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Cora is due to register the name of her newborn - but what will she choose? Her daughter likes Bear, warm and cuddly; she prefers Julian, 'sky father'; her domineering husband insists it must be Gordon, like all the other men in his family.
This clever and compelling novel shows the different paths a life can take depending on the given name. Alternating chapters take us through the lives of Bear, Julian and Gordon, with the effects rippling out over the years and decades to come. Strong characterisation and assured writing allows the stories space to breathe. An excellent debut - will inevitably invite comparisons to Kate Atkinson's 'Life After Life' but good enough to stand on its own.
Hardback | RRP £16.99
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Information Book Award
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Women's Prize for Non-Fiction
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