Trisha Tobias: What’s In a Name – The Power of Starting Fresh

Honeysuckle and Bone touches on many topics: guilt, shame, grief, secrets. But at its core, the novel is largely about identity—specifically, reinvention. Changing who you are sounds like a tall order, and in many ways, it is. It might require shifting your behavior, surrounding yourself with new people, or perhaps undergoing a full-on makeover. But sometimes, reinvention is much simpler. Sometimes, all a person really needs to start over is a new name.

Honeysuckle and Bone follows eighteen-year-old Carina, who attempts to escape her past mistakes by taking a job in Jamaica as a nanny for a wealthy political family. But no matter how far she runs, trouble follows. In her case, it arrives in the form of a duppy—a ghost or spirit—refusing to let her forget what she tried to leave behind.

Carina introduces herself to her new employers and friends by her birth name, hopeful that she can rewrite the story attached to it. But if that doesn’t work, she has a backup plan. Early on, readers learn that Carina’s new life is built on a borrowed identity—granting her a path out of a bad situation. For her, a name isn’t just a name. It’s a new character to play, an opportunity to make different and better choices.

This theme extends beyond Carina’s little white lie. Throughout Honeysuckle and Bone, names—especially nicknames—play a special role. When Carina is accepted into her new friend group, the Young Birds, she’s given a nickname based on her looks and demeanor. She doesn’t choose it, but it still provides her with the chance to step into a slightly updated version of herself. Someone good, even.

The desire to start fresh isn’t unique to Carina. It’s something we see everywhere.

Think of Beyoncé’s alter ego, Sasha Fierce, made to channel her more fun and bold side. Or Lady Gaga, a name synonymous with being iconic and innovative in the pop scene—but she was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. I don’t even know what Bruno Mars’ real name is without googling, but what I do know is that he’s currently using a name that fits his image as a charming musical showman. It just works.

In K-Pop, stage names function similarly. Fans often joke about the stark contrast between an idol’s onstage persona and their real-life self. And sometimes, that difference feels as simple as a change in name. Take Aespa’s Karina, known for her AI-like beauty and razor-sharp dance style. Offstage, though, she’s Yu Jimin. Warm, playful, a little dorky—or at least that’s what we see. Karina is for the world. Jimin is for herself.

While new names can hold incredible power when it comes to personal evolution, the good news is that they aren’t needed. We can always simply decide to become anew.

There’s power in choosing who you’ll be going forward, in letting go of the past and deciding what the future looks like instead of just allowing it to happen. In Honeysuckle and Bone, Carina slowly learns this: becoming someone new is a decision. The moment you take control of your choices, own your past, and aim for something better, you’ve already stepped onto a new path.

And no name change is required…unless you want one, of course.

Honeysuckle and Bone was published by Simon & Schuster on 14 January 2025