Review by partly_stars - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

partly_stars 's review for:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

4.5

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I liked this book much more than I though I would. I expected something trashy and I got a good novel with complex and flawed female chacters. Evelyn feels such like a multifaceted human being who is alowed to have ambitions, be rutheless, cynical and get what he wants in a world stacked against her and who is allowed to make mistakes. Celia is allowed to not be perfect (even if at first it seems like it) and be compicated, the relationships can be complicated.
The parts of the story that focus on Evelyn's life are really magnetic, it feels like the chapters are pulling the reader in same as Evelyn as a movie star does to her audince. They feel differen from the chapers focused on the present day journalist Monique.
The book touches on a number of sensitive subjects such as racism, patriarchy, domestic abuse, homophobia and biphobia in a very organic way. There are Stonewall riots happening in the backgroud

that are significant to the queer characters.

however they are only mentioned in passing (I think Marther Luther King was also mentioned). I wish more of the queer history was mentioned more, like the AIDS epidemic was mentioned in one paragraph in passing, almost as a footnote when it feels like it should play more significant role, even as a background. However it can be excused to a degree by Evelyn living in a very specific rich bubble. I was a bit wary of how characters sexuality could be hadled by the author that appears to be straight but I liked it. I feel like the author took the approach of not making the main drama being the sexuality and for "forbidden love" but just made it a part of the characters (not their entire personality). The conflict in the relationships aren't becasue of that but becasue of multiple factors, it feels coplicated - like life.

(even if Ceila was biphobic sometimes, the author pretty explicitly makes a statement against certain bi stigma, the story isn't biphobic it's just one of the Celia's failings as she is, you knw, human, even if my bi ass winced at it)

Also Harry Cameron, I would die for him. He's the best person and I wish we knew more about him. I think that becasue the book focused on such a long period of time (decades) it mostly developed Evelyn and Celia as characters, othr side characters feel more... ot flat but I wish I knew more of their stories. Especially if it's Harry who is one of the most important people in Evelyn's life. I wish I knew a bit more who Harry was beyond Evelyn's friend and a passionate film producer
The book is writteb beautifully, it feels like a film reality in a way (which suits a story about a movie star). Like something told in the dim wine, with candlelights and some fine wine while music is playing gently in the background, and you are loosing yourself in he story. I stayed way to late a couple tof times while reading.

Content Warnings