Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

1176 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

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

5.0

This book was truly phenomenal. From the start I knew I was in for an incredible story, and it was delivered! This was a devastating but hopeful story, and I was so immersed in the story and characters and relationships that when I closed the book, I felt like I left a small part of myself behind. The last 50 or so pages had me sobbing and wishing the best for the characters. I loved this book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Biphobia, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Blood and Miscarriage

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

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

harper11's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Racism and Suicide

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

danielnski's review

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

lilaco's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

I'm not quite sure how I want to rate this in stars yet. It was emotional and heartbreaking and joyful and character driven. 

The story is told through Evelyn Hugo telling her truth and story to Monquie Grant, with snippets of articles throughout and time jumping from where the story is at to the present day, adding reflections and a moment to breathe in places. The story is further separated into seven parts, one for each of the husbands. 

It was much more darker than I expected, with abuse, death and illness being an important part of the book. 

*SPOILERS below*

The book got a whole lot more interesting to me a third of the way through where it is revealed that Evelyn Hugo was in love with a woman. From there, I felt that the pace picked up and the characters got a lot more interesting. It became an integral part of the book but its not a 'coming out' story like a lot of plots with a person of the LGBT+ community which is refreshing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Car accident, and Death of parent