These Days

An “exquisitely lyrical” (Louise Kennedy) novel from a singular Irish writer following two sisters over the course of four nights as they reckon with their futures in war-torn 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.