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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
they are just husbands, she's evelyn hugo. IM CRYINGGG. took so long to finish this book TT
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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
I absolutely LOVED this book. I really enjoyed hearing Evelyn reflect on her life and infuse her more mature perspective into her actions at the time. I especially loved the conversations she and Harry had about being a woman and queer. I can see myself revisiting this one and re-reading it again in a year or so. I did read most of it via audio book, which I did really enjoy and helped me identify more with Monique. I do feel like her story could have been a bit more "complete" and the ending felt a bit sudden, but I think part of that was that similar to Monique, I wasn't ready for it to end!
I didn't expect to be so moved by Evelyn Hugo! When I picked this up, I thought it would be a boring story about a boring woman and her boring husbands... how wrong I was!! I couldn't put it down, I was excited for work to be over so I could go back to Evelyn Hugo's telenovela of a life. She is, as one of her maids have said, "bonita, pero loca." The only reason as to why I can't give it 5 stars is because, as a queer woman, I was not fully comfortable with how the lesbian relationship in this book was portrayed. I think that a lot of what happened to that relationship was there to make the story more tragic, but ultimately unnecessary. For one, I was uncomfortable reading the parts wherein Evelyn Hugo would have sex with men to "protect" her relationship with Celia St. James. Are there..no other ways..? But then again.. there really is no one way to portray queer life. Perhaps there are bisexual women out there who identify with Evelyn Hugo.
Despite my misgivings, I truly loved this book. I loved how emotional it made me this past few days. I loved how complex and real the characters felt, and I especially loved how special the relationship between Evelyn Hugo and Celia St. James felt. I can only hope that one day, I may have a relationship that's as fervent as theirs. But for now, I will be listening to sad Taylor Swift songs as I continue to process...
Despite my misgivings, I truly loved this book. I loved how emotional it made me this past few days. I loved how complex and real the characters felt, and I especially loved how special the relationship between Evelyn Hugo and Celia St. James felt. I can only hope that one day, I may have a relationship that's as fervent as theirs. But for now, I will be listening to sad Taylor Swift songs as I continue to process...
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
„The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo“ is a novel that completely drew me in from the very first pages. I definitely understand the hype surrounding this book — it has that rare combination of glamour, drama, and emotional depth that makes it hard to put down. Taylor Jenkins Reid manages to create a world that feels both larger than life and strikingly human at the same time, which made following Evelyn’s journey an absolute pleasure.
One aspect I especially loved was the format. The mix of “normal” narrative chapters with excerpts from fictional magazine articles and interviews was brilliant. It added layers to the storytelling and gave the whole novel an air of authenticity, as if I were reading not just a fictional biography but also the cultural echoes of Evelyn’s life in the press. This structure helped me get a much clearer grasp of the timeline, and I thought it was a clever way to bring the Hollywood setting and its constantly shifting public perception into the story.
As for the characters, Evelyn herself was fascinating. She is flawed, ambitious, manipulative at times, but also deeply vulnerable and complex. I found myself both admiring and questioning her choices, which made her feel very real. The relationships she navigates — not just her seven husbands, but her great love and her friendships — carried a mix of heartbreak and tenderness that kept me emotionally invested throughout.
What also stood out to me was how many difficult and heavy topics the book tackles. It doesn’t shy away from issues like sexism, abuse, homophobia, racism, and the cost of fame. These themes gave the novel much more depth and weight than I expected at first glance, and they made Evelyn’s story not just one of glittering Hollywood success, but also of resilience in the face of pain and injustice.
That said, while I truly enjoyed the book, the plot twist at the end didn’t quite hit me as hard as I was hoping. I found it somewhat predictable, and because of that, it lost a bit of its impact. Still, the emotional resonance of the story carried through, and it didn’t take away from my overall positive impression.
In the end, „The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo“ was a thoroughly enjoyable read — glamorous, emotional, and cleverly structured. Even with a slightly underwhelming twist, it’s easy to see why this book captured so many readers’ hearts, mine included.
One aspect I especially loved was the format. The mix of “normal” narrative chapters with excerpts from fictional magazine articles and interviews was brilliant. It added layers to the storytelling and gave the whole novel an air of authenticity, as if I were reading not just a fictional biography but also the cultural echoes of Evelyn’s life in the press. This structure helped me get a much clearer grasp of the timeline, and I thought it was a clever way to bring the Hollywood setting and its constantly shifting public perception into the story.
As for the characters, Evelyn herself was fascinating. She is flawed, ambitious, manipulative at times, but also deeply vulnerable and complex. I found myself both admiring and questioning her choices, which made her feel very real. The relationships she navigates — not just her seven husbands, but her great love and her friendships — carried a mix of heartbreak and tenderness that kept me emotionally invested throughout.
What also stood out to me was how many difficult and heavy topics the book tackles. It doesn’t shy away from issues like sexism, abuse, homophobia, racism, and the cost of fame. These themes gave the novel much more depth and weight than I expected at first glance, and they made Evelyn’s story not just one of glittering Hollywood success, but also of resilience in the face of pain and injustice.
That said, while I truly enjoyed the book, the plot twist at the end didn’t quite hit me as hard as I was hoping. I found it somewhat predictable, and because of that, it lost a bit of its impact. Still, the emotional resonance of the story carried through, and it didn’t take away from my overall positive impression.
In the end, „The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo“ was a thoroughly enjoyable read — glamorous, emotional, and cleverly structured. Even with a slightly underwhelming twist, it’s easy to see why this book captured so many readers’ hearts, mine included.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion, Outing
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Classism
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i was crying so hard by the end of this book that i could not see the paper anymore. life changing.