This rreview is written with thanks to the publisher for my copy of All About Evie.

Blurb:

1972. Ten years on from the events of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth and Evie is settled in London working for the BBC. She has everything she’s ever dreamed of (a career, a leatherette briefcase, an Ossie Clark poncho) but, following an unfortunate incident involving Princess Anne and a Hornsea Pottery mug, she finds herself having to rethink her life and piece together work, love, grief and multiple pairs of cork-soled platform sandals.

Ghosts from the past and the spirit of the future collide in a joyous adventure that sees Evie navigate the choppy waters of her messy twenties. Can a 1960s miseducation prepare her for the growing pains of the 1970s?

Big-hearted, uplifting, bittersweet and tender, All About Evie is a novel fizzing with wit and alive to the power of friendship in all its forms.

Review:

I loved The Miseducation Of Evie Epworth so I was delighted to be back with Evie and her friends for All About Evie. They once again provide us with several moments of humour and there were a few situations that made me laugh out loud. Whilst some of the characters were familiar, it was also wonderful to meet new people such as Evie’s work colleagues and Lolo and Geneviève, who all brought a different dynamic to the story. It was also brilliant to be able to put a “face” to Digby’s name. 

We join Evie ten years after the ending of The Miseducation Of Evie Epworth in 1972, and once more, Matson Taylor has captured the atmosphere and essence of the the time with references to culture (David Bowie features heavily), politics and society of the time. This felt really authentic and made it really easy to lose myself in the novel. 

Although there are plenty of lighthearted moments, All About Evie does touch on some more serious issues. I was particularly interested in the portrayal of sexuality as the novel is set at a time when homosexuality was only made legal relatively recently. I felt that this was handled well with gentle humour and sensitivity. There are also themes of grief and the idea of “finding yourself” is prominent, both of which are explored in a touching way.

I’d definitely love to catch up with these characters again!

All About Evie is available from Amazon.