The Names

Two stars for an interesting premise, but I really didn't think this one turned out well. It's one of those books that tries to disguise itself as literary by using a unique structure and BIG HEAVY TOPICS (domestic abuse, exploring LGBTQ identity), but the execution ends up just coming off as gimmicky and heavy handed. The characters felt largely one dimensional, especially Gordon Sr., so they presented more like plot devices to prove a point rather than real people I could sympathize with. This is largely a result of the narrative structure of three separate storylines, each told in sections with seven-year gaps in between each section. New characters would come and go without me caring, and we miss out on a seeing a lot of actual character development. It may have been better if it was about less and focused on a single character, like Bear/Julian/Gordon, instead of following multiple people throughout each timeline.

Another problem with this book is I don't think it is accurately advertised. It is mainly a book about domestic abuse, the consequences of staying or leaving an abusive relationship. The names really just represent a specific decision point in that relationship. That being said, given the importance of the domestic violence theme to the story, it would have been really nice if we had heard more from Cora's perspective and gotten to know her as a person. Presenting both Cora and Gordon Sr. as such paper-thin characters makes the (absolutely awful) scenes of domestic violence feel like they were thrown in for cheap emotional impact without really earning it.

Book author: Florence Knapp