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Lissa Evans
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Old Baggage: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Lissa Evans (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 2,686 ratings
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#1 UK Bestseller. “A thoughtful, funny, companionable novel . . . executed with verve” from the bestselling author of Their Finest and Crooked Heart (The London Times).

1928. Riffling through a cupboard, Matilda Simpkin comes across a small wooden club—an old possession that she hasn’t seen for more than a decade. Immediately, memories come flooding back to Mattie—memories of a thrilling past, which only further serve to remind her of her chafingly uneventful present. During the Women’s Suffrage Campaign, she was a militant who was jailed five times and never missed an opportunity to return to the fray. Now in middle age, the closest she gets to the excitement of her old life is the occasional lecture on the legacy of the militant movement.

After running into an old suffragette comrade who has committed herself to the wave of Fascism, Mattie realizes there is a new cause she needs to fight for and turns her focus to a new generation of women. Thus the Amazons are formed, a group created to give girls a place to not only exercise their bodies but their minds, and ignite in young women a much-needed interest in the world around them. But when a new girl joins the group, sending Mattie’s past crashing into her present, every principle Mattie has ever stood for is threatened.

Old Baggage is a funny and bittersweet portrait of a woman who has never given up the fight and the young women who are just discovering it.

“I loved Old Baggage. Such original characters, and so timely. And it made me weep at the end.” —JoJo Moyes, #1 New York Times–bestselling author
Previous page
  1. Print length
    315 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Harper Perennial
  5. Publication date
    April 16, 2019
  6. File size
    1938 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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  1. ‘It is never too late to be who you might have been,’ said Mattie.
    Highlighted by 116 Kindle readers
  2. In a mighty industrial and scientific power, where every means was harnessed to the pursuit of progress, the brains of fully half the population were allowed to wither. It is hard to think of a more terrible accusation to level against those in power.
    Highlighted by 115 Kindle readers
  3. ‘Which is why one should try to spark a few fresh lights along the way. To be a tinderbox rather than a candle.’
    Highlighted by 87 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hard to resist. Evans impresses again…. Evans, an appealing writer with a taste for unusual historical characters and perspectives as well as sly comic surprises, draws a nicely detailed portrait of post-World War I England.” — Kirkus

“Enchanting... Readers will be captivated.” — Publishers Weekly

“Vibrant… Teems with period atmosphere and zesty satiric glee.” — Booklist

“Enchanting.” — Library Journal

“Affecting...a timely read.” — Guardian

“Mathilda ‘Mattie’ Simpkin is a clever, lovably nonconformist heroine… a vividly complex, sympathetic if flawed protagonist.” — The Sunday Times

From the Back Cover

1928. Matilda Simpkin is a woman with a thrilling past and an infuriatingly dull present. As a militant suffragette, she marched, smashed windows, heckled Winston Churchill, and was jailed five times. Now in middle age, the closest she gets to the excitement of her old life is the occasional lecture on the history of the movement, given to a lukewarm audience.

But after being shocked to discover that an old comrade has embraced Fascism, Mattie realizes that there is a new cause and a fresh generation to fight for. Thus, the Amazons are formed, a club that gives girls a place to exercise their bodies and minds, igniting a much-needed interest in the world around them. It’s a wild success until a new recruit sends Mattie’s past crashing into her present, and every principle she has ever stood for is threatened.

Old Baggage is a funny and bittersweet portrait of a woman who has never given up the fight and the young women who are just discovering it.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DNBVD81
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial (April 16, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 16, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1938 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 315 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 2,686 ratings

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Lissa Evans

Lissa Evans

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
2,686 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Munro
5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual and marvelous story
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019
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This terrific book is centered on a couple of largely unexplored historical themes. First, it's the story of the lives of former radical suffragettes during the 1920s and early '30s, when the women's suffrage movement was in the process of passing into history, as exemplified by the protagonist, the formidable Mattie Simpkin. Secondly, "Old Baggage" relates the rise of new, progressive youth movements such as Mattie's (all-female) Amazons, and their inevitable clashes with ascendant right-wing youth organizations.

