Whats in a Name

Everyone settled in at Frederick Street around 7.00 on 8 July 2026, acclaiming the very welcome surprise attendance of Megan making it (as suggested by Cherrie), a truly unforgettable book club meeting -  but we missed Cherilyn and all hoped for the best for her and family.  Quickly settling in to our first book, Megan's choice The Names (suggested to her by the Great Book Buyer of Norwood), here is Kathy and Megan's erudite take on the book by Florence Knapp.  

"Overview 

The Names is an ambitious and emotionally powerful debut novel by Florence Knapp that explores how a single decision can shape the course of a life.  The story begins in England in 1987 when Cora Atkin, trapped in an abusive marriage, must decide what to name her newborn son.  Her husband insists on the traditional family name, Gordon, while Cora prefers Julian and her daughter Maia suggests Bear.  From this seemingly simple choice, the novel unfolds into three alternative timelines, each following the boy's life over the next 35 years.  

Summary

The novel alternates between three parallel narratives based on the name Cora chooses for her son; Gordon, Julian or Bear.  Each version of the boy grows into a different person, influenced by family dynamics, opportunities, trauma, and the expectations attached to his name.  While the lives diverge significantly, common threads remain, particularly the effects of domestic abuse and the struggle to break generational cycles of violence and control.  Through these intertwined stories, Knapp examines identity, destiny, resilience and the lasting consequences of both courage and fear.

Major Themes

1.  The Power of Names and Identity.  The Novel asks whether a name can influence who we become.  Knapp suggests that names carry expectations, associations, and assumptions that may subtly shape our lives.  However, the book ultimately raises a deeper question: are we defined by our names, or by the choices we make?

2. Domestic Abuse and its ripple effects.  At its heart, The Names is a compassionate exploration of domestic abuse.  The story examines how violence and control affect not only the immediate victim but also children, future relatonships, and entire family systems.  The novel handles this difficult subject with sensitivity and emotional depth. 

3. Choice, Fate, and Alternative Possibilities.  The parallel narratives invite the readers to consider how small decisions can lead to vastly different outcomes.  Rather than presenting fate as fixed, Knapp explores how chance, courage, timing and circumstance interact throughout our lives.

4. Breaking Generational cycles.  Many characters struggle with inherited patterns of behaviour.  The novel asks whether people can escape the influences of their upbringing and create a different future for themselves and their children. 

Discussion.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is its innovative strucutre.  While some readers found the shifting timelines challenging at first, many felt that the three narratives created a richer understanding of the characters and themes.  The recurring characters and events across the timelines highlight both the similarities and differences in each life path.  Cora emerges as the emotional centre of the novel.  Her struggle to protect her children while navigating an abuse marriage is deeply moving and often heartbreaking.  Readers may find themselves asking what they would have done in her position and whether any choice could truly guarantee a better outcome.

Personal response

The Names is a thoughtful and emotionally engaging novel.  The concept of three lives unfolding from a single decision is cleverly executed as well as the portrayal of family relationships and the courage required to challenge cycles of abuse.  The novel balances heartbreak with hope and reminds us that while our circumstances shape us, they do not entirely define us."

There was a lot of chat about this book.  Some found the structure difficult and chose to read the book sequentially in character sections (Bear: Julian: Gordon) to follow their individual stories.  Others thought the structure was skilful and made for an interesting read.  Some readers put it aside after the first difficult section (1987: Bear) but were not sorry they came back to it after taking a mighty big breath.  We were all glad we didn't read much about Gordon (undoubtedly a deliberate choice by the author) and thought its focus on Cora, daughter Maia and son accurately presented the effects of victimisation across all three stories, even though each had a very different ending.  Everyone thought it was a great choice, offering real insight into the nature and effects of domestic violence, coercion and control. Was there a favoured story and/or ending?  Our discussion didn't get there, but it sparked conversations about old fashioned names sitting on the couch (eg Barbara; Catharine - aka Cherrie; Margaret), name dislikes (Megan put your hand up), and possible name confusions (Julie/Sue or Sue/Julie).   So to put the blunt question challenged by the book - would a different name have changed your life?  And the answer is - its the socially constructed circumstances and life choices made, not the name because (despite the premise on which the book seemingly but perhaps precariously rests) the name is immaterial. (Ed note: OK I'll take this thought a bit further - Gordon continued his violence, coercion and control in both Julian and Gordon's story, but not Bear's story only because he was no longer present).  

