These Days
These Days by Lucy Caldwell, published by Zando on April 8, 2025, is a historical novel set against the backdrop of World War II in Belfast. This edition spans 288 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows two sisters, Emma and Audrey, over four pivotal nights as they confront their futures amid the turmoil of a city on the brink of destruction. As the war intensifies, the sisters navigate personal relationships and societal expectations, highlighting the challenges faced by women during this tumultuous period.
Readers will find a richly woven story that captures the essence of family life and coming of age during a time of crisis. Caldwell’s portrayal of the Belfast Blitz is infused with the voices of the community, offering a poignant exploration of interrupted girlhood and the quest for self-identity. These Days delves into the complexities of love, duty, and resilience, making it a significant addition to the genre of literary fiction.
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“Adroit, precise storytelling, atmospheric and satisfying; These Days is a novel of real substance.” –Hilary Mantel, Booker Prize-winning author of Wolf Hall
WINNER OF THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2023
One of Lit Hub’s and Zibby Owens’s Most Anticipated Books of 2025 * One of The Washington Post‘s 10 Noteworthy Books of April 2025 * One of NPR’s Best Books of 2025
An “exquisitely lyrical” (Louise Kennedy) WWII novel from a singular Irish writer following two sisters over the course of four nights as they reckon with their futures in crumbling Belfast.
April 1941: Belfast has escaped the worst of the Second World War–so far. Over the next two months, it will be so destroyed from above that people will say, in horror, “My God, Belfast is finished.” Many won’t make it through, and those who do will be forever changed.
Living amid the rubble are sisters Emma and Audrey. One is engaged to be married; the other is in a secret relationship with another woman. As the bombs fall, and tomorrow feels further and further away, these young women must grapple with the cultural expectations standing firm around them, and try to seize control of their destinies. After all, Emma thinks, if one is to survive, one must survive for something.
Featuring the voices of the community–from their mother to the wee girl down the road–These Days is a timeless and poignant tale of interrupted girlhood, life under duress, and the struggle to stay true to ourselves. Winner of the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, Lucy Caldwell’s portrait of the Belfast Blitz is to be cherished.
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