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A review by jselliot
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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? Yes
5.0
This was probably one of my favorite books this year, honestly. Evelyn Hugo may be a star-studded icon, but also a person. And by the time the book takes place, people have forgotten about the personhood behind the legacy. The goal? An expose on herself.
Craft wise, this book handled the past- and present-tense shifts well. Past-tense, the majority of the book, applied to Evelyn's dish on her own past. The few present-tense chapters were centered around Monique in the contemporary aspect of the setting. And mercifully, it did not butcher common past-tense sayings in those moments. (A chief complaint of mine with the rash of first-person present-tense books that have come out lately. It's jarring.)
Without giving too many spoilers, I'd say that perhaps the most refreshing thing about Seven Husbands is that the narrative itself treats Evelyn like most books do male characters. Now, within the context of the period, she is absolutely treated as a woman of color and one who made her fame in the 60s through the 80s. Those times were not kind to women, nor LBGT people. But the way the narrative treated her like typical male characters is that it allowed her to make morally and legally wrong choices, and still be a complex individual without being vilified for it. She made mistakes and owns them. She's not perfect and is no longer interested in maintaining her carefully curated image. But she does have a story to tell, and what a compelling story it is.
Craft wise, this book handled the past- and present-tense shifts well. Past-tense, the majority of the book, applied to Evelyn's dish on her own past. The few present-tense chapters were centered around Monique in the contemporary aspect of the setting. And mercifully, it did not butcher common past-tense sayings in those moments. (A chief complaint of mine with the rash of first-person present-tense books that have come out lately. It's jarring.)
Without giving too many spoilers, I'd say that perhaps the most refreshing thing about Seven Husbands is that the narrative itself treats Evelyn like most books do male characters. Now, within the context of the period, she is absolutely treated as a woman of color and one who made her fame in the 60s through the 80s. Those times were not kind to women, nor LBGT people. But the way the narrative treated her like typical male characters is that it allowed her to make morally and legally wrong choices, and still be a complex individual without being vilified for it. She made mistakes and owns them. She's not perfect and is no longer interested in maintaining her carefully curated image. But she does have a story to tell, and what a compelling story it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Addiction, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug abuse, Abortion, and Abandonment