"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" was written by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it was published in 2017. Thanks to BookTok this not so new book has now gained a lot of popularity. Obviously, I had to know what all of the fuss is about so I had to read it and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
Monique is a not big reporter in a fancy magazine. One day she gets a message from her boss telling her that the famous Evelyn Hugo has chosen her for an exclusive interview. Only towards the end of the book we find out why Hugo has chosen Monique and it is a truly shocking revelation. Not only that, but we soon find out Hugo wants Monique not just for an interview, but she wants her to her biography. That is a big deal. Hugo used to be a famous actress in the 50s and 60s and now she is mostly a reclusive Hollywood icon in her 80s. Her life was full of scandals especially her famous or infamous seven husbands. As far as the world and Monique are concerned, that it the real story, but little do they know.
This is the story of how hard it was to make it in Hollywood back then. How difficult and unfair the studio system was and what needed to be done in order to move ahead. How difficult life was for immigrants and for women especially. This is the story of whether fame is actually worth the high price that you pay for it. The price of never being who you truly are.
This is also the story of how much people are willing to sacrifice in order to protect themselves and their loved one. I don't want to say to protect from what, because that will spoiler the book. The title of this book creates a very certain kind of expectation for the reader, and it's not that this book breaks these expectations, it just not the main focus of the book. It is not that the husbands are not important, it is that Evelyn Hugo is the most important part of the story.
Evelyn Hugo is an impressive woman. She plays the system, the press, the people around her, all while still being a part of the Hollywood game. She doesn't break free from it, but she plays the game. She is a human being. The book presents her in a certain way that is not one dimensional. She is both good and bad, kind and ruthless. She is a person and that is the most impressive work that this book does.
I can't say that this book is an impressive masterpiece. I haven't read books that are similar to this one, but it did not live a long lasting impression on me. I do recommend that you give it a try if you love reading. It is eloquent, well written and you just can't put it down. But if you are a heavy reader, or maybe a little older, lower those expectations. It is a good book, even a really good book. It is just not the kind of book that will change your life or reading habits.
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I enjoyed this book. The writing style is a bit dry, but it works well to portray the life of a glamour queen. I liked the plot very much, and both surprise endings were indeed surprising.
What did you think of the ending?
Hugo's ending was appropriate. I liked it. The thing that she did to Monique, well she did say she was not a good person and she proved herself right.
I thought the ending was the best part. I kept wanting to like this book more than I did - but I didn't see the ending coming at all!
We are happy to finally read your reviews here. We look forward to read more reviews from you. Cheers!
Thank you!
Your post is now feautured on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo the book page!
Thank you! Where can I find an explnation what is waivio?
You can find an explenation about following this link:
https://www.waivio.com/object/ylr-waivio/page#mwt-about-waivio
Thank you!