Book Review: "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Publisher Synopsis: 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.
Rating (out of 5): 4
Review: I typically find Reid’s novels very enjoyable, and this one was no different. I read this book in an afternoon, most of which was spent laying on a blanket in Central Park. Is there a better place to read a book? (No.)
As the synopsis describes, the novel is written through the device of Evelyn telling her story to a young writer. The flashbacks are framed through chapters focusing on each of her seven husbands, each of whom contributed to Evelyn’s life in different ways. There was the man she married to help her escape from an abusive father in New York, the A-list star who winds up being abusive, her producer who helped make her famous, and so on and so forth.
The book explores topics slightly heavier than your average beach read—the price of fame (and is it worth it), racism in classic Hollywood, LGBTQ+ issues, feminism and women’s rights. Ultimately, there were a few twists that I ended up guessing, but that didn’t take away from the fun of the novel. I wound up empathizing with both Evelyn and Monique in different ways, although I don’t think Evelyn was entirely likable 100% of the time. (Really, who is?) The added mystery of why Evelyn chose Monique to tell her story was appreciated, as it wasn’t just a typical flashback/storytelling device.
One thing I don’t love about Reid’s books is the way she describes her lead female characters. I appreciate that she makes them more emotionally complicated than male writers tend to do, but they are always “the most beautiful,” “the most mysterious,” “everyone loves them even if they can’t explain why,” etc etc. (Those aren’t direct quotes but you get the idea.) These types of descriptions rub me the wrong way and I think they do a disservice to the characters, who can be both emotionally complicated and not the most beautiful women in the world.
That said, I did enjoy reading this book; it was more thoughtful than I imagined it would be and reading it was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
TL;DR: A fun, exciting “beach read” that delves into some deeper topics along the way. A fun romp through the Golden Age of Hollywood with a strong female protagonist who ends up revealing some surprises. Come for the Hollywood glamour, stay for the exploration of female ambition.
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