A review by leahthebooklover
The Names by Florence Knapp

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

For me, this was a very hard book to read. Domestic violence is a difficult topic to put at the center of a story and not have it be hard. Author Florence Knapp handles it brilliantly - looking at it from multiple angles and playing out different scenarios, all to help the reader come to a fuller and more compassionate understanding of the victims of this often hidden violence (hidden until sometimes it is tragically too late). The central premise that the meaning of a person's name will have a determining force in how their life will play out was a little hard for me to accept. I personally don't believe names have that much power, but it was a creative plot device to hang the "alternate lives" storylines on. The time jumps - glimpses of the lives of our main characters occuring every seven years (1987, 1994, 2001, 2008, 2015, 2022) was (imo) a bit contrived, but also admittedly used to great effect. So while I may have minor issues with the form of this book, the content is what makes it important, perhaps even exceptional. It would make an outstanding book club selection, but it would be very triggering for anyone who has endured any kind of domestic violence, either as a spouse or a child of an abuser.
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