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A review by lit_terary
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5.0
This book reminded of the reason why I love reading. I love reading because every once in a while I get to stumble across books like this one over here. "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" is a masterpiece, in all of its aspects. It's how novels should be written, and what novels should aspire to.
For starters the prose is simple but so beautiful and effective, the plot is complex, multi-faceted and impactful, the character is a rare diamond of complex perfection. There are not enough words in my vocabulary to fully express the magnificence of a character like Evelyn Hugo: she is layered, coherent, surprising, endearing, addicting and honestly so much more. She is by far one of the most successful characters that I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It's honestly impressive how TJR has managed to construct such a genuine and complex character in the span of mere 300-something pages. I'm honestly still bewildered by the power and force that reeked through the voice of Evelyn Hugo. Days after I've finished this, I'm still at a loss of words, and it's so hard for me to elaborate more on such a masterpiece.
Also, the importance of what is being told is undeniable: TJK was capable of tackling with such mastery so many delicate, important topics and issues. This book might as well serve as a manifesto for our millennium: the way the author talks about issues like sexuality, race, classism, gender and family is truly refreshing, and despite telling a story taking place in the 50s and 60s, we can still feel a tangible modern outlook coming through.
ALSO, might be an unpopular opinion at this point, but I don't think Evelyn is a bad person. I'm sorry, but everything she's done, she did either to gain better chances in life (chances that were prevented by default by being a woman of colour, so, in my opinion, she just evened the chances out by employing whichever tool at her disposal - I don't judge her for using her body, I applaud her courage and her shamelessness, end of rant), or to protect the people she loved. She got her hands dirty so that her loved ones' would stay pristine. To me, it's to unreprimandable (I made it a word, don't come at me), and she's a modern heroine.
I can't recommend this book enough. Everyone should be reading "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo", it's definitely a new modern classic - and sorry for the messy review, but I'm still a wreck. There's so much more that could be said about it, I could literally break it down page after page because in every single one I was able to find something truly powerful and meaningful. This book was literally so dense and dripping with gold. GO READ THIS.
For starters the prose is simple but so beautiful and effective, the plot is complex, multi-faceted and impactful, the character is a rare diamond of complex perfection. There are not enough words in my vocabulary to fully express the magnificence of a character like Evelyn Hugo: she is layered, coherent, surprising, endearing, addicting and honestly so much more. She is by far one of the most successful characters that I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It's honestly impressive how TJR has managed to construct such a genuine and complex character in the span of mere 300-something pages. I'm honestly still bewildered by the power and force that reeked through the voice of Evelyn Hugo. Days after I've finished this, I'm still at a loss of words, and it's so hard for me to elaborate more on such a masterpiece.
Also, the importance of what is being told is undeniable: TJK was capable of tackling with such mastery so many delicate, important topics and issues. This book might as well serve as a manifesto for our millennium: the way the author talks about issues like sexuality, race, classism, gender and family is truly refreshing, and despite telling a story taking place in the 50s and 60s, we can still feel a tangible modern outlook coming through.
ALSO, might be an unpopular opinion at this point, but I don't think Evelyn is a bad person. I'm sorry, but everything she's done, she did either to gain better chances in life (chances that were prevented by default by being a woman of colour, so, in my opinion, she just evened the chances out by employing whichever tool at her disposal - I don't judge her for using her body, I applaud her courage and her shamelessness, end of rant), or to protect the people she loved. She got her hands dirty so that her loved ones' would stay pristine. To me, it's to unreprimandable (I made it a word, don't come at me), and she's a modern heroine.
I can't recommend this book enough. Everyone should be reading "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo", it's definitely a new modern classic - and sorry for the messy review, but I'm still a wreck. There's so much more that could be said about it, I could literally break it down page after page because in every single one I was able to find something truly powerful and meaningful. This book was literally so dense and dripping with gold. GO READ THIS.