Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, which means it’s time for another review. Today I am reviewing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid was initially published in 2017 by Atria Books and is 400 pages long.

Plot
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a story that follows the life of an iconic film star through the 1950s, 60s and beyond, who reveals her life story to a young journalist, deciding now is the time to tell all about her life, her loves and her deepest secrets.

Characters
Evelyn Hugo
Evelyn Hugo, the protagonist, learns early on that beauty and sexuality can be used to gain power. Since she believes that immoral and misogynistic men are simply a part of life, she decides to play them at their own game, using her natural assets to get what she wants.

Evelyn quickly makes a name for herself (albeit a fake one) when she shows that, as well as being beautiful, she is very talented, starring in some of the hottest movies of the time. As the years go by, her popularity only grows, and to the outside world, she has everything a person could want: fame, money, a husband or seven.. but life for Evelyn is not as perfect as it may seem. She has secrets, and as she nears the end of her life, she is finally ready to set the record straight and tell her full honest story.

We learn, for example, about her younger life as a poor Cuban immigrant and how she lost her mother at a young age. Then later, we come to learn about her struggles with domestic violence during her second marriage to Don Adler and about her quick marriage to Mick Riva to quash any rumours that she might be a lesbian.

We see how strong she is when she is forced to deal with such things as grief, like when her only daughter dies from breast cancer or when Celia, the love of her life, passes away prematurely due to a smoking-related illness.

Evelyn’s character can be seen as a symbol of women’s power and resilience in the face of oppression. She refuses to allow the patriarchy to control her and uses her charm, wit, and intelligence to shape her career and personal life. Her story is a tribute to all the women who fought to assert their voices in a male-dominated and mostly misogynistic industry.

Monique Grant
Monique Grant is a reasonably new journalist handpicked to interview Evelyn Hugo for a Vivant magazine article by the woman herself. However, it turns out that the article is a ruse, and Evelyn wants her to write her biography to be published only when she has died. Initially, Monique is sceptical of the project; she cannot work out why Evelyn wouldn’t choose someone more experienced, but as the story unfolds, she becomes invested in Evelyn’s life, learning many valuable lessons about love, relationships, and self-discovery as well as finally discovering Evelyn’s shocking reason for choosing her.

Monique is characterized as a relatable and down-to-earth individual trying to make sense of her unravelling life while working through the complexities of Evelyn’s.

Through her interactions with Evelyn, she learns about the power of taking control of your life, the importance of facing your truths and the complexities of human nature.

Celia St James
Celia St. James is another important character in the novel. She is considered one of the greatest actresses of her time and is often referred to as America’s Sweetheart, and throughout the book is nominated for four Oscars, winning three.

Although Evelyn has had seven husbands, Celia is truly the love of her life, though, for a while, their relationship is rocky because Celia finds Evelyn’s bisexuality challenging to understand.
They finally land in a period of relative stability in their relationship when Celia marries John Braveman, a gay man who happens to be in love with Harry Cameron, to whom, by this point, Evelyn is married. After talking it through, Celia even agrees for Evelyn to have a child with Harry, something Celia has never wanted, but both Harry and Evelyn always have. This stability lasts for years.

Things take a turn, however, when Evelyn does an explicit sex scene with her second ex-husband Don Adler against Celia’s wishes. This causes the couple to break up.

After not seeing one another for ten years and following her decision to leave husband number six, Evelyn decides to reach out to Celia, and they slowly start to reconnect, even making some plans for the future.

After Harry’s death, Celia and Evelyn move to Spain to live where they can stay out of the spotlight. Celia is now living with a respiratory illness caused by her lifelong smoking. She convinces Evelyn to marry her brother, Robert, so that when she inevitably dies, Evelyn will be allowed to inherit her estate.

When Celia passes away, Evelyn and Robert return to live in New York City.

Harry Cameron
Harry is a crucial character in the novel as he is Evelyn’s long-time friend and confidant. Harry is an intelligent and supportive character who is always there for Evelyn when she needs him. He struggles with finding a balance between his sexuality and what society expects of a man in Hollywood at the time.

Eventually, Harry proposes a marriage of convenience to Evelyn, and she accepts, thus promoting him from “true blue” best friend and producer to husband number five.

The two remain married for fifteen years, during which time they have a daughter named Conner Cameron.

Throughout their marriage and for much of the time before, Harry struggles with alcoholism, ultimately leading to his untimely end.

Writing Style
The first thing that struck me when I read this book was the vivid and evocative style of the author. The story is told from the perspectives of both Evelyn and Monique, giving readers a glimpse into their contrasting worlds.

Reid’s prose is beautiful and descriptive but also concise and powerful. She chooses her words carefully, and every sentence feels deliberate. The result is a book that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, from the highs of love to the lows of heartbreak and everything in between.

One of the themes that run throughout this book is the idea of self-discovery and self-acceptance. As Evelyn tells her life story to Monique, she reveals she struggled with coming to terms with her sexuality and identity. These themes are handled with sensitivity and grace, making the book feel more relevant and timely than ever.

Another aspect that makes this book fascinating is the portrayal of the entertainment industry in the mid-20th century. The book addresses how Hollywood was controlled by men who objectified and exploited young actresses.

The narrative is gripping from the first page to the last, and the characters are exceptionally developed. The author seamlessly blends historical facts with a fictional storyline, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in old Hollywood.

The characters in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are complex and multifaceted. While Evelyn is a force to be reckoned with, the people around her are equally intriguing, from Monique to Celia and each of her ex-husbands, who have their own stories to tell.

Reid does an excellent job of fleshing out each character and giving them individual and distinct voices, so much so that by the end of the book, I felt like I had known these characters for a lifetime.

The novel also delves into the theme of love and its complicated nature, and the author excellently explores its various forms, including romantic, family, and platonic love. She also shows how love can drive us to do things we would never have thought possible – the good and the not-so-good.

Of course, no discussion of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo would be complete without talking about the love story at its heart (there are quite a few, but I am talking about Celia in particular). Without giving too much away, the romance in this book is heart-wrenching and bittersweet. Reid captures the intensity of love and the pain of lost love with precision and empathy.

Moreover, the portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships in the book is a significant part of its charm. Not only does it present a variety of diverse and fully rounded characters, but it tackles the issues of discrimination and oppression that the LGBTQ+ community faced then and still faces today.

Final Thoughts
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a book that I cannot recommend highly enough. It is a beautiful, poignant, and memorable tale that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved or struggled with their identity. It explores love, passion, sacrifice, and the power of women in an era when the patriarchy ruled the entertainment industry and most everywhere else, for that matter.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master storyteller who understands how to create unforgettable characters and capture the essence of the human experience. If you are looking for a great book, this one should be at the top of your list.

Recently, I learned about a cancelled TV adaptation and a movie adaptation that is going forward at Netflix. I am intrigued to see how all the nuances of the characters and plot will fit into 90 minutes; does it not make more sense to make it a series so that more characters can be fully fleshed out?

I am giving The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a good 9/10.

Have you read the book? Are you looking forward to the Netflix movie adaptation? I would love to hear your thoughts.

As always, thank you for stopping by to check out my review!

Until next time,

George

© 2023 GLT

Categories: Book Reviews, Reading

Tags: 1950s, book, Evelyn Hugo, LGBTQ, LGBTQIA+, Netflix, relationships, review, Seven Husbands