Maybe Marcellus

Moving on, Marcellus was the next name we discussed.  Was he the namesake in Kathy's book selection 'Remarkably Bright Creatures'?  Or does the RBC title belong to the lovely Tova?  

Here is Kathy's summary of her book selected because it was a 'feel good' read during darkening times.

"Shelby Van Pelt is an American fiction writer who achieved global literary success with her debut novel.  Van Pelt was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington.  Her upbringing in the scenic Pacific Northwest directly inspired the fictional, moody coastal setting of Sowell Bay featured in her novel.  She moved to Southern California for univeresity, attending Claremont KcKenna College and graduated cum laude (ed note: in the top tier of the class) in 2002 with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.  She spent nearly a decade working as a financial consultant on litigation but a cross-country move to Atlanta took her away from her career and that's when she decided to explore creative writing.  The character Marcellus the octopus was born out of a prompt  during a creative writing workshop at Emory University.  The instructor challenged the class to write a scene from an unusual, non-human point of view.

Van Pelt started brainstorming her concept for the book in 2013 and wrote the core of the manuscript during the COVID-19 lockdowns.  The book was published in the spring of 2022 and became an instant New York Times bestseller.  It went on to sell over 4 million copies worldwide.  The massive success of the book culminated in a Netflix feature film adaptation directed by Olivia Newman, starring two-time Academy Award winner Sally Field as Tova.  I watched the movie before reading the book and I would characterise both as an 'easy' watch and read.  Remarkably Bright Creatures is a character-driven novel set in the fictional coastal town of Sowell Bay, Washington.  The story explores long-term grief, the importance of human connection, and the unpredictable ways that lives can intersect.  

The narrative alternates between three primary perspectives: 

Tova Sullivan: a 70 year old widow still coping with the mysterious disappearance of her 18 year old son, Erik, who vanished on a boat over thirty years prior.  To keep busy and stave off loneliness, Tova works the nightshift as a cleaner at the local Sowell Bay Aquarium.

Marcellus: An incredibly intelligent, captive Gian Pacific Octopus living in a tank at the aquarium.  He is witty, cynical, and highly observant of his human captors, but deeply empathetic to Tova.

Cameron Cassmore: a struggling, aimless 30 year old from California who is searching for his father while avoiding responsibility.  His journey ultimately leads him to Sowell Bay, where he takes a job at the aquarium and becomes entwined with Tova.

There are several themes and plot dynamics at play in the book:

1.  Grief and Connection: both Tova and Cameron carry heavy emotional baggage and isolation.  Tova attempts to insulate herself from the pain of losing her son and husband by staying busy and keeping to herself.  Similarly, Cameron suffers from feelings of abandonment after his mother left him as a child.

2. The Interspecies Bond: A standout feature of the novel is the unique friendship formed between Tova and Marcellus.  While humans find Marcellus a fascinating subject, it is Tova who treats him with genuine respect and companionship.  Because the author uses a captive octopus as a primary narrator, the author infuses an element of realism into the tale.

3.  The Central Mystery: Though Cameron's arrival and the mystery of Erik's disappearance unfold at a steady, somewhat predictable pace for the human characters, Marcellus perceptiveness quickly uncovers the truth of what really happened on the water thirty years ago.  Using his intellect and ability to escape his tank, the brilliant cephalopod sets a chain of events in motion.  He cleverly orchestrates circumstances so that Tova and Cameron will discover each other's identifies - revealing that Cameron is, in fact, Tova's grandson.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is primary a feel-good, cozy novel.  The author has given the narrator of the story a somewhat tired, yet dry, wise and tender personality.  She has crafted a gentle story that works well for anyone who values animal-human friendships and happy endings." 

Marcellus spread over the floor

Readers who read the book and saw the film seemed to agree that the film trumped the book, although there was general acclaim that the book was an interesting take on relationships - between humans and between humans and animals.  

One reader had to have the ending spelt out because certain animals ate the book before it was finished - revealing a human/animal relationship that sometimes fractures and always ends with the animals winning. 

It became time for Green's cake to come out with tea for 4, over which we revisited more elements to The Names and Ratty McRatface stories in houses, sheds, cars and elsewhere.

Time to move on as we reaffirmed the next meeting date for Wednesday 9 September 2026 at McLassie's place when we all hoped for a full house, with the exception of  '2 caps' who will be swimming up north with Marcellus.  Margy P's selection is 'The Correspondent' by Virginia Evans, and McLassie's choice is to come when the heater is ratcheted down a few notches at Fairford Street.