The Names: A Read with Jenna Pick Audiobook By Florence Knapp cover art

The Names: A Read with Jenna Pick

A Novel

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime
Try for $0.00
More purchase options

The Names: A Read with Jenna Pick

By: Florence Knapp
Narrated by: Dervla Kirwan
Try for $0.00

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.80

Buy for $19.80

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND READ WITH JENNA PICK—A WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT THAT BEGS TO BE SHARED

LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL

“Dazzling.” —The Washington Post

“A magnificent novel.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse

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, respected in the community but a controlling presence at home, intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and name the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates...

Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of their lives, shaped by Cora’s last-minute 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.

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 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.

The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional power are certain to make The Names a modern classic. Family Life Literary Fiction Genre Fiction Tearjerking Heartfelt Women's Fiction
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c

Dear Listener,

What is the significance of a name?
"A name is one of the very first things we’re given in life, and growing up to exist within its mold can seem a curious thing. In many ways, our name says less about who we are, and more about our parents’ tastes, our family traditions, or is perhaps a nod to a particular aspiration, era, class, or culture. And yet it becomes inextricably bound to our sense of self. In The Names, I wanted to explore what it might be like to inherit a name from someone less deserving of that tribute. Or if tradition were bucked, to consider whether fate and chance might set that child on a very different course."– Florence Knapp, writer of The Names
Unique Premise • Beautiful Writing • Excellent Narration • Compelling Storytelling • Thought-provoking Concept

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed the novel, but the narration could have been much better. Between the narrator’s accent and her soft voice, rising and falling, it was often necessary to replay various parts or just to miss something.

Interesting concept- Three short stories in one novel with all the same characters but different outcomes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
interesting idea...how does a name shape who a person may become and how different their life may be if they have a different name

What's in a Name? Everything

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Such an incredible book. Loved the narration. Such a sad, beautiful, and creatively told story which is heartbreaking to know there are families going through this kind of trauma. Could not stop listening.

So heartbreaking / so beautiful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Authors ability to make charter come alive with genuine thoughts emotions tenderness in love and sorrow and joy

Character development

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The artist is a beautiful writer. Very intelligently written and the ending was wonderful and surprising.

The unusual premise

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews