"The Name of the World" is contemporary fiction with psychological elements embedded into it. It follows a man in his fifties who's been recently widowed and lost his daughter in a car accident.
The novel shows Mike's struggle with dealing with this tremendous loss and trying to find a way to move on and reconnect with the world. Although recent to him, four years pass after his loss and people close to him are trying to get him back on track. To him, the wounds are still fresh, and he can't seem to find a way to connect with other people and find meaning in his life again.
The novel shows Mike's path to retirement which comes sooner than expected and his connection and attraction to a provocative young student called Flower. Flower is one element that contributes to Mike's resolution to leave everything behind and start anew. She tells him the shocking tale of her childhood and the meaning behind her name and the reminiscence and sadness for his daughter is too much to bear for him.
The novel portrays themes of life, grief, and finding one's place in the world. The title implies the contained message of senselessness and chaos of life, with each individual trying to discover the name of the world in their own way.
