An interesting exploration of a well-known period of history from the perspective of a female cast of characters. I enjoyed how Caldwell really portrayed the volatility of the time, how people’s daily lives continued but then could be turned on their head in an instant. Caldwell gave an emotional portrayal of the challenges faced by the characters, and the devastating impact of uncertainty and loss.

I did feel that overall I lacked a bit of the emotional connection to the characters that I would have liked. However, this was still an enjoyable read with some really lovely writing. I would definitely be interested to read more from Caldwell.

I was looking forward to reading the advanced reader’s copy of “These Days” given to me by NetGalley because I have never before read or heard anything about Ireland’s destruction by German air raids during WWII — only that of England’s. However, I was sorely disappointed, as I found the book to be painfully slow, meandering, unfocused, and disjointed.

The characters were flat, one-dimensional, and uninteresting. The story revolves around a nuclear family of five; the person who comes closest to having some interest is the mother, but this isn’t revealed until almost the end of the book where we learn that her first love apparently died and her husband isn’t the person for whom she longs. Her younger daughter, Emma, very briefly engages in an affair with another woman, but this is cut so short as to be almost a laughable nod to the author dipping her toes into LGBTQ waters.

Emma’s older sister Audrey becomes engaged and seems quite happy to be so — wanting to push her prudish fiancee to do more than simply kiss and happily shopping for her wedding dress material. But, within days of the wedding, she tells her intended that she doesn’t love him — and although there is no mention anywhere in the book about any relationship between the sisters, this fact is first brought to the fore not by Audrey but by Emma. Also, seemingly out of nowhere, Audrey’s office “friend” with whom she’s never exchanged confidences suddenly tells her that shes not only in love with a married man but that shes pregnant with his child.

The most confounding aspect of the book is the introduction of a second family on a train, a little girl Maisie and her mom, along with other passengers traveling from Dublin to their homes, carrying concealed contraband from sweets to cloth to shoes to shaving kits. None of this is explained. It is entirely unclear why all of these are readily available in Dublin but cannot be taken out of Dublin and are subject to confiscation by customs agents. Further, there is no further mention of Maisie or her mother until close to the end of the book when Audrey and Maisie are thrown together briefly, but sweetly, and only to show Audrey she has no inclination towards motherhood. All in all, the book is a jumbled mess and, unfortunately, not worth reading when there are so many good books available.

Absolutely loved this story of Belfast. I wasn't aware of how the blitz affected them. I found the characters riveting.. The scenes here are riveting and I couldn't put this novel down. A vivd and powerful read of the horrors the residents of Belfast suffered during the Blitz that really hasn't been made known. The powerful sister relationship was compelling.

I just finished a good book. These Days by Lucy Caldwell is available now and is one you should put on your list.

LOVED this book! This book had me glued to the page, and I kept thinking about it all day to pick up!

Lucy Caldwell’s These Days is a poignant and meticulously crafted novel that immerses readers in the harrowing days of the Belfast Blitz during World War II. Through the intimate lens of the Bell family—particularly sisters Emma and Audrey—Caldwell explores themes of love, identity, and resilience amidst the chaos of war.

Set in April 1941, the narrative unfolds over four devastating nights of German bombing raids that left Belfast reeling.Emma, the younger sister, volunteers as a first aider and navigates a clandestine relationship with her fellow volunteer, Sylvia. Her journey of self-discovery is both tender and fraught, highlighting the societal constraints of the era. Audrey, engaged to a doctor, grapples with doubts about her impending marriage, questioning the path laid out before her. Their mother, Florence, adds depth to the family dynamic, haunted by memories of a lost love from the Battle of the Somme.

Caldwell’s prose is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the terror of air raids and the quiet moments of introspection with equal finesse. Her attention to historical detail—drawn from extensive research including survivor accounts and archival materials—grounds the narrative in authenticity without overwhelming it.

