Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

359 reviews

vr_alyssa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Immersive read! Once I like a book, I'm generally not great at putting it down. But this was different. It wasn't an 'I need to finish it asap and so I secretly skip sentences/paragraphs'. I just wanted to be in the story, so I would take it out of my bag, even when I only had 2 minutes. Or I'd pick up the book when my partner needed to go to the toiler while we were watching a movie, just so I could get in a page or two.

As a reader, you're basically both reading a fictional biography as well as the interviews leading up to the creation of said biography. Which means the reader knows certain things are coming (I mean, you know it by the title too, she clearly had seven husband, so you know the first doesn't last, for example). But there are a few other things the reader learns to expect early on in the story. I found those hard to predict, despite knowing that they were coming. Furthermore, there wasn't necessarily a need to figure it out (which I usually have with books such as Fourth Wing recently), I could just let it happen as it happened. And, of course, when revealed, the information caught me completely off guard, to the point of mumbling 'No no no no no' aloud for a while.

It was a very interesting and lovely reading experience, to say the least. Best way I can describe it, is that it's human.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Car accident, Death, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Abortion, Alcohol, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Blood, Bullying, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Cancer, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Drug use, and Suicide

fanboyriot's review against another edition

emotional funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Read For:

Bi Icon

Sapphic

Actress MC

Old Hollywood Setting

Interview Style Storytelling

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started reading this but this was not it but not in a bad way.  I’ve had this book for so long that I kind of went into this knowing nothing.  

I loved how this was told, the interview, and the old newspaper articles, it isn’t something I read often so it was kinda cool.  This book definitely has a charm to it, the world of old Hollywood and the dreams and damage it caused.  There were happy moments, a little spice, and some good old angst as well.

Evelyn was an icon and while she might not have been a good person she sure was captivating and the life of the party.  You either wanted to be her or be with her.  She kind of gave off Marilyn Monroe vibes.

The line at the end: 

“Doesn’t it bother you?  That your husbands have become such a headline story, so often mentioned, that they have nearly eclipsed your work and yourself?  That all anyone talks about when they talk about you are the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo?”

And her answer was quintessential Evelyn.

“No,” she told me.  “Because they are just husbands.  I am Evelyn Hugo.  And anyway, I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”

      - (Chapter 69, Page 385)

I waited the whole book to read that line alone and it was so worth it.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4.5/5)

Release Date: 13, June 2017

POV: First Person

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Rep:  Bisexual (MC), Lesbian (LI), Gay SCs, Latinx MC 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Cursing, Mental illness, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Death, Suicide, Classism, Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Child death, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Car accident, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Outing, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Murder, Cancer, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Drug abuse

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Self harm, Xenophobia, and Fatphobia

lindasoderlundd's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Alcohol, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Cancer, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, and Infidelity

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Homophobia

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Suicide

littlesmallbeing's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was marvelous! I loved the writing, the narrative through Monique was great. I liked how compact yet detailed and broad this was!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Physical abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Cancer

renciti's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think something I've realized about myself is how much I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing. This is the second book of hers I've read that I've found myself completely hooked by. I swear I think about at least one of her books once a day. 

Spoiler

Making the main character of the book a queer woman of colour and the love of her life actually being a woman instead of any of her husbands was amazing to read. The rockiness of their relationship and the hardships they had to go through just to be together without losing everything they had will send you through about a million emotions. The ending of the book was definitely something I would not have predicted as well. I knew Monique Grant's dad would be involved with Evelyn at some point, I definitely did not expect that ending, however I loved it.

Spoiler

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Content Warnings

Minor: Misogyny, Outing, Car accident, Cursing, Drug abuse, Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Drug use, Sexism, Racism, Blood, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Classism, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse

rat_girly's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

After a slow start I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. I liked how the story prompted me to reflect on the development of queer acceptance over the decades, and gave me a new appreciation for queer people who came before me. I loved the themes of found family, community, and the different kinds of soulmates and love we can find in this world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Infidelity, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Blood

Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Outing

Minor: Abortion, Suicide, Infertility, Incest, and Drug use

singingshooter's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very easy read. Compelling story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Minor: Homophobia, Abortion, Blood, Eating disorder, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, and Misogyny

laneelizabeth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

With so many heavy topics discussed in this book, I really think Taylor Jenkins Reid did a beautiful job showing us the complexities of each one of them. Along with the simple complexity of just being human. This book covers the story of a woman from 13 years old to her death at 79 and everything that happened in between including what leads her to Monique Grant to write her memoirs, ending the book with a connection between the two you will never see coming. I never expected to relate to a movie star from the 50s but hearing Evelyn's story reminded me of my own life and it's amazing how the author did that so beautifully.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Outing, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Biphobia, Bullying, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug use, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, and Pedophilia

Minor: Rape, Child abuse, Blood, Abortion, and Miscarriage

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Rounding up to 4 stars. I dislike this format of a Steeler telling someone else’s story when the narrator is really the inner storyteller. Often, as was the case here, the other storyteller is largely ignored and the actual story gets interrupted every so often to remind us they are still here. But in this case, I admit there was a payoff for the format in ur end, though I’m undecided as yo hope much I liked the ending itself.

Also thought the book did an excellent job of explaining bisexuality and and limited agency, as well as appreciating LGBTQ historical context.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Outing, Suicide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Blood, Alcohol, Biphobia, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Child death, and Death of parent

hayley98's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Abortion and Alcoholism

Minor: Blood