“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid hooked me from the first page and held me captive until the final period.
“Seven Husbands” has everything a summer read should: a glamorous Hollywood backdrop, intense love affairs, a beautiful and heart wrenching twist, and characters who are nowhere near perfect but admirable in their convictions nonetheless.
Reid’s narrative is two-fold.
There is Monique Grant’s story, which takes place in the present day, and Evelyn Hugo’s retelling of her life through the lens of her many husbands.
For Monique, a biracial journalist who is trying to rise from the middle of the pack to become a big-name journalist, the frankly puzzling chance to exclusively interview Evelyn about her life is an opportunity she cannot pass up. But it does not come without consequences.
The novel shows Monique as a woman who has yet to come into her self, and the reader will enjoy watching her not only learning from Evelyn, but also learning to trust herself and her instincts.
The majority of the novel, though, is seen through Evelyn’s eyes—and they are very, very experienced eyes. Readers can learn a thing or two from Evelyn: in love, in life, and in taking no prisoners.
Evelyn is the sort of badass female character that uses what she has at her disposal to go after what she wants and protects those whom she loves unapologetically and without regret. She is a woman other women love to hate, but just can’t bring themselves to, and a fascinating person to delve into as a reader.
Like life, the situations Reid writers her characters into are complex and filled with gray areas. Even when the story behind Evelyn’s choice in picking Monique as her biographer is revealed, readers won’t be able to fully side with anyone involved.
“Seven Husbands” is a book about love, but even more it’s a book about understanding who you are and not apologizing for what it took for you to get there.
And as the narrative jumps from New York to Los Angeles to Europe its also a true Hollywood A-list adventure.
Whether you are a fan of celebrity gossip or believe love comes in all forms, Reid will leave you wanting more.
schulzek@indiana.edu
@kas_schulze
