The Miseducation of Evie Epworth is a brilliant comfort read. Perfect if you love: Yorkshire, the 1960s, and coming of age stories. The characters are clever and witty, much like Matson himself. There are so many fantastic references to 1960s pop culture, fashion, food, décor and more – you do not need to be a child of the 60s to enjoy this book. Reading it felt like watching gorgeous countryside comedies like The Darling Buds of May and All Creatures Great and Small. There are some laugh out loud descriptions of characters, village life and its heavily revolving rumour mill.
Evie is sixteen (and a half) and has finished her exams. She’s not sure what to do with her life, and trouble lurks in the form of Christine, a gold-digging housekeeper who has her sights set on Evie’s widowed dad and the tumbledown farm they live on. Can Evie rescue Arthur from Christine’s clutches? And what kind of modern woman shall Evie become?
This is a wonderful time-warp adventure, and the best part is that there is more Evie to come! Matson is already penning the next book, with plans to explore Evie through the 70s and 80s. This book would make a fantastic present for anyone who likes contemporary fiction and a good giggle while reading.