The novel begins in late 1987, where a woman named Cora is trapped in an abusive marriage and has just given birth to a baby boy as the Great storm of 1987 rages.

Through a prism of what-ifs, Florence Knapp invites us to consider the "one ... precious life" we are given. Full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite …

May 6, 2025 · “In The Names, Florence Knapp takes an ordinary question—what’s in a name?—and turns it into a meditation on identity, fate, and family. Sharp, tender, and beautifully rendered, with …

The Names is Florence Knapp’s debut novel, first published in 2025. Beginning in 1987, the story follows Cora Atkin, a young mother trapped in an abusive marriage, as she prepares to register her son’s birth.

Jan 3, 2026 · The Names by Florence Knapp is a family drama told through three possible lives that hinge on one choice: what Cora Atkin writes on her newborn son’s birth certificate during the …

The Names, Florence Knapp’s debut novel, may well be the most devastating book you read this year. It starts with a simple premise: Cora is reminded by her husband, Gordon, to register the birth of their …

May 7, 2025 · Florence Knapp’s strikingly assured debut novel, The Names, takes this idea and gives it a high-concept twist. It is October 1987 and Cora, trapped in a wretched and abusive marriage, has...

May 5, 2025 · Florence Knapp’s debut novel, “The Names,” achieves this balance, highlighting the warmth and wonder of human existence, while weaving a tale of tragedies, ordinary and …

My debut novel, The Names, was published in spring ‘25, by Phoenix Orion in the UK and Penguin in the US and Canada. It’s being translated into over twenty languages.

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. This book contains scenes depicting …