books

March 2, 2026

The Daffodil Days by Helen Bain review

Portraying the breakdown of the couple’s marriage through the eyes of the people around them, this deeply researched and utterly convincing debut is an astonishing achievement

The Daffodil Days by Helen Bain review

TL;DR

  • The novel tells the story of a couple's marriage breakdown through the eyes of their acquaintances.
  • The couple are revealed to be Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, and the setting is their time in Devon from 1961-1962.
  • The narrative is told from multiple perspectives of village doctor, charlady, neighbors, friends, and colleagues.
  • The book is structured in reverse, beginning with their separation and ending with their initial move to Devon.
  • The author's extensive research covers not only the lives of Plath and Hughes but also various other subjects like bellringing and sound recording.

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