Book Review: The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo

Title: The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published: 1st January, 2017

The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo is a historical novel based on a fictional biography of a Hollywood actresses life, which is set in the 1950s. The genre fits the biography, romance and LGBT theme very well.

The story starts when Hollywood actress Evelyn decides she wants to tell the story about her life, and come clean about her wrong doings. She decide she wants to do this by selling her story to a journalist who can publish the story once Evelyn passes away, who better to do this other than an unknown magazine reporter- Monique is utterly shocked by this, why her?

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. How can she pass interviewing the most famous Hollywood actress of the 50s up? Even if it involves betraying her current boss and company to get the story.

Monique ends up in Evelyn's luxurious mansion apartment, listening and jotting down the story as Evelyn tells it- never heard before. People would die to be in this position and Monique knows she cannot screw up this once in a lifetime opportunity to make millions.

Evelyn's story is all glitz and glamour, after all, she was the most famous and sexualized woman of the 50s and 60s. She runs through her movie castings, friendships, and of course, all seven of her relationships with former husbands. Evelyn has seen it all. She has been used for her fame, abused and emotionally drained, but she still manages to fight for what she wants- to be successful.

Evelyn is one of the best characters I have ever came across in a book. She is determined, ambitious and brave- which is rare for a woman in the 1950's. She got to where she was in the acting industry by using her teeth and claws, and working her way up from absolutely nothing when she lived in the roughest part in the city. Evelyn admits she is no angel, and owns up to her wrong doings, but also admits that without doing the things she done back then, she wouldn't be in the position she is in today. She is a woman with a lot of ambition but also one who loves and wants to be loved. She is such a good character.

Evelyn's story is one that focuses on being a woman in a man's world, a Cuban woman in a white woman's world, and a bisexual in a homophobic world. Everything that in the 1950's woman would shy away from- but Evelyn is in the center of it all, and she loves it. She's played the Hollywood game, dated famous men to further her career, and used her body to get what she wants. She has experienced the full force of the industry's sexism and, in some ways, capitalized on it. She is deeply flawed and aware of it. She has traded important aspects of her identity for more fame, more roles, more money.

This book had the most heart wrenching relationships that I have ever read when it comes to books. Some may consider this a spoiler, but upon opening the book you know it is going to be a romance so what's so wrong with dropping some names? Evelyn Hugo and Cecilia St James- the best love/ hate relationship I have ever read about. There is so many twists that you just never know what is going to come next- and that's what I absolutely loved about this book.

The book as a whole covers so so many topics such as domestic abuse, death/grief, homophobia/biphobia, racism abortion & suicide, which is what makes the plot so dramatic, intense and interesting. The story switches between Monique's everyday life at her basic flat with relationship issues going on, to Evelyn's luxurious life in her mansion- which really shows a great contrast to what life is like on both sides of the spectrum.

This book will have you smiling from ear to ear throughout, whilst being an emotional mess. It shows you the true meaning of life and gets across the message to not give up, no matter what life throws at you. And always be yourself, as hiding this can cause so much more problems than what it is worth- the best version of yourself is the true one. This is definitely one to add to your MUST read list.

Favourite quotes from the book:

“Make them pay you what they would pay a white man.”

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

“You do not know how fast you have been running, how hard you have been working, how truly exhausted you are, until somewhat stands behind you and says, “It’s OK, you can fall down now. I’ll catch you.”

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

“People think that intimacy is about sex. 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.”

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo