The Names

DEBUT When Knapp’s novel begins, readers are introduced to Cora and her nine-year-old daughter Maia, who are registering Maia’s baby brother for his birth certificate. Cora had planned to follow her domineering husband’s orders and give her son the name that all the male children in his family had, but at the last minute, she changes her mind and chooses the name her daughter wants. It turns out this decision is pivotal, and this novel imagines three different futures for Cora and her family based on three different names selected for the boy when they register his birth. Some are tragic, and some are more hopeful. The story spans over 35 years, and there are many well-written scenes full of suspense. The family members and friends are fleshed out and given their own backstories, and they all demonstrate the importance of family love and loyalty.