Mattie and her compatriots, protégées and enemies are marvelously drawn characters and author Lissa Evans is a gifted writer. My only regrets are that the story wasn't longer and that we didn't get to see even more of Mattie's young Amazons in training. An anarchic band of 1920s schoolgirls roaring around on Hampstead Heath, practicing jujitsu, hurling javelins and holding spirited philosophical and political debates - who wouldn't want to spend more time with them!
16 people found this helpful
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Kkay
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2022
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I really liked the characters and I learned a lot about the suffragettes in England. This is an easy, enjoyable book but also contains some deeper themes.
5 people found this helpful
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Anita M Sanchez
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, memorable characters
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2023
Fascinating history of the militant suffragettes, and characters that are vibrantly alive. Mattie Simpkin is one of my all-time favorites ever. Don't miss this warm, funny, and tragic book.
4 people found this helpful
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RWH of Haddonfield area....
4.0 out of 5 stars Must read after Crooked Hearts by Lisa Evans!
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019
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This novel is a prequel of sorts to the WW2 during the blitz novel, Crooked Hearts.
It explores the “ middle age”, post suffragette experiences of important catalyst in Hearts book, Mattie Simpson. Also how main character, 10 year old Noel in same novel came to be.
A warm and amusing at times fictional story of a person who was at the heart of the votes for woman movement in early 20 th century.
Largely forgotten now and even 10 years on after the woman in Britain got the vote it Mattie is inspirational!
6 people found this helpful
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dolgag
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and admirable use of language
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2020
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Charming in the manner of older female English authors with clever appreciation and depictions of foibles and personality
5 people found this helpful
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kathleen g
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
This is a lovely novel about what comes after you've won and more importantly, about female friendship. It's 1928. Mattie fought and suffered for suffrage and now that women have the vote, she's at middle age and loose ends. She's not interested in fascism like some of her old colleagues. Her friend Flo (aka the Flea) is not- she's busy working at the grass roots level to help women. A chance, and unhappy interaction brings Mattie around to create the Amazons, a group which is meant to empower the younger generation. I absolutely loved Crooked Heart, where Mattie is the beloved and deceased godmother of young Noel so it was a real treat to read this sort of prequel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Highly recommend for those looking for a good read about strong women.
5 people found this helpful
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Ellen
5.0 out of 5 stars I read this book on International Women's Day
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2020
And a fitting day it was, too. I loved this story and it was brilliantly executed. My only complaint was that I would like to have learned what happened to some of the characters, but it's always a good thing when an author leaves you wanting more.

I've visited the museum in Virginia where they depict American suffragettes' struggle (including force feeding), but I didn't realize the movement was so violent. The story made me remember a trailer for a movie - Suffragette - that was out a few years ago. Since it's available on Netflix, I plan to watch it as soon as possible. Even the trailer shows some of the stories that are told in this book.

The two lead characters - Mattie and Flea - are enormously appealing to me and I was so moved by their stories. This is a great book that tells a story (mostly in flashbacks) about how women truly FOUGHT to gain the right to vote.
One person found this helpful
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The Villages
2.0 out of 5 stars difficult book to read
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2021
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Because of the language I found this book to be a difficult read. The writer was a bit disjointed in her style also making it difficult to read. I enjoyed it a bit more enjoyable on a second read, but I would not recommend.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Elena V.
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book
Reviewed in Italy on February 20, 2020
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I really loved this book. Full of unforgettable characters, witty, sad but in a lovely way and full of hope. I recommend it to everyone
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Clarky
5.0 out of 5 stars You had me at Old Baggage!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2018
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The clever title is the clue. This is an entertaining and witty book, with sharply drawn characters. Mattie, a force of nature and a former militant suffragette, finds herself in middle age lacking excitement and a purpose in life. It is her well intentioned but often clumsy efforts to improve the lot of young women in her area that drive the plot. Mattie’s more practical and sensitive friend and companion, known as The Flea, gives the story its big heart. They’re great foils for each other and wonderful creations, and their relationship is truly touching. Of course there are adventures and mishaps along the way and, as in all good stories, a hidden tragedy. Haven’t yet read Lissa Evans’ first novel, The Crooked Heart, but I most certainly will. I look forward to more titles from her. She has a way of touching on big issues without being pompous or heavy-handed - and she’s funny!
7 people found this helpful
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pat horrocks
4.0 out of 5 stars as advertized
Reviewed in Canada on June 18, 2020
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good
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Minijax
4.0 out of 5 stars A suffragist's life after
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2020
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Having read ‘Crooked Heart’, I had come across Mattie before, as an elderly woman, but ‘Old Baggage’ - a good choice of title - takes place a decade or so before. In 1928, when we meet her, she is a very stroppy middle aged woman, living with a companion, Flea, a woman of great tact, who is a good foil for Mattie. At the beginning of the book, Mattie has thrown a bottle at a thief who stole her handbag, but missed and bruised a teenage girl, Ida, who becomes an important character in the novel. We get an idea that Mattie is rather arrogant in the way she behaves towards the injured girl. She is, in fact, a flawed, but interesting character, whose path is smoothed by the Flea, who is also a really good, but nicer, kinder character.

