Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

202 reviews

julierambaeck's review

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a smart book. Quite similar to "Daisy Jones and the Six" but still distinguishable. I really liked the characters, not one of them was 100% good. Everyone was flawed and did terrible things but you come to care for them anyways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, and Cancer

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, Drug abuse, Child death, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

Minor: Death of parent

mobymaize's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Evelyn Hugo is a quintessential fictional biography that has consumed my waking moments. If you do anything, it should be to read this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Death, Rape, Toxic friendship, Grief, Physical abuse, Outing, Pregnancy, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Biphobia, Blood, Sexism, Death of parent, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, Gaslighting, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, and Car accident

Moderate: Miscarriage

jamespwaa's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have no words. Nothing I could write would even come close to conveying my experience reading this novel. I know I will fail if I try. All I can say with absolute confidence is that this novel will change my life. For that, I am truly grateful to Taylor Jenkins Reid.



5+ Stars

5+ Star Criteria: This rating is awarded to books that stand as towering achievements in literature, offering a reading experience that is both unparalleled and transformative. These works feature exquisitely crafted narratives, characters of profound depth and complexity, and thematic richness that probes the depths of the human experience. They are flawless in execution, transcending the conventional boundaries of genre to reach new heights of storytelling innovation. A 5+ star book doesn't just fulfill its promise—it reshapes our understanding of what literature can be, leaving a profound and enduring impact on its readers. These are the books that linger in the mind and heart, becoming enduring favorites and garnering my most enthusiastic recommendations.

The book fulfills these criteria effortlessly. This is the highest benchmark I've created. It is the rarest of rarities that a book receives this rating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Sexism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Outing, and Suicide

Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Abortion, Drug abuse, and Pregnancy

julesfrigault's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Cancer, Misogyny, Homophobia, Sexism, Death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Car accident, Grief, Physical abuse, Abortion, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

stanleesreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Infertility, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Violence, Racism, Sexism, and Miscarriage

lunxchloe's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was easily the most beautiful, heartbreaking book I've ever had the pleasure to read. Evelyn Hugo is an incredibly compelling, deep character that perfectly depicts the human experience with - or maybe because - all of its flaws.

5/5*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Death, Infidelity, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Child death, Grief, Biphobia, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Drug abuse

whenmalanereads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

"I know the world prefers a woman who doesn't know her power, but I'm sick of that."
"The world doesn't give you things, you takes things."
"That's what I traded my virginity for...a ride to Hollywood."
"And it will be the tragedy of my life that I cannot love you enough to make you mine."
"Make them pay you what they would pay a white man."


I have to be very honest.  I started this book with the paperback copy and I couldn't get into it. It was slow-paced and I abandoned it for another book. This was last year. 

I'm happy to say I came back and finished the book. Clearly. Just in audio book format. I REALLY loved the audio book. I adored the narrators and I was very endeared with the voice of Evelyn. It in a way reminded me of my nanny's voice. The way words would be inflected and the way the sassy attitude comes out in tone of voice. 

I always loved the idea of this book and I'm glad I circled back to it sometime later. I found the old Hollywood glamour fun and exciting. I would think I knew where it was going and then be wrong. Which I appreciate in a book. Though about halfway through I did figure it all out. 

While I didn't particularly connect with any one character, I found myself being drawn to almost all of them. Except Don. Iykyk. 

I found times where the book was quite sad and I found times where I was laughing to myself. It was such a descriptive book that I really felt immersed into the world of Evelyn Hugo. I felt like I could have been at an Oscars event or on the red carpet or being a fan seeing her in an ice cream shop.

I thought her love for her friends and lovers was so genuine even though she could sometimes be going astray and I would find myself thinking "Oh my god Evelyn. Don't do that." It was interesting that Evelyn would go to the lengths she did to be with her one true love. 

I fiercely recommend this book. It is well worth the hype and you won't regret it. While I do recommend it in audio book form, I think however you prefer to partake you won't be disappointed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Abandonment, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Grief, Alcohol, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Terminal illness, Addiction, Abortion, Cancer, Car accident, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Cancer, Grief, Cursing, Drug use, Alcoholism, Violence, Alcohol, Addiction, Death, Biphobia, Suicide, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and Terminal illness

kadyk59's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Death of parent, Racism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Cultural appropriation

zoeysdigest's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A fictional masterpiece. I could not stop reading. The plot was fast but you wouldn't be left feeling unsatisfied. The twists that I didn't see coming were very rewarding as a reader. It was exhilarating, tender, thought-provoking and nerve-racking all the same. 

🎯 The parallel of Monique's life and Evelyn's life added a special layer to the story unfolding. Monique's reactions were what mine would have been at most points, and witnessing Evelyn's response to her reaction made it feel like Evelyn was responding to me in real-time as she told me her story
🎯

The obvious twist that is: Celia was her true love, and how this question was dangled from the start. I felt that it was such a genius drop and perhaps because I was too immersed in Evelyn's story, I did not see it coming. I loved the irony of it all, that the title is about her 7 husbands; and how the general reader's curiosity would be 'which is her true love; and how her true love in that sense was none.

🎯

The last twist; the mystery from the start: why did Evelyn choose Monique? Amazing and brilliant build-up that caught me off guard.

🎯 Evelyn's energy, self-awareness and straightforwardness helped move the story along at a brief yet thoughtful pace
🎯 The exploration of a kind of love (Cameron) beyond just romantic love that is so vital and fulfilling in our lives. And the emphasis that connection and intimacy is more than just sex.
🎯 The plight and struggle of people who were the 'outcast' be it due to sexuality, wealth or ethnicity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

lizzyjean's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was fantastic! Reading about the complicated life of an actress, from the politics of it all to the emotional sides of the characters, was an incredibly unique experience, and was done to absolute perfection.

Just as Evelyn wanted, I both love and hate her after reading that book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Cancer, Terminal illness, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy, Racism, Abortion, Drug abuse, and Outing

There are multiple depictions of domestic abuse between Evelyn and

Don Adler

. Evelyn

gets an abortion

. Evelyn, Celia St. James, and Connor are

diagnosed with terminal illnesses, including breast cancer

. AIDS, as well as the deaths behind it, is mentioned. While it doesn’t outwardly say that

Evelyn committed suicide

, it is strongly implied, arguably it is exactly what happens.