The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Published by Atria Books on June 13, 2017
Pages: 388
Genres: Women's Fiction, LGBTIQA+, FF
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Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Written with Reid's signature talent for creating "complex, likable characters" (Real Simple), this is a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.
Review
❝But intimacy is about truth.
When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is, “You’re safe with me” – that’s intimacy.❞
Provocative. Sophisticated. Intoxicating. Phenomenal. Thought-provoking.
I’ve had this book sitting on my bookshelf for ages now, and I finally decided to give it a go. I was wavering between this one and DAISY JONES & THE SIX (the latest book by this author, which I will start immediately) but ultimately chose THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO because while both have glowing reviews, Evelyn’s book has been sitting on my shelf the longest.
Evelyn Hugo is by far one of the most interesting characters I’ve read about. TJR writes her in such a way that she feels real. While reading her story, I couldn’t help but wonder if (and secretly wishing) this was a true story about a real person. That’s the mark of a brilliant story-teller, isn’t it? When you are drawn in so deeply by the story that you begin to question reality.
This story was less about Evelyn’s seven husbands than it was about how she lived life and with whom she chose to live. The sad times, the good times, the tragic and the humorous, Evelyn lived them all. She held the love of men and the love of a woman, and it was from that latter where she found her center. Where she could be Evelyn, not Evelyn the bombshell, not Evelyn the sex-pot, but Evelyn the protector, Evelyn the searcher of family, Evelyn the mother, the wife, the lover.
Truly spectacular, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO is not a book to be ignored, looked past or left sitting on your bookshelf!
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