The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, LGBT literature

Format: Paperback

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

The story centres around two characters: Monique Grant and Evelyn Hugo, who couldn’t be further apart in personalities and line of work, as the former is a journalist and the latter a Hollywood icon. Life unexpectedly takes a turn out of the ordinary for Monique who is personally requested for an interview by none other than Evelyn Hugo herself.

 

I came across this book through BookTube and Bookstagram and was drawn to it because of the raves. I had to get my hands on this somehow and boy was I won over. I breezed through the novel because the writing was accessible and simple. 

The characters were the heart of the book, each being nuanced and layered. Honestly, this was the first book I read revolving around LGBTQ characters. I sympathized with the characters as Hollywood was very dismissive towards representation of all kinds. I appreciated that the author pointed out that people, despite their flaws are complex and beyond their actions. 

Hollywood in the 1950s was an interesting time but not for the actors who put everything on the line: identity, orientation, and backgrounds to literally appear as a polished form of perfection. This was what Evelyn went through and yet no matter how many times she stumbled upon failure, her undefeated determination and admittedly her beauty were what put her foot through the door. I also love how she controlled her destiny in her own terms and I also admire her ability to accept herself and shine confidently. 

I recommend this book for all as it is an enjoyable read with a fantastic heroine who ached to tell her beautifully heartbreaking story,

 

 

 

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