Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

58 reviews

bxnny's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Biphobia, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Hate crime, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Outing, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault

vi_holmes's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book!

I went into it apprehensively, just because this genre is so far out of my normal reading. It took me a month to read it for this reason, but I am so glad that I did!

This book was so phenomenal, even the things I didn't like about it felt purposeful and drove the story forward. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted by the time I finished it, but I feel like that's how you should come out of a story like this one. I honestly could have finished it the night before I did, but I had been crying so hard and so long at that point, I had to save the last 30 pages for after I'd had some rest. Definitely have the tissues at the ready!

I was absolutely in love with Harry! I will not get over how lovely of a human being he is.

I am unwell from that scene still

I have one thing that was a bit meh for me personally that didn't seem intentional, but I will have to hide it behind spoiler tape (I will not be specific about it, but I do think the tape is still necessary). But I will say that it didn't take away from the overall story/experience. It was just a writing choice that wasn't for me. So spoiler ahead:

In the second half (or maybe a bit before) it starts hinting a lot through Monique's perspective that something was going to be revealed that would make her hate Evelyn. I didn't like that blatant hinting to begin with, but then it also made it really easy to spot the twist well before it was revealed between the characters. Again it was a bit meh, but didn't take away from the story. Just didn't like that writing choice.

Evelyn is the most unlikeable person I have ever rooted for with my entire being and I love that Reid made me feel those mix of emotions! People are complicated and complex, and Evelyn (and several of the other characters in this story) embodied that so well! That is really what has me so in love with this story and what will have me coming back to it at some point! And I think that is what will make or break the Netflix adaptation, whether or not they are able to capture the complexity of people as brilliantly as Reid wrote it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Grief, Alcoholism, and Car accident

Moderate: Physical abuse, Outing, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Classism, Cancer, Biphobia, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, Hate crime, Child abuse, and Pregnancy

Evelyn discusses her daughter dying of cancer, but the daughter is nearly 40 at the time. so not really death of a child, but death of her child is discussed at the end

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

zayzay2's review

dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

loved it, even thought I would change a few things about this book. It was a fun read, talked about a lot of investing topics. Wasn't too dark was realistic and liked a lot of the side and main character Evelyn. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Hate crime, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Outing

samshort's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

great book, very interesting. i love the style of writing interspersed with relevant news articles. i think evelyn is very complex and real. i wish monique's story had more presence throughout the book, although i understand the focus was primarily evelyn.

my only other qualm was that celia's characterization seemed to shift weirdly during their second relationship, maybe that's just me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Homophobia, Misogyny, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Biphobia, Sexism, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Racism, Infidelity, and Child abuse

Minor: Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Blood, Abortion, Medical content, Outing, Police brutality, Eating disorder, Hate crime, and Miscarriage

kteliza28's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

Listened to this in audiobook format and absolutely loved it. I was hooked right away and loved the story within a story narrative. I love a good timeline and though the events and characters were fictional, this story felt so raw and real and really shed a light on the complexities around being queer in the midcentury. Evelyn is one of those characters that you love despite all her flaws, even at the end when you see her for her worst flaw, she is still human and unapologetically herself. I felt there were so many questions I had that all were answered at the end. The only perfect character in my eyes in this story is Harry and I loved how real their love for each other was throughout decades. There’s so much to say about this book but I think it really holds dear all of life’s tragedies and presents them in a digestible light that anyone can relate to.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Pregnancy, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Death

Minor: Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

violetbentbackwards1036's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Car accident, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Cursing, Suicide, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Outing, Hate crime, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Violence

undecidedpersonality's review

dark emotional inspiring 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Car accident, Blood, and Misogyny

Moderate: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Sexism, and Sexual content

Minor: Medical content, Suicide, Biphobia, Child death, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

disneyfan_1711's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense 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

Such an amazing saphic book about Hollywood

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Cancer, Death, Classism, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Alcohol, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

valsometimesreads's review

emotional mysterious slow-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

4.25

Going into this book completely blind,

the LGBTQ elements of these book being a central point was a very pleasant surprise. I particularly loved Henry and Celia's characters and the roles they played in Evelyn's life

.  Issues that I had with the book were not derived from how Evelyn's story and character were portrayed, but more so how Monique ties into the story. I understood what Reid was going for, but for me it was not as effective. Overall, I think this book is an interesting story about the intersection and inherent conflict between ambition, morality, and identity.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Hate crime and Suicide