by Matson Taylor
Published by Scribner ~ an imprint of Simon & Schuster Cover design & illustration by David Wardle
Let's flip an age-old cliché: Loving the cover art & design of a book doesn't mean you're judging the book! Both colour versions of this paperback will catch your eye but the story itself will catch your heart. Get ready to be transported to the summer of 1962 & rural East Yorkshire.
You know you're reading a great story when you immediately care about the characters, even the ones that are a bit annoying! Evie's future step-mum, a fan of bright, tacky, feather-trimmed, *ham pink* clothes has plans to change everything.
Sell the farm, demolish the old farmhouse & occupy the best, biggest house on the newly developed land. She's also keen to get smart, quirky Evie out into the world (or out of the way) to earn her own money with a 'career' instead of continuing her education & delivering milk for her Dad.
Village life is sleepy, quiet & often uneventful, far-removed from city life & punctuated only with an occasional fête & traditional countryside pursuits. And Cake!
Evie's independence & confidence have been key her whole life, growing up without her mum's guidance.
Opera-loving Mrs Scott-Pym, a friend of her late mother, can share memories with Evie but that can't replace a mum. When Mrs. S-P is injured in a fall, her daughter Caroline comes home from London. She seems sophisticated & glamorous to Evie & opens her mind to an exciting, brighter world. Evie's Adam Faith heartthrob-centred, stylish late '50s have evaporated & gradually morphed into the groovy early '60s.
Caroline's reel-to-reel recorder fascinates Evie & is a step beyond the technology of her beloved record player. It will feature in their future.
Evie's determination to block her wicked future step-mother's plans take some unexpected turns, with help from unlikely sources.
Parallel to Evie's leading voice & joie de vivre we're also treated to *interludes* throughout the text & we experience '40s flashbacks.
These cleverly round out our knowledge of Evie's parents & wonderful neighbour, Mrs Scott-Pym. They're an historic time-shift portal, in print.
So many extra elements are captured in this book - besides the characters & their drama. Matson Taylor's geek-level research means we can enjoy delicious, truly accurate details from the time (like 16 ½ year-old Evie's pastel blue, portable Dansette turntable). The epic tacky level of pink, fluffy garments can also be felt in Taylor's clever & stylish writing! This attention to detail fascinates me & boosts the level of enjoyment even higher.
Things aren't always what they seem - even in 1962 rural East Yorkshire.