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A review by cosmicbookworm
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a story about a woman determined to rise to the top in the entertainment industry and her struggle to live an authentic life. The book employs dual perspectives, with some narration from Monique, an aspiring journalist, as she interviews Evelyn and the majority from Evelyn as she recounts her life story. Monique is a biracial reporter from LA based in New York. Monique learns to prioritize her personal happiness and self-advocacy through her association with Evelyn. In the end, the story unfolds self-discovery on Monique's part as she learns how her personal life has interacted with Hugo's.
Evelyn is endowed with extreme beauty, which makes her vulnerable to people wanting to be with her for all the wrong reasons and causes her trouble seeing her true value as a human being. I imagine that her character is meant to be loosely based on Marilyn Monroe's life. Her successive marriages serve as a commentary on different facets of human connections and how individuals can exploit others for personal gain.
The novel examines the objectification and commercialization of women's bodies, domestic violence, the struggles faced by same-sex relationships in an intolerant society, the corrupting nature of celebrity, and the harmful effects of greed and the relentless pursuit of fame. It explores the impact of over-sexualization on Evelyn's life and mental well-being and demands a reassessment of the treatment and perception of women. Race is a subtle but present theme in the novel, explored to a lesser extent in the narrative.
"Everyone sort of assumes that when faced with life and death situations, you will panic. But almost everyone who's actually experienced something like that will tell you that panic is a luxury you cannot afford. In the moment, you act without thinking, doing all you can with the information you have."
"But of course, they got it wrong. They never did care about getting it right. The media are going to tell whatever story they want to tell. They always have. They always will."
Evelyn is endowed with extreme beauty, which makes her vulnerable to people wanting to be with her for all the wrong reasons and causes her trouble seeing her true value as a human being. I imagine that her character is meant to be loosely based on Marilyn Monroe's life. Her successive marriages serve as a commentary on different facets of human connections and how individuals can exploit others for personal gain.
The novel examines the objectification and commercialization of women's bodies, domestic violence, the struggles faced by same-sex relationships in an intolerant society, the corrupting nature of celebrity, and the harmful effects of greed and the relentless pursuit of fame. It explores the impact of over-sexualization on Evelyn's life and mental well-being and demands a reassessment of the treatment and perception of women. Race is a subtle but present theme in the novel, explored to a lesser extent in the narrative.
"Everyone sort of assumes that when faced with life and death situations, you will panic. But almost everyone who's actually experienced something like that will tell you that panic is a luxury you cannot afford. In the moment, you act without thinking, doing all you can with the information you have."
"But of course, they got it wrong. They never did care about getting it right. The media are going to tell whatever story they want to tell. They always have. They always will."