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A review by helen_t_reads
These Days by Lucy Caldwell
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Set in April and May, 1941, the story of These Days focuses on the Bells, a prosperous middle class family, along with a number of other individuals who are within, or fall into, their orbit as the city of Belfast is destroyed from the air by German bombers.
It follows the lives of 'flighty, impulsive, earnest' Audrey, who works in the tax office and turns 21 at the start of the novel, becoming engaged to Richard, also a doctor.
'Kind, stubborn, awkward' Emma works at a first aid post and has begun a secret relationship with Sylvia, her boss.
Their father Philip, is a GP, their Mother is Florence, and they have a 14 year old brother, Paul, who dreams of becoming a fighter pilot.
The Belfast blitz was one of the worst in the second world War, and Caldwell vividly conjures images of death, carnage and the obliteration of the city, as well as the population's sense of helplessness knowing that they have no agency or power to stop it happening. The affect on the city and its people is devastating and many think Belfast is finished forever.
Thousands are killed, injured and made homeless; the central fruit & veg market becomes a temporary mortuary; the city is being systematiclly destroyed, and the infrastructure is barely functioning.
Against this hellscape of loss and fear Caldwell portrays the interior life of individuals living through these days of aerial bombardment: their hopes and dreams, their priorities and ambitions, their thoughts feelings and emotions.
'Normal life' continues as far as possible, despite the ongoing fear and uncertainty: whether it's conjuring a meal from left-overs, going to dances, or falling in and out of love.
This outstanding, gripping story is beautifully written and Caldwell's descriptive powers are superlative. She has clearly done lots of research which is woven so seamlessly into the fabric of the novel, creating a sense of immediacy, realism and authenticity and she reveals a sharp eye for detail. You are right there in the thick of it.
This is matched by her ability to create a real depth of feeling and emotion within her characters, who are all superbly created and fully, deftly, realised.
She also has an ear for the vernacular with the powerful, descriptive, and deeply moving prose peppered with sayings reflecting the Belfast dialect, humour and indomitable attitude.
This novel explores themes of resilience, loss, duress and family, and as well as offering a powerful insight to one of the darkest times in Belfast's history.
It also conveys a reminder that we should stay true to ourselves, and that no matter how grim the present, this too will pass. 'These days' will become 'those days'. A grain of hope for the future despite the hell of the present for the Bell family and the citizens of Belfast.
A deeply moving, character-focused triumph of a novel, that leaves the reader full of hope. I loved it.
It follows the lives of 'flighty, impulsive, earnest' Audrey, who works in the tax office and turns 21 at the start of the novel, becoming engaged to Richard, also a doctor.
'Kind, stubborn, awkward' Emma works at a first aid post and has begun a secret relationship with Sylvia, her boss.
Their father Philip, is a GP, their Mother is Florence, and they have a 14 year old brother, Paul, who dreams of becoming a fighter pilot.
The Belfast blitz was one of the worst in the second world War, and Caldwell vividly conjures images of death, carnage and the obliteration of the city, as well as the population's sense of helplessness knowing that they have no agency or power to stop it happening. The affect on the city and its people is devastating and many think Belfast is finished forever.
Thousands are killed, injured and made homeless; the central fruit & veg market becomes a temporary mortuary; the city is being systematiclly destroyed, and the infrastructure is barely functioning.
Against this hellscape of loss and fear Caldwell portrays the interior life of individuals living through these days of aerial bombardment: their hopes and dreams, their priorities and ambitions, their thoughts feelings and emotions.
'Normal life' continues as far as possible, despite the ongoing fear and uncertainty: whether it's conjuring a meal from left-overs, going to dances, or falling in and out of love.
This outstanding, gripping story is beautifully written and Caldwell's descriptive powers are superlative. She has clearly done lots of research which is woven so seamlessly into the fabric of the novel, creating a sense of immediacy, realism and authenticity and she reveals a sharp eye for detail. You are right there in the thick of it.
This is matched by her ability to create a real depth of feeling and emotion within her characters, who are all superbly created and fully, deftly, realised.
She also has an ear for the vernacular with the powerful, descriptive, and deeply moving prose peppered with sayings reflecting the Belfast dialect, humour and indomitable attitude.
This novel explores themes of resilience, loss, duress and family, and as well as offering a powerful insight to one of the darkest times in Belfast's history.
It also conveys a reminder that we should stay true to ourselves, and that no matter how grim the present, this too will pass. 'These days' will become 'those days'. A grain of hope for the future despite the hell of the present for the Bell family and the citizens of Belfast.
A deeply moving, character-focused triumph of a novel, that leaves the reader full of hope. I loved it.