giulianalb99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Racism, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Sexism, Biphobia, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Grief, and Sexual content
beatrizmlemos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Biphobia
mackenzieduric's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
I did not expect the reason why Evelyn had specifically chosen Monique to be the author of her biography and I was genuinely surprised by the reveal and valued the true and tragic connection between them.Spoiler
I also adore the title being “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” when the main love story was Evelyn and Celia, the greatest love in Evelyn’s life was a woman. Her wife. I think this book is a beautiful historical fiction sapphic love story and I finally understand the hype around it.Spoiler
“I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Alcohol, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Abortion, Alcoholism, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Racism, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, and Addiction
particledamage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
Seeing good reviews for this books feels like I am on another planet.
This book is genuinely dreadful. It is both rushed and a slog. It is both biphobic and bisexual, racially inclusive and racist, about misogyny and sexist. It's preachy but only ever about like... basic decency things we all agree about. Finding out the author is straight and white clarified the book for me, truly felt like someone had just lovingly pried open my third eye so I could see the truth of the matter.
I honestly don't even think I can neatly summarize all of my complaints here. I sent myself emails with incoherent notes to myself about every new thing that set me off--her "soulmate" being emotionally abusive in patterns identically to her physically abusive spouse. The weird bullying about coming out as if was a CW show handling its first gay plotline and not about two grown women in the 50s and 60s. The weird contrived bit where whenever someone needed to get exposed for something, everyone would suddenly become letter-writers so that the letters could be found. The plot twist that was so insanely stupid I dropped the book.
The way that not only did the book pause to go on diatribes to know that terms like "whore" are bad but also spent an entire chapter knowing every single historical event that has happened, Evelyn was on the right side of it. She's complicated and obsessed with herself and money and glory but don't worry, she was right about Vietnam and treats her hired help well.
God, her character was repugnant but mostly in a dull way. Every character in this story was uninteresting, heinous, or both. Even Harry gets ruined in the end and he was the single enjoyable character the entire way through.
Just... what an awful experience. I'm speechless.
Read it just in a day though, so at least there's that.
Moderate: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Biphobia, Abortion, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cancer, Outing, Physical abuse, Incest, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racism, Pedophilia, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Eating disorder, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
shaysnotokay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Biphobia, Body shaming, Drug use, Rape, and Sexism
sirenricobooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Biphobia, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Abortion, Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death
the_harlequin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Misogyny, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Grief, Biphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Sexism, Mental illness, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Abortion, Suicide, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Cancer, and Child death
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Injury/injury detail, and Infertility
franzischi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Biphobia, Car accident, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Cancer, Body shaming, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Terminal illness
avaa_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I also predicted three very large parts of the book- but I don’t hold that against the book because in all honesty I loved it.
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Addiction, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Outing, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
itsmeaemma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Bullying, Cancer, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Death of parent