The Names

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.

Julia Armfield ~ Private Rites ~ 5/10.

This was the Booksmiths book club read for January. It’s almost a dystopian type novel, set somewhere in the future in an unspecified country. Every day there is relentless rain so that buildings are flooded, people dying constantly on the news snippets. You are never told why, but presumably the effect of climate change. It follows three sisters, whose mother left them from a young age, and then whose father raised them, someone who they are all terrified and in awe of in equal measure. Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the story and found it all quite weird. However, I was away for the book club meeting, and would have liked to discuss it as there were a lot of interesting things to delve into.

Elizabeth Day ~ One of Us ~ 7/10.

One of Us is a novel based around the Fitzmaurices, a wealthy family, whose seemingly perfect life comes unravelling throughout the book. The father is the Tory energy secretary, bidding to become the next PM, yet his daughter opposes everything he does and joins an environmental activist group. As the plot unfolds it becomes a thriller-esque whodunnit, whilst keeping the satirical message on family dynamics, politics and abuse of power. It’s a funny and easy read, and one that I’m sure will sell well for summer holidays when it comes out in paperback.