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A review by jmatkinson1
Old Baggage by Lissa Evans
4.0
Matilda Simpkin used to be a Suffragette, she was imprisoned for her cause and still fights for votes for women. However in the genteel Hampstead of 1928 Mattie is a bit of a rebel without much of a cause. She lives in company with a Health Visitor, Florence Lee (The Flea), and writes a column for the local newspaper. However when Mattie decides to fight for the education of young woman then she becomes impassioned. Forming a group called 'The Amazons', Mattie believes in health and education but her counterparts are influenced by Mussolini and nationalistic pride.
I really loved the majority of this book. Mattie is a complex character with a huge backstory and I loved the descriptions of the Suffragette movement. I also liked the fact that Mattie could not read other characters well, The Flea's unrequited passion, her brother's lechery and the presumed innocence of Major Lumb. My biggest issue with this book was that after the incident in the competition between the two youth groups on the Heath the book lost its way. Too many jumps and unheralded switches in plot made the last section confusing and it lacked the verve of the majority.
I really loved the majority of this book. Mattie is a complex character with a huge backstory and I loved the descriptions of the Suffragette movement. I also liked the fact that Mattie could not read other characters well, The Flea's unrequited passion, her brother's lechery and the presumed innocence of Major Lumb. My biggest issue with this book was that after the incident in the competition between the two youth groups on the Heath the book lost its way. Too many jumps and unheralded switches in plot made the last section confusing and it lacked the verve of the majority.