This novel had huge coverage ahead of and around the date of its release so I was eager to read it. But after all the excitement at publication, I haven't heard much more, so I wonder what readers have made of it. 

It's high concept fiction and, as such, a marketer's dream! It asks: how much does the name we bear influence our fate.

It is 1987 and Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband wants them to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the baby after him but, when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. 

The book then follows three different routes. 

In the first instance, Cora chooses Bear, the name suggested by her daughter. In the second scenario she calls him Julian, which is the name she favours because she thinks it will enable him to become his own person. But in the third option, Cora does as her husband has asked and calls the boy Gordon.

The story progresses in seven year gaps and presents the characters and the family behaving and developing differently according to the name the boy has been assigned.

It's such a clever idea. But I felt I wanted more. The construction of the book intruded on the development of the main concept, for me. I also didn't like any of the names for the baby! And I had to keep reminding myself that the book was set in Britain - it seemed very American to me. There were moments of brilliance though - particularly the presentation of domestic abuse and coercive control. I do encourage you to read it because it's such an interesting idea and would make a great discussion!