Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

1126 reviews

pianokeys's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Cursing, Miscarriage, Rape, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Addiction, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Car accident, Sexual assault, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Bullying, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Physical abuse, Outing, Death of parent, Mental illness, Abortion, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

badbadwolf's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Outing, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Homophobia, Suicide, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Cancer, Drug use, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual content

evelynnnn33333's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent

amandaacat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the best books that I’ve read in a long time. I actually listened to the audio book and couldn’t put it down. Taylor Jenkins Reid has written something so timeless and in a way that keeps you entertained throughout. The characters are so real and Evelyn’s story is so heartbreaking and magical. I’ll be thinking of this book for awhile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Grief, Child death, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Sexism

jess_always_reading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense fast-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

Big breath, okay. 

I'm writing this after just finishing this incredible novel and there are still tears drying on my face because THAT ENDING. 

If I could rate higher than 5 stars I would, this story is beautiful. Jenkins Reid has crafted a suite of characters that are so completely human, complex and evolving, lovable and flawed. A story of love in all its forms, of survival and the way the wounds of our childhood stay with us. Of the pain of living in hiding and in fear. Of a life filled with love, struggle, and loss. 

Evelyn Hugo is a bisexual icon and my heart hurts for her and the many real people who lived and continue to live now in hiding. As a bi+ queer myself, this was so powerful that it left me teary. Don't we all want to find our Harry and Celia?

Lastly, I love the way Jenkins Reid writes Evelyn telling her story. It reads like someone sharing their truths and, in its telling, reveals even more about Evelyn's incredible character. 

100/10 would recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Cancer, and Sexism

lmayfieldx's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Grief, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, and Car accident

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Homophobia, Suicide, and Death

emjay2021's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

Absolute page turner. If you had asked me before if I was that interested in the lives of Golden Age Hollywood movie stars, I would have said, eh, not really. But I could not put this down and essentially read it in two sittings. The story works like this: Monique Grant, a junior writer at a Vanity Fair type magazine, is given a plum writing assignment, a cover story on the glamorous 80 year old former movie star Evelyn Hugo. It turns out Evelyn asked for Monique specifically but won’t reveal exactly why. So, Monique turns up at Evelyn’s New York apartment and hears her life story, warts and all. Interspersed with Evelyn’s rags-to-Hollywood-riches story are snippets from Monique’s life: newly separated from her husband, who has moved from New York to San Francisco for a job.

I thought the parts with Evelyn far outshone the bits with Monique. But we do discover by the end why Evelyn chose Monique specifically, and the book earns back a little bit with that ending.

I thought it was an excellent yarn, and the way the story was told (first person narrative by Evelyn for the most part) was a wise choice. You really do feel like an old movie star is telling you about her life.

There’s nothing particularly earthshaking in here, but that said, I was pleasantly surprised at how much of the narrative addressed social issues like homophobia, racism, and sexism. I was also a little surprised at just how moved I was by the ending of the book.

I enjoyed this at least as much as Daisy Jones and the Six, maybe a little more. I didn’t listen to it as an audiobook but I bet it would be a good one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Grief, Sexism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion and Racism

itkimby's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Grief, Cancer, Car accident, and Alcohol

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Child death, Suicide, and Pregnancy

danielnski's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is mesmerizing from start to finish. I loved the old Hollywood references, the voice Jenkins Reid gave to Evelyn, and how it felt accurate to the character and the time she would have lived in without feeling dated or out of touch. I really couldn't put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Cursing, Death, Grief, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Cancer, Biphobia, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

charliechilli's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Terminal illness, Car accident, Drug use, Suicide, Sexual violence, Blood, Cancer, Homophobia, Death, Grief, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship