The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel

I can't believe I slept on this book for so long. I'm so glad I finally read it.One of my favorite things about this book is the underlying theme of the duality of human life. More than once, the character of Evelyn Hugo is described as two contradicting adjectives, that she was “designed to be two opposing things, a complicated image that was hard to dissect but easy to grab on to.”Naive and erotic, forthright and hard to read, premeditated and extemporaneous, gorgeous and plain. The character is flawlessly written as a contradicting force to be reckoned with, a strong woman who is not simply one thing or another, but is instead her very own unique shade of grey.The book is very quotable; I feel as though I have been given pearls of wisdom directly from a wise 79-year-old woman. This one, in particular, has stuck with me: “it’s a hard business, reconciling what the truth used to be with what the truth is now.” Just another reason to praise the talent of Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’d love to read more of her work, but I’m not sure I’m ready to have my heartstrings tugged at again just yet.This book really was tremendous. I oohed and I ahed, I felt empathy and frustration, I smiled and I cried.On my own rating scale, I’d give it a 4.75, simply because it was a great book but not my favorite read of all time, though it’s definitely up there.

“I spent half my time loving her and the other half hiding how much I loved her.”This is one of the best books I’ve ever had the privilege to read. It is probably in the top five for best books I’ve ever read in my entire life. I have been looking for a book like this my entire life, and no combination of words I’m about to type, and you’re about to read, is going to do this masterpiece justice. But I will say that Gabby, Joce, Amelie, and Elyse were all right, and I’m so happy I listened to them, because this book is worth every single ounce of hype.And when I say that this book is lifechanging, I truly mean it. This book is sold as a historical romance, where you learn about a fictional, famous, old Hollywood actress and all her marriages. What you get is a book that stars a bisexual, Cuban woman who was never allowed to talk about the love of her life; her wife. And when I say I cried during this book, I truly mean that I probably need to buy a new copy because I was the biggest mess you’ve ever seen.“And it will be the tragedy of my life that I cannot love you enough to make you mine. That you cannot be loved enough to be anyone’s.”On top of this being a powerful book about race, sexuality, misogyny, and having to conform to societies norms, the true meaning I took from this book is that life is short, so damn short, and we shouldn’t spend it pretending to be something we aren’t. And we shouldn’t spend it doing anything less than loving the people who are worthy and deserving of our love.“I didn’t need boys in order to feel good. And that realization gave me great power.”We follow Evelyn from the very start; losing her mother very young, her body developing very quickly, noticing others noticing her developing body, marrying a man so she can leave the dead-end city she grew up in, so she can become something more. Evelyn is unapologetic with her actions, and it is one of the most empowering things I’ve ever read. She plays so many more parts than the roles she is cast in. And Evelyn learns really quickly how to play each and every man she is forced to interact with, and she quickly learns what she can gain from each and every one of them, too.This story is told from two different timelines and two different points of view. One from Monique Grant, who is a biracial (white and African-American) woman who is going through a fresh divorce and trying to make something of herself in the journalism field. And her life changes the day her editor tells her how Evelyn Hugo is demanding her, and only her, to write something for her.“Heartbreak is loss. Divorce is a piece of paper.”The other timeline(s) are all the different times in Evelyn’s life, and the different seven husbands that she had, while she is recounting the events that lead her to be telling Monique this story. Evelyn has lived a very full life, and is in her late seventies now, and is finally ready to talk about her life. But the entire book we are guessing why she has chosen only Monique for this job.“Make them pay you what they would pay a white man.”If you guys have been following my reviews, you’ll probably know that I talk about found family and how important it is to me a lot, but The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the epitome of how beautiful a found family can be. Evelyn and Harry’s friendship in this was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read in my entire reading life.“When you write the ending, Monique, make sure the reader understands that all I was ever really looking for was family. Make sure it’s clear that I found it. Make sure they know that I am heartbroken without it.”And the romance? The true romance in this book is the most romantic thing I have ever read in my entire life. And you guys know I’ve read a ton of romances, but they are all lesser to this. Every single one of them can’t compare with the romance in this book. I feel like every time I’ve used the word “perfect” to describe something that wasn’t the romance in this book, then I used the word wrong.“Please never forget that the sun rises and sets with your smile. At least to me it does. You’re the only thing on this planet worth worshipping.”How many Evelyn and Celias are there in the world? How many are still playing the role that Evelyn was forced to play? I cry for every single person who must hide who they are, and who they want to love. And this book talks about many big things in LGBTQIAP+ history; from the Stonewall riots to the disgusting Reagan administration, but life still isn't anywhere close to equal in 2018. The prejudices, the discrimination, the virus/syndrome blaming, the looks I’ve experienced holding a girl’s hand while walking into a restaurant? Those are still in 2018, in the United States, but people act like none of those things exists because marriage is legalized, begrudgingly. I’m not writing this review to get on my soapbox, but I promise, we have a lot more work to do. And this book, this book lit a fire under me.I personally identify as pansexual, but I felt like the bisexual rep in this was a tier above anything my eyes have ever seen. Seeing Evelyn love all the parts of her, and all the different parts of her love, was something so awe-inspiring. I am still so overwhelmed with feelings, but if you identify as bi or pan, this is a love letter to you, I promise.“I was a lesbian when she loved me and a straight woman when she hated me.”This book also focuses a huge importance on motherhood throughout the entirety of this book, and then I read the acknowledgement and started weeping all over again. Taylor Jenkins Reid was able to evoke the strongest emotions from me, and I just pray that things will be different for the generation of kids being raised right now.This was the first thing I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I will buy every single new thing she produces. The writing was so lyrical and addicting. I mean, I have a quote between almost every paragraph. This whole book deserves to be highlighted. The characters, well, my mind has now forever imagined that these are real people now, so there is that. The topics, themes, and discussions are beyond important. This book just makes me feel so passionately. This book is one of the most empowering pieces of literature I’ve ever consumed. And I am not the same person I was before this book.“I told her every single day that her life had been the world’s greatest gift to me, that I believed I was put on earth not to make movies or wear emerald-green gowns and wave at crowds but to be her mother.”If you guys ever take a recommendation from me; please have it be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Please, I’m actually begging you. I promise, this book is lifechanging, and I equally promise you that this book changed mine. There is magic between these four-hundred-pages. Pure magic. This story is addicting, enthralling, and so important. And if you’re an Evelyn, in 2018, I see you, but I hope it doesn’t take you as long as it took her to be happy. This will forever be one of the best books of my life, and I’ll cherish it forever.“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.”Trigger/Content Warnings: death of a loved one, death of a child, talk of suicide, unhealthy dieting, underage sex with an adult, abortion, talk of miscarriage, a lot of physical abuse, cheating, dunk driving, and homophobic slurs.

