Anyone read The Names?

[wherethewildthingis]

Has anyone read this one. Really enjoyed it and keen to talk about it!

@ShowDownTime
Yes, and also Ruth Jones and Stephen Mangan.
It’s at Pennyhill Park which is gorgeous.
I read David Nichol’s latest book in 3 days last week and I'm currently listening to a Ruth Jones book on audible to get up to speed!
For me, Florence Knapp is the big pull.

I loved it

Just finished this book and loved it! I’m fascinated by names anyway so this subject for a book was so interesting but the story was moving and thought provoking. I reserved it from the library and had to wait several weeks. Just returned it and it has 80 reserved on it. I’m guessing the library need to make more copies available!

LOVED it. The audiobook was beautiful, I didn't want it to end!

Bumping this as I've just finished it and feel bereft.

One of the best debut novels I've ever read. The characters were all utterly convincing and I cried more than once.

I especially love the little references to people or events that transcended the different versions/names. A brief reference to the Paris bombing in one version. The lovely vet having two different roles in two different narratives. The wasp stings. Lily. All the little crossovers where the universe put people in front of Bear/Julian/Gordon over and over again. Just magical.

And even the thoughtful names that everyone had as per the afterward. Every name perfectly suited to each character.

Just breathtakingly good.

Now having met Florence Knapp in person, I love the book even more.
She is absolutely delightful, self-deprecating and so very appreciative of the reception her first book has received.
I listened to it on audible, I may very well read the hard copy. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book twice.

Chiming in here that I’ve just finished this book and it was excellent. I didn’t want it to end!!

It's just such a great book. It's gut wrenching, heartbreaking and beautiful!

Our school’s book club is reading it. I ADORE this book - I’m half way through and have read it at bedtime for two nights. Normally I’m asleep by now but it’s managing to keep a an exhausted teacher awake.

Absolutely loved it.

I absolutely loved this too. It’s really stayed with me.
if you follow Florence Knapp on insta you can follow a link to vote for the book in the Goodreads choice awards.

Late to the party but just finished it. Absolutely brilliant. Loved it and devoured it in days. Given all on this thread have such good taste in books - could anyone recommend anything else to read next please? I enjoyed The Lost Bookshop by Evie Wood and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I promise not everything I read mentions DV but that has been a theme in my reading recently.

I’m slightly dithering over whether to read this, as from the description it doesn’t quite chime with me, but every single review I’ve read has been positive.

I knew Florence Knapp previously as 'Flossieteackes' from her wonderful blog and truly amazing patchwork (I've got her book on English Paper Piecing, which is a joy just to look at). Pleased for her that her move into fiction writing has been so successful.

@Filofaxforlife, have you read Trespasses that has been televised on channel 4 this week? It’s a great book too.

No. Will look up the book. Thank you.

@FilofaxforlifeThe adaptation on channel 4 is also excellent & very faithful to the book.

I really enjoyed it.

For anyone who liked it, the ‘obvious’ other one to read is Life after Life by Kate Atkinson if you haven’t read that.

I don't think the blurb is accurate focusing on 'the baby boy'. For much of the book it's actually about a woman, her daughter, her mum and their reactions to events.
This woman author has written a book like all books should be, women and men in the centre of their universe plus as support roles in other people's lives.
I'm quite cross about the précis being about how men affect men it's actually a book very much about about individuals.

And I'm with Katherine Parkinson who, in a lovely recent interview sort of, said that she's realised she just wants to read books written by middle aged women about middle aged women.
I think she'd enjoy this one, despite having named men characters who talk to each other but it's not the main focus.

Read that, although forgot about it until you mentioned it here.

So much this. The crossovers were so clever, and the names. I thought the outcome for each character was so good too. Except for one - I don't want to give a spoiler though!

My favourite book of the year so far. Loved it and already itching to reread

Just finished this book and really really enjoyed it. Not sure I entirely got the epilogue?

Also, one thing I kept thinking was - would a woman in Cora’s position actually ever go ahead and choose a name on a whim without agreement from her husband? I don’t see any woman, even one in a solid and strong marriage doing this. It just niggled at me. Loved the whole sliding doors premise though

I think her going against him and choosing a wild name was the most rebellious version of herself. Very unlikely but what she would have liked to have been like.

I can't remember the episode very well but didn't it tie up some loose ends, particularly with the husband? I remember I liked it.

@stonkytonk11 I think the point of the epilogue is to show how Gordon ( the father) could have been a different man if things had gone differently at various points in his life. In other words he didn’t have to be the monster he is in all three timelines. He could have chosen another life.

I felt really guilty reading this thread. I didn't enjoy the book at all. I think it was beautifully written but the characters never came alive for me. I'm glad everyone else did though and the writer sounds a wonderful person.