The Names (Trade Paperback)

`Tomorrow - if morning comes, if the storm stops raging - Cora will register the name of her son. Or perhaps, and this is her real concern, she'll formalise who he will become.`

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.

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`An intriguing question cleverly explored... a sliding doors story exploring three different versions of a life.` – Independent

`A sensation long before it hits the shelves, this heart-breaking debut was the centre of a bidding war.` – Daily Mail

`A beautiful exploration of fate and the ripple effects of choice . . . Knapp explores how a single decision can reshape a life . . . richly layered with all the joy and heartbreak of this one wild and precious life.` – Reader’s Digest