Mattie, who was a campaigner for votes for women - working with the WSPU - was, by 1928, missing the excitement of that period of her life. A chance encounter with another ex-suffragist gives her the idea for an organisation for young girls to involve themselves in healthy and energetic occupations and this becomes a rival to a nationalist organisation, where the young people have uniforms, drills and seem to be following fascist traditions in other countries.

I got really interested when Mattie and the Flea set up the group for several interested girls, which grows in number over a short period, and I was hoping for their success. The girls were introduced at the right pace, and it was easy to get to know them, even though they did not necessarily become important characters as the story progressed.

They choose a name - The Amazons - and all seems to be going well, but then Mattie is diverted by one reluctant recruit and loses track of the benefits to the other girls. It seems out of character, and you have to suspend disbelief, but without the events that follow on from this, the book would have had to take a different turn. It is debatable how much the author can and should allow their characters to deviate from what they would be likely to do in reality, as a plot device.

I think there was a slight loss of pace in the middle, around the time when Mattie met up with her old contemporaries, but recovered after that, and I followed it avidly.

My impression was that this prequel was written after ‘Crooked Heart’ and there is always a problem when a writer has to end a book making it fit the future that has already been mapped out. The author is obviously restricted in a way that would not happen if the second book is a sequel and evolves from the first.

I was involved with the main characters and empathised with them, and despite the above reservations, I enjoyed the book very much.
6 people found this helpful
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Snapdragon
4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific on many counts
Reviewed in Australia on August 17, 2019
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It is 1928 and Mattie Simpkin is treading water post her suffragette days. She’s one of those indomitable British no-nonsense women with incredible energy. Unsentimental, straight forward and incredibly bright. She has a literary quote for every situation. She shares her house with the Flea, a fellow suffragette and health worker. Spurred by jibes from an old friend in the movement who is now turning to Fascism, Mattie starts the Amazons, a democratic club for girls to nourish their knowledge and ambitions while healthfully chucking javelins and running around Hampstead Heath. One of the recruits is the listless Inez, daughter of an old suffragette friend who committed suicide and secretly, of Mattie’s beloved brother Angus, dead of war wounds. In trying to inject some life and spirit into Inez, Mattie gets hoisted onto her own petard with disastrous results all round. Not one to back away from responsibility, she apologises to all concerned. Then we cut to 1933 to see how things panned out.

It’s a great story, and a painless way to learn more about the suffragette movement. Lissa Evans has certainly done her homework. As well as some great moral lessons we get an authentic feel for the period including various efforts to help the poor, and medical insights (including post partum psychosis). It has the feel of a gentle, realistic book - no big romances or violence - and is at times quite funny, but in the #MeToo era, a very useful primer. Those women fought hard and endured much for the right to be considered first class citizens and it’s an ongoing struggle. Lissa Evans trained first as a doctor and ended up working in TV. She’s also a good writer.
2 people found this helpful
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