Florence Knapp talks to Joanne Harris

What’s in a name? And can a name change the course of your life? It can in Florence Knapp’s debut novel The Names, which spans 35 years and follows three alternate versions of protagonist Cora’s life after she visits the registrar and names her infant son. The Names looks at the ripple effects of domestic abuse, the ties of family and what it means to heal.

Knapp talks to Chocolat author Joanne Harris about the inspiration for her debut novel, the process of writing it and how she came up with three versions of Cora’s life.