A really interesting story centred around the concept of how the naming of a child can lead them to live and experience a different life. It follows a family from when the mother takes her son to get his birth certificate; but each chapter is written from a different perspective, as if his name were Gordon, Julian and Bear.

I wasn’t completely sold on how much weight a name can hold, but thought it was more a reflection of how certain decisions can trigger a whole set of outcomes, just like the butterfly effect. I enjoyed the writing style of this debut novel — and would recommend — but the storyline is sad and there is a lot on domestic abuse.