Devotions

by Lucy Caldwell

208 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 30, 2026

Reviews

[Seawitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in almost all short story collections, some connect better than others. This was a new to me author who writes in a sort of directed stream of consciousness style. The stories have roots in Northern Ireland, even if some are set elsewhere.

Themes include: theater life, music performance, motherhood and reproductive decisions, the Sound of Music and a Hollywood story versus what was real, loss and grief, local cultural history.

There is a bit of a Sally Rooney feel to the writing - the narrators are not of my generation, but interestingly millennial.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lyndsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Lucy Caldwell’s since I read her short story collection Intimacies, so I have been eagerly awaiting this latest collection! These 8 short stories are not connected by plot but rather shared themes of grief, loneliness, self-reflection, and love. A common thread is artistry - from a Choose Your Own Adventure-style production of Hamlet, to a tender study of the iconic dance scene in The Sound of Music, to the poignant nostalgia of a concert violinist’s first cardboard practice instrument. There is also a haunted castle, Jesus disguised as a traffic cop, a solstice live stream, and a possible pregnancy at an impossible time. Wherever she takes you, the quiet beauty of Caldwell’s writing shines through in every story. She takes everyday moments and makes them resonate, and her stories are reflective and emotional in a way that makes you want to take careful stock of your life.

[Claire Inman]

Arc provided by Netgalley!

I’d seen that Lucy Caldwell was from Belfast, but I still didn’t expect so many of the stories in this book to feature Northern Irish characters. I grew up in N.I., so it was really lovely to see words like “banjaxed” or “baltic” written on the page. I’ve been craving a book like this, casually set in a place that is special to me. The market for Northern Irish stories (which is already very small) is oversaturated with books about the troubles. That’s not to say that those stories shouldn’t be told, it’s important to talk about N.I.’s history, but N.I. Is also so much more than that! It’s a place full of ordinary people living ordinary lives, sometimes tragic ones unrelated to sectarian violence. Devotions tells these stories. I’ll have to look into more of Lucy Caldwell’s work.

[Ciarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just reading this made me feel intellectually stimulated. A great read. Thank you Net Galley for this Arc.