions at the end thst inspired certain aspects. This is clearly not the cover art she describes. 3d
16 likes1 comment
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Erinreadsthebooks
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

This is one of the most interestingly structured books I‘ve ever read, and I think it‘s quite a marvel. (*Huge, huge trigger warnings for domestic violence)

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Erinreadsthebooks
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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In no way is the book a romance but, man, what a quote…

“And she‘d carried on, unaware. Of him, and this special thing. Unaware, too, of what it is to have that person in your life, that person who will plan surprises, who will try to fix wings to your back.”

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marleed
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

This book is powerful. If one is to judge a book by its bookclub discussion worthiness, this hits every mark. I‘ll be monitoring bookish podcasts so I can be a fly on the wall to those discussions. I could do nothing but read in one setting the trajectories of Cora and her children‘s lives following the 3 distinct names she bestowed on her infant son.

68 likes6 stack adds
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BookishTrish
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

This book is everywhere on my feeds right now! It was heavier on the domestic abuse than I‘d expected and the author has imposed a lot of constraints on the way the story is told. Still an impressive and well-narrated debut.

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Hooked_on_books
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Bailedbailed

The first hour of this 9.5 hour audiobook is full on physical and verbal domestic abuse, and I am not here for it. It feels like this is less how a boy‘s life is impacted by different potential names and more the impact of his abusive father‘s reaction to said names. I don‘t care to read a book that gives an abuser that kind of power.

Aims42 I second @Dabbe ☝️🚀 1w
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
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bookandbedandtea
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

What's in a name? Potentially quite a lot! This is good. Not feel-good- because some of it is difficult to read- but interesting, well written, and thought-provoking. I'll watch for more by this author.

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bookandbedandtea
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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A little pre- work reading this morning, and a million flowers on our snowball bush, started the day off right. This is good, so far, but some scenes are hard to read.

AnnCrystal 😍❄️ snowball bush 💝💝💝. 2w
bookandbedandtea @AnnCrystal It's looking so pretty this spring! 🥰 2w
26 likes2 comments
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ChrisBohjalian
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Read THE NAMES now. You'll thank me.

25 likes1 stack add
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jdiehr
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

Three different names, three different outcomes.

This is a story about "what ifs" in the same vein as the movie Sliding Doors.

I liked it ?

36 likes2 stack adds
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LMJenkins
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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I‘m about a third of the way through this and it‘s really packing a punch. Lots to think about.

tpixie It sounds so good!! 2w
18 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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ErikasMindfulShelf
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

Fast read. Solid 4 stars. I liked the alternate versions of this family‘s lives. Recommend.

AmyG Good to hear. This was my BOMC pick. 3w
35 likes1 comment
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AmyG
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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1. The tagged book. My BOMC pick
2. No. I do quick ones for Goodreads if I win a book but I don‘t like doing them.

@Eggs #WondrousWednesday

Crinoline_Laphroaig Most recent purchase for next month's #JaneAustenThenAndNow 3w
Crinoline_Laphroaig Some here on Litsy and some on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/crinoline_laphroaig?igsh=bTk2cWJxM2MweHlz Goodreads is so clunky but I still use because I have nice group of friends there. I'm really loving graphics on StoryGraph. https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/crinolinelaphroaig 3w
Eggs @Crinoline_Laphroaig Thanks for weighing in ❣️ 3w
Eggs Thanks for playing ❣️ 3w
peaKnit I‘m enjoying Storygraph too, it‘s nicer to look at for sure! 3w
48 likes5 comments
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Megabooks
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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A great month for #botm imo! Thank you to the person who nominated The Bombshell for #CampLitsy25 and put it on my radar! Speaking of CL it has been so good seeing everyone‘s votes. Check @BarbaraBB profile for a link to the longlist and voting form. There is definitely still time to vote!

I am finally starting to feel a bit better and am hopefully headed to Parnassus and Nashville for an afternoon off later this week!

Megabooks And a very, very big thank you to @squirrelbrain for the Parnassus gift card for my birthday!! I hope they still have signed copies of Audition because I may not be able to say no to that!! 💜💜 1mo
LeeRHarry How great that there‘s a Laurie Colwin on the list! I have this one on my TBR. 😊 1mo
Suet624 Colwin! 1mo
See All 11 Comments
Megabooks @LeeRHarry @Suet624 I don‘t remember how I found their reprints of her books on the app, but I want to pick up this one, too. 1mo
squirrelbrain It was @JamieArc ( thank you 🤩)who nominated The Bombshell - I managed to get a copy on NetGalley! I hope you do manage to get to Parnassus, Meg! ❤️ 1mo
Suet624 Family happiness is the first one I read of hers. Was it her first book? 1mo
LeeRHarry @Suet624 That‘s the one I have read of hers - not sure if it‘s her first or not - and went out looking for more. 1mo
Megabooks @squirrelbrain I have found someone to walk Molly and feed her dinner, so it is on!! 1mo
Megabooks @Suet624 @LeeRHarry I don‘t know either. I originally had it in my box, but I need a little break from couple drama after this book. Not because it was bad but because I got waaayy too caught up in it! 1mo
JamieArc @squirrelbrain Thanks for tagging me 😊 @Megabooks I was excited to see The Bombshell as a pick! I forget the picks were up today so I‘m glad for the reminder! 1mo
BarbaraBB What a great gift from Helen! I am so happy you‘re feeling a bit better and hope you‘ll have the best of times at Parnassus ❤️ 1mo
70 likes1 stack add11 comments
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LMJenkins
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Brought this #ARC home from work today. Looks good!