“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’s THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO tells the authentic story of legendary Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo through an autobiographical medium, with ambitious “Vivant” journalist Monique Grant scribing her tale. Throughout the interview, Hugo reveals the behind-the-scenes secrets of her life acting in the film industry, detailing how she repressed her Cuban heritage to conform to the Hollywood scene, how she not only experienced but capitalized on the industry’s sexism and double standards, how she used her body and married famous men to get her to the top, how she found true friendship and forbidden love, and how she admits that she would do it all again if given a chance. As Hugo engrosses Grant and the readers with her story, the question of ‘why would a famous Hollywood actress want to speak with an up-and-coming journalist like Monique Grant, why her?’ lingers in the back of our minds, and soon, we learn the real reason why Hugo wanted Grant to write her autobiography. As a student enrolled in an Intermediate Fiction Writing course, I was particularly eager to review this novel after reading it for the first time last year. To say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it is an understatement.Taylor Jenkins Reid never fails to impress me with her craft in creating and developing characters, I find that to be a strong element of the novel that contributed to my appeal; Evelyn Hugo is one of the most compelling protagonists I have ever read about in my entire life, and I adored the fact that she was all morally shades of grey and not a good person when it came to her rise to the top of the Hollywood ladder. She felt no regrets about the manipulations and schemes she created to get her to the singularity, which thrilled me, but seeing her vulnerable side away from the flashing cameras was also a real treat. Harry Cameron and Celia St. James serve as strong secondary characters who held a major influence on Hugo; one whom she shared a deep platonic connection with, and the other, to whom she was helplessly in love with and devoted. Taylor Jenkins Reid wonderfully illustrates the ups and downs of the friendship between Evelyn and Harry, the struggles and clashes between Evelyn and Celia, and the tragedy Evelyn experienced losing them both.Another element that stood out to me was the setting of the novel. Hugo’s interview reveals how she built and stepped away from her career as a renowned Hollywood actress, often inspiring her to move across different locations to preserve her private image. To her detriment and benefit, the press follows Hugo wherever she goes, with journalist companies like “Sub Rosa,” “PhotoMoment,” “Hollywood Digest,” and the “New York Tribune” writing articles about her fabricated life (while not realizing it), and spreading gossip. Seeing those newspaper clippings pop up in the chapters gives the novel a sparkling touch, making the environment feel more authentic. It also is no surprise that Taylor Jenkins Reid took inspiration from Old Hollywood icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to craft the character of Evelyn Hugo; she fits right into the time period where her story blossoms.Finally, the last element that stood out to me above all else was Evelyn’s plot arc. She goes from feeling determined to make it to the singularity and steal the audience's attention to wanting to give it all up for Celia St. James, the love of her life, in a way that feels so natural and real. Her wanting to build an image as a renowned actress came from wanting to get out of Hell’s Kitchen and prove to people, especially her abusive father, that she has the talent and worth to make it big. But, as she meets and falls for Celia, she feels compelled to spend every moment with her, and she keeps up her work ethic but hides her feelings so the career she sacrificed so much of her authentic self for doesn’t die in vain. Of course, that comes with hardships in her relationship with Celia, but we see how her decision to leave all of the Hollywood glory behind makes sense after the fact. It’s bittersweet.If you’re in the market for a juicy contemporary beach read or a compelling novel that handles serious topics elegantly, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO is worth a read and is the book for you.