Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

103 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

akirma's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad 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: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Biphobia, Death, and Infidelity

Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape, Terminal illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death, and Outing

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

rory18's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

A really lovely book, and the plot is tied together well. My only complaint is that at times the emotional scenes between the central pair seem a little stilted, as if the author isn't very confident at writing a love story between two women, although it still feels authentic. A captivating book, and it says something that its appeal transcends genres so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Misogyny, Biphobia, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Outing, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Cancer, Death of parent, Racism, Terminal illness, Suicide, Death, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Police brutality

nickileal's review against