The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Picking Books may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links to Bookshop.org. Every book you purchase on bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.
What’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo About?
In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, an aging and reclusive Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, is finally ready to talk about her life, but she doesn’t want just any writer to tell her story. Evelyn Hugo chooses Monique Grant, an unknown magazine reporter, to write her biography. Monique has been left by her husband and is unsatisfied with her job, so when she approaches Evelyn Hugo’s luxurious apartment, she has her eye set on using this biography to launch her career. Monique listens in rapt attention as Evelyn tells her fascinating story from the time she made her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to when she left show business for good in the ‘80s and how in the world she came to marry each of her seven husbands. Just as Monique begins to feel a real connection form between her and Evelyn, it becomes clear Evelyn chose her for a reason.
What Kind of Book Is It?
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is first and foremost historical fiction but it can equally be classified as contemporary women’s fiction. There are certainly elements of contemporary romance but The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is certainly not a romance novel in the traditional sense. The forbidden love story is part of a larger, complex story of Evelyn’s life and is fascinating and heart-breaking, but it is not the swoony, happily-ever-after that you would expect from a romance novel. This is why I would characterize this book mainly as historical fiction. If you are looking for a rom-com, look elsewhere.
What do the Ladies Here think?
Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master of transporting readers through time and creating characters that are so vivid that you begin to question if you are reading fiction. Evelyn Hugo perfectly encapsulates an old Hollywood movie icon á la Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. The seven husbands and the sordid details satisfy the celebrity gossip fascination that many of us have inside of us whether we want to admit it out loud or not. Evelyn Hugo’s story is also layered and poignant. I started this book dying to know how in the world Evelyn racked up seven husbands through the course of her life, but I got so much more. The story of the husbands draw you in, but you stay for the much more nuanced and complex story that unfolds as Evelyn reveals all the truths about her life that she has locked away for decades.
I have read some negative reviews in which readers were angry because they felt strongly that Evelyn Hugo is not a hero and shouldn’t be looked up to. I think those readers misconstrued Reid’s intentions. I don’t think Evelyn is supposed to be an unproblematic and wholly likable character, but I don’t think she is entirely a villain either. Evelyn is complex, imperfect, nuanced, and layered which makes her seem all the more real. I do not believe you are supposed to walk away from the book loving her or even liking her necessarily. This is a story of highs and lows and the intricate paths our lives take and the mistakes people make especially when navigating the glamorous but often tragic world of Hollywood. It’s also reflective of the saying, “never meet your heroes.” On the flip side, I have also seen reviews in which readers pronounced Evelyn Hugo as an “exceptional character with the wherewithal to take on the patriarchy” and said the book had a “parade of lovable characters.” Again, I find this to be a reductionist perspective and ignores all of the bad things Evelyn did. Evelyn Hugo is an emotionally complex character with a riveting story that you will just have to judge for yourself. Let us know, do you think Evelyn Hugo a hero, a villain, or somewhere in between?
Who Should Read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo?
You should read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo if you love celebrity memoirs, forbidden loves, and are looking for a book with a twist. And of course, fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid are unlikely to be disappointed.
What Should I Read Next?
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwabb
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert