Name Of The Book : The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author : Taylor Jenkins Reid
Publisher : Atria Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Year : 2017
Category : Fiction
Review :
Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds through the decades - revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
The title of this book really intrigued me along with its cover and I had heard quite a lot of positive opinions about this book which encouraged me to pick it up. Monique is a young reporter early in her career and she is chosen by Evelyn Hugo for an exclusive interview that she would give for a famous magazine. Evelyn Hugo is a former actress who has created a lot of scandals during her time and had been in the spotlight for marrying seven times. When Monique sets out for her work, she is in for a surprise as she is asked by Evelyn to write a biography on her much-speculated life and her seven husbands and the answer to the question of who she loved the most. Monique wants to know the reason why she was chosen and the events that unfold when she does will turn her whole world upside down. This is quite a long book, but right from the first few pages, it had my undivided attention. There is an element of surprise until the very end and the twists and turns in the plot are unpredictable. The character development is excellent and the story unfolds beautifully. The characters have depth and dimension and Evelyn is unapologetically real with her own flaws. The book brings to light the challenges that were faced by actresses in the bygone era and their lifestyles which affect their health and relationships. The picturization and the intricate narration made me feel like I was watching a movie. There are so many issues taken up in this book but in a subtle way. The story takes us through pain, longing, lost love and forgiveness and is sure to tug your heart at the right places. This is also a book which has strong and realistic characters from the LGBTQ+ community. If you are a movie fanatic and love Hollywood controversies, this book is highly recommended. It will stay with you long after you have completed the book. It is an emotional and extremely well-written book.
Rating : 5/5