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lucyatoz's review
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
These Days by Lucy Caldwell tells the story of the Belfast Blitz from the view point of two daughters of well to do doctor and his wife as they experience four nights of bombings which destroys much of their city.
Audrey is engaged to be married and Emma is in a relationship with Sylvia, a fellow First Aid volunteer, which no one knows about, and the sisters have significant turning points in these relationships as the story unfolds. They are both faced with confronting deep questions about who they are and what they want in the mist of the Second World War.
It is a powerful novel about an important period of WWII which the author has taken time to research. The only thing about this book was the annoyance with the spoken dialogue was not placed in quotation marks. Otherwise, a well written piece of storytelling which was powerful and captured the spirit of a community during a time of war.
Audrey is engaged to be married and Emma is in a relationship with Sylvia, a fellow First Aid volunteer, which no one knows about, and the sisters have significant turning points in these relationships as the story unfolds. They are both faced with confronting deep questions about who they are and what they want in the mist of the Second World War.
It is a powerful novel about an important period of WWII which the author has taken time to research. The only thing about this book was the annoyance with the spoken dialogue was not placed in quotation marks. Otherwise, a well written piece of storytelling which was powerful and captured the spirit of a community during a time of war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, War, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy
what_heather_loves's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
"Here we are, she thinks bitterly, the eighth of April 1941, the pinnacle of Western so-called civilisation, hiding in a bloody wee cupboard under the stairs while the world ends around us."
Belfast, Northern Ireland , April 1941 , which saw the 'Belfast Blitz', as a result of the city's contribution to the Allied war effort (ships, aircraft and munitions) and its poor preparation and defences. Split into three parts, The Dockside Raid, The Easter Raid and The Fire Raid, the author describes the lives of the Bell family and others they meet during this period. Father Philip is a beleaguered doctor; mother Florence (pining for a long-lost love) is a housewife; grown-up daughter's Audrey and Emma are struggling with their romances, against the backdrop of war and; younger son Paul dreams of joining the troops. Four days and nights in their lives are described with such richness and emotion 'It's hard to believe Caldwell didn't live through the Belfast Blitz" (as Tracy Chevalier's epigraph describes). Dread following the first raid, is accompanied by the violence, destruction and loss of wartime life. Whilst the narrative standpoint shifts (and the absence of inverted commas is noticeable) the style and story never loses focus. Incredibly sad, the stoicism of the women, who are the novel's focus, stand out. Gloriously engaging, this piece of historical fiction is impeccably researched whilst the characters' narratives are raw and emotional. A fitting tribute to the Belfasters who lived through this tragic period of the city's history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
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