In These Days, Caldwell not only memorializes a pivotal moment in Belfast’s history but also delves into the universal human experiences of love, loss, and the search for meaning amidst destruction. It is a novel that resonates deeply, offering a window into the past that feels both immediate and timeless

First book by this author. Belfast, 1941 is the setting for Lucy Caldwell’s latest novel These Days. In this novel, we follow sisters Emma and Audrey Bell, both very different in temperament and desires, ‘as they try to survive the horrors of the four nights of bombing which were the Belfast Blitz.’ Emma is volunteering at a local First Aid post, something which her mother greatly disapproves of. However, for Emma, this ‘has been the first thing in her life that has made sense’, and it gives her a great sense of purpose during an overwhelming time. Early in the novel, Audrey, who works at the tax office, turns 21. She is engaged to be married. During the narrative, younger sister Emma, just 20, begins a relationship with Sylvia, who works with her at the tax office. These relationships, which ebb and flow, are well considered by Caldwell. We are given an insight, too, into the wider Bell family, from their mother to their younger brother, Paul. Caldwell displays such an interesting, multilayered family dynamic in These Days. This is partially a love story, a story of a love hidden from the world. How, perhaps, the war gave them more courage to live their lives without sharing their secrets. I like the characters and the setting. Well researched and developed book, another perspective on the war. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author.

THESE DAYS was so captivating. It had me from the word go. It was charming and heartbreaking. I never really think about Ireland during WW2 and this was a great jumping off point for that topic

These Days by Lucy Caldwell is a quietly powerful novel that captures the heartbreak and resilience of life during wartime. Her writing is elegant and intimate, pulling you into the lives of two sisters trying to hold on to love and hope amid the chaos of the Belfast Blitz. Every detail feels so vivid and human—it’s the kind of historical fiction that feels immediate and personal. A beautifully crafted, deeply affecting read that lingers long after you finish.

This novel follows a mother and her two daughters living in Belfast during the blitz of the city in WWIl. Each faces a personal reckoning as the bombs begin to drop, and as the nights continue to be a source of terror and uncertainty, each woman has to figure out what this life can be for them.

What an emotional, tender, romantic, yet utterly devastating novel. Caldwell writes with emotion at the forefront, and each character came across so deeply on the page. There were some perspective shifts I found odd (beginning the book with one character only to leave her for a while after the first chapter), but I soon came to love getting inside the minds of each of these women. Love and grief fill these pages and paint a vibrant portrait of family life during such a harrowing, uncertain time. I couldn't put the book down towards the end, which shows the strength of Caldwell's writing. It's hard to craft a character-driven novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat! I found the ending really poetic and lovely, too.
I'm now very excited to go and read more of Caldwell's backlist.

I've had her novel Intimacies on my tor for a while, so I guess it's time to go find a copy!

‘These Days’ takes place in Belfast duing the 1941 bombings and follows sisters Audrey and Emma Bell, as bombs ravage the city, their lives become unstable, and they confront personal and societal issues. It is well-written and layered, and explores not only human resilience, fear, loss, and bravery, but love and identity.The two primary characters are well-developed and the settings vividly described by a writer who has the ability to draw readers in by her beautiful prose. Thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book.

This was a great book -- I enjoyed learning more about Belfast and how Ireland was impacted by the war. The stories of the family were brilliant. Some have compared to Sally Rooney but it was a bit more Claire Keegan-esque. Overall a very interesting book.

These Days is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel set during the Belfast Blitz of 1941, capturing the lives of two sisters, Emma and Audrey, as their world is torn apart by war. Amid the destruction, each sister must confront societal expectations and their own desires—one facing an impending marriage, the other a secret love. With vivid storytelling and deep emotional resonance, Lucy Caldwell’s novel offers a timeless reflection on survival, identity, and the choices that define us in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Emma and Audrey are two young adult sisters in Belfast, discovering themselves during the WWII air raids. Emma’s romantic involvement with Sylvia intensifies. Emboldened, she openly embraces her sexuality and moves from volunteering with first aid to training to be a nurse. Audrey can’t picture spending her life with Richard, her fiancé. She wishes to work, dreads living with her in-laws, and doesn’t want to be a mother. In the midst of the Belfast Blitz, both women sort through a maelstrom of questions about their role in society, the boundaries in their romantic relationships, and their desire to find gainful employment.

These Days was not for me because, in general, I struggle with historical fiction. I keep trying to find books in this genre, though, because I want to (1) train this aversion out of me and (2) read widely so that I grow as a person. The story solidly falls into the type of historical fic. that is difficult for me to stay intrigued. I found myself flipping through the pages quickly to move on. Furthermore, the story was too romantic, hitting what I felt like were less-than-interesting tropes. Perhaps the clearest one is Audrey’s engagement to Rich. Caldwell evidently sets up the dynamic for readers such that, quite early on, we plead for Audrey to end the engagement. They finally end the romantic relationship at the end of the book, whereby Rich contends Audrey suffers from a nervous breakdown and undermines her agency. Audrey stands up for herself, saying, “It’s not you.” I finished These Days because I received an ARC from Zando/SJP Lit via NetGalley—thank you.

I also shared this review on GoodReads on April 29, 2025 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7528194394).

Shamefully, before reading Lucy Caldwell’s These Days, I had never heard of the Belfast Blitz. I was stunned to learn of the extent of the horrific devastation and lives lost. Caldwell’s graphic portrayals of the destruction are unflinching and immerse the reader in the raw horror without feeling gratuitous. History is in the forefront rather than the characters

The novel moves with a slower, more contemplative rhythm while considering the day-to-day life during WWII. I appreciated how Caldwell focused closely on the women, especially Emma and Audrey. She highlights the sharp contrast between the strikingly intimate circumstances of home life and the catastrophic destruction outside, with the young women's overwhelming emotions and directions for the future.

These Days displays the endurance of ordinary people in extraordinary times. I would highly recommend it to readers who appreciate literary historical fiction with a strong sense of place and atmosphere, particularly those interested in Ireland during WWII.
#NetGalley

I missed the pub date for this, but happy pub date to These Days! It's tough to say that I had "fun" reading this, but I was immensely engrossed in this book. I couldn't put it down! I love a good sister-sister dynamic especially against the background of a raging war.

These Days takes place in Ireland during the WW2 Belfast Blitz, The story focuses on Fiona and Phillip and their three adult children; Paul, Audrey and Emma. The sections that focused on the three major attacks seemed well researched and shed light on a part of the war many, including myself knew little about. My problem was with the rest of the book. The stories about the family didn't hold my interest. The message seemed to be that despite devastating attacks, life goes on. Much of the book focused on the love relationships of Audrey and Emma, that felt flat and unimportant as the bombs fell, destroying the city and it's people. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC of These Days in exchange for my honest review.

This centers around a family living in Belfast, trying to survive Germany's Blitz on their small city.
It was pretty boring. I came close to abandoning it.
Thanks to #netgalley and #zando #sjplit for this #arc of #thesedays in exchange for an honest review.

Quick and Dirty
-WWII-era historical fiction
-reads like stream-of-consciousness literary fiction
-sister story
-set in Belfast

Wow. I was not expecting this quiet stunner! When I read WWII fiction, I usually read books that feature resistance fighting, Holocaust stories, or home front war efforts. So when I started this WWII family drama, I wasn’t sure what to think. Sure, it focuses on the everyday hardships faced by the people of Belfast, which was bombed relentlessly. It also features home front war efforts, like the first response. But it’s SO much more than that. This book tells the story of an upper-middle-class Belfast family trying to navigate life amidst falling bombs and life-changing events inspired by the war. Told from the perspective of most of the family (and a few side characters), it’s a rich tapestry of humanity with devastatingly real emotions. Imagine coming of age amidst nightly bombing, sorting out what you’re going to do for the rest of your life, or falling for your first love. It’s so human that it takes your breath away at times. I will say it’s slow compared to other action-oriented WWII stories, so don’t go in expecting fast-paced drama. This one is told in the little moments; it’s introspective and emotive. It’s another example of why Irish fiction may be the best fiction.

These Girls was an absolute delight of a book to read-mystery, romance, war, family - it had it all! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read!