The Names: A Novel

A Mother Tries to Save Her Son What a unique set-up for this choose-your-own-adventure book club read! Cora is an abused wife who must register her newborn son's name at the government office. Her husband, Gordon, demanded that she name their son after him. But who would want to name her precious boy after her controlling, monstrous husband? When Cora hesitates, her 9-year-old daughter, Maia, suggests the name Bear. Another idea Cora comes up with is Julian, which means "Sky Father"--a nod to the boy's father that she hopes will appease her husband. Three separate stories emerge and follow the family's lives with Gordon, Bear, or Julian as the son. After a glimpse of each of the three lives, the narrative jumps forward seven years and gives the reader another update, then another seven years with the three stories, and so on, leading up to 2022. Gordan the father's vivid abuse of Cora, so demeaning and demented, gave me a sense of horror that too often unfolds in real-life families. I can't remember if Maia attends therapy in her brother Gordon's story, but she does in Bear and Julian's stories, and I liked those scenes the best. In Bear's story, Maia describes moments of zoning out in class followed by heart-pounding panic: "Blood thrumming in her ears as she furiously blinks tears that appear from nowhere. "It's a fight-or-flight reaction," Peggy had said. At the next session, Maia told Peggy she didn't think it was either of those things for her, that it was more like freeze, and Peggy had said, "You're right. I should've said that. It can be fight, flight, freeze, also fawn. That's the fourth response--the one you might've had to rely on when you were living with your father." Maia knew what she meant, but somehow it was the literal image of a baby deer, quiver-legged, dapple-spotted, vulnerable, that left her sitting with a tissue disintegrating in her hands, tiny white lint balls sticking to the wool of her school skirt." I think I heard about the fawn response a while back, but I had forgotten it, and I love when I learn something new about psychology in a fiction novel. In Julian's story, 18-year-old Maia meets with a therapist who asks great questions: "Maia says, "What if I only want a relationship with a woman because I'm scared of having one with a man, in case he turns out like...him?" "Would that matter to you?" "Yes! I'd be making life choices out of fear, avoidance." The counselor pauses. "I'm trying to put myself in your shoes...What if those two things were to co-exist? That could be be both gay and understandably fearful with a romantic relationship with a man?" As a therapist, I've had similar conversations with clients and been drawn into a binary of defining a choice made out of fear as all bad. I like how Maia's therapist presents both sides of the dialectic and challenges all-or-nothing thinking. I also appreciate how this story uncovers truths about trauma. We often second-guess the decisions we made leading up to a traumatic event, thereby blaming ourselves. But Cora's choice of name for her son doesn't stop her husband's abuse in any of the three scenarios, because the abuse isn't her fault--it's her husband's. But we do have a choice to try to heal from trauma. Gordon the son demonstrates this strength in addressing his addiction and his mother's entrapment later in life. Narrator Dervia Kirwan drew me into the story, which will stay with me for some time.

The novel presents a captivating exploration of storytelling and psychological insight, centred around the intriguing premise of how the names we are given at birth can significantly impact our lives. It weaves three parallel narratives, featuring characters like Cora and her son, Bear, and Julien and Gordon. The author delves into the profound connection between names and identity, relationships, and fate. I found the concept particularly compelling, as it raises questions about how a name can influence a person's life and the lives of those around them. I often reflect on my name, Anne-Marie, and its ordinary, almost overly safe quality, yet I still believe I've found the path meant for me. An enriching detail is the index of names and their meanings included at the end of the book, highlighting the significance behind each character's choice. Bear's storyline resonated with me the most, filled with warmth and emotional depth. His journey includes a touching love story with Lily, a poignant moment with a crying child on the train, and the challenge of balancing ambition with personal relationships. Julien’s narrative, while tender and steeped in sadness, offers a sense of redemption through his struggles with self-doubt and inherited trauma, ultimately leading to emotional growth. In contrast, Gordon's experience is harrowing, depicting themes of abuse and manipulation that make his storyline more challenging to digest. Ultimately, the novel poses an essential question: do our names define us, or do we have the power to shape our own stories? It suggests that the answer may blend both, making it a thought-provoking and uniquely original

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What’s it about?

This novel spans thirty-five years, presenting three distinct scenarios in the life of one family. Cora and her 9-year-old daughter, Maia, set off one day to register the name of Cora’s newly born son. Her domineering husband Gordon wants him to be his namesake, but Cora is hesitant. The book follows this family over the decades in three separate stories, depending on which name Cora selected that day and the fallout from that choice.

What did it make me think about?

“The butterfly effect”- a concept in chaos theory, explains how a small change in an initial condition of a system can lead to dramatically different outcomes. It’s often illustrated with the metaphor of a butterfly flapping its wings in one place causing a hurricane elsewhere. This idea highlights the sensitivity of complex systems to minor variations and the difficulty of predicting long-term outcomes.

Should I read it?

I was somewhat hesitant about this one. It just sounded gimmicky. I was very wrong!

It is a very innovative novel with lots to think about. I was emotionally invested in these characters, even though they evolved into very different people depending on the circumstances (or the name…). For me, this was a page-turner because I wanted to know what would happen to the characters.

This novel is about domestic abuse- but the author handles it with such grace and provides no easy answers. We see love and pain in all three scenarios. An awe-inspiring debut!

Another novel that I will not fully appreciate until I have discussed it with lots of people. So I hope my friends pick this one up! This will make a solid book club pick in the upcoming year.

Quote-

“Because 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 formalize who he will become.”

I really enjoyed this book and found the premise fascinating — the idea that your name can help shape and define who you become as a person. The story is told through three alternate versions of the same family, which made for a unique and thought-provoking reading experience. At times, it was heartbreaking, especially in the way domestic violence was portrayed. Those moments were difficult but added depth and realism to the narrative. I also appreciated how the alternate lives allowed for exploration of different choices and outcomes, though I found myself needing to really focus to keep track of all the characters across their versions. Overall, it’s a powerful, layered story that left me reflecting on identity, fate, and the weight our names can carry.

This book has many clever connections. It also poses the question between nurturing vrs nature. I found it intriguing and I enjoyed reading The Names