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A review by janienejulia
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5.0
Born in 1938 to impoverished Cuban parents in Hell’s Kitchen as Evelyn Herrera, Evelyn Hugo later becomes the star of the century. Now, in 2017, Evelyn is willing to give a much sought-after interview about her extravagant life but only to one person: a little-known journalist named Monique Grant.
Beyond the eyebrow-raising seven husbands, there was so much more to this novel than I was initially anticipating. I thought it would be all about sordid affairs, complicated love stories, and ostentatious wealth – and it is, but it’s also much, much more than that. There’s a lot in here about identity, about navigating a world that wasn’t really made with you in mind. It’s difficult not to give it all away, especially as casual spoilers are readily available online, though I surprisingly managed to avoid them, or forget them by the time it took me to read the book. I love complicated, even ruthless, female leads, and that is exactly what Evelyn is. She’s done some ugly things, but remains a woman beautifully dedicated to what she loves most: her family. love her or hate her, it’s still an obsession. On the other hand, while I found myself starting to understand and even appreciate Evelyn more and more, I didn’t particularly care for Monique. That said, I found Evelyn’s obvious influence on her – and thus her growth – quite charming and a little riveting. she became more willing to say what she wanted and mean it, more willing to go after it.
At first I wanted to give this just four stars but I think I enjoyed it a little too much for that. As well as firmly putting us in Evelyn’s shoes, there’s also a grand, stupidly dramatic, and intense love affair at the heart of Evelyn’s life story that was incredibly captivating.
You can read a full review here: https://readbyjaniene.com/2022/05/21/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-all-that-glitters-isnt-gold-in-this-old-hollywood-tale/
And check out my bookstagram: @readbyjaniene
Beyond the eyebrow-raising seven husbands, there was so much more to this novel than I was initially anticipating. I thought it would be all about sordid affairs, complicated love stories, and ostentatious wealth – and it is, but it’s also much, much more than that. There’s a lot in here about identity, about navigating a world that wasn’t really made with you in mind. It’s difficult not to give it all away, especially as casual spoilers are readily available online, though I surprisingly managed to avoid them, or forget them by the time it took me to read the book. I love complicated, even ruthless, female leads, and that is exactly what Evelyn is. She’s done some ugly things, but remains a woman beautifully dedicated to what she loves most: her family. love her or hate her, it’s still an obsession. On the other hand, while I found myself starting to understand and even appreciate Evelyn more and more, I didn’t particularly care for Monique. That said, I found Evelyn’s obvious influence on her – and thus her growth – quite charming and a little riveting. she became more willing to say what she wanted and mean it, more willing to go after it.
At first I wanted to give this just four stars but I think I enjoyed it a little too much for that. As well as firmly putting us in Evelyn’s shoes, there’s also a grand, stupidly dramatic, and intense love affair at the heart of Evelyn’s life story that was incredibly captivating.
You can read a full review here: https://readbyjaniene.com/2022/05/21/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-all-that-glitters-isnt-gold-in-this-old-hollywood-tale/
And check out my bookstagram: @readbyjaniene