Reviews tagging 'Outing'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

461 reviews

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. 

---

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

jcshells's review

medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide, Classism, Alcohol, Cancer, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Death, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Blood, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Biphobia, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Outing, Car accident, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

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.

---

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

elanuruysal's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, and Outing

anh_read's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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 a page-turner! I couldn’t stop reading! The book reads itself like a spicy autobiography of an legendary actress whose life was nothing more than tumultuous and scandalous. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Outing, Biphobia, Homophobia, Death, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Alcohol, Suicide, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Car accident

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.

---

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

theeo's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I love the writing style, it’s well-paced, and the plot itself is so captivating - especially Evelyn and Celia’s love story. I love sapphic stories so much. Also, may or may not have teared up several times…

The only thing I didn’t love about this was that the reveal towards the end felt a tad rushed, and a little too much like a twist just for the shock factor.

It maybe could have been more impactful if Evelyn told Monique the truth about her father a little earlier on, so that we could explore more of Monique’s feelings about it instead of only hearing her perspective after the end of Evelyn’s story.

I really enjoyed this overall. Definitely read if you get the chance!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Biphobia

Minor: Alcoholism, Grief, Terminal illness, Outing, Abortion, and Suicide

ellie_reads_books's review

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Addiction, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Suicide, Cancer, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Sexism, Biphobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Sexual violence

dizzyizzyy's review

challenging emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Car accident, Blood, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Outing, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicide

Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Drug use, Pregnancy, Addiction, Eating disorder, Abortion, Stalking, and Cursing

emmaholmesdua's review

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

Excellent storytelling! An intriguing and reflective book about sexism in Hollywood. I read Britney Spears' memoir right after this, and they had the same feel. When reading Evelyn's story, it was poignant, reflective, and dramatic.
However, the interspersed plot of the journalist interviewing Evelyn was predictable and boring, it read like a cheesy early-2000's rom com. The "twist" at the end was disappointingly predictable. If you can push through those interludes, this is a really good read!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Death, Outing, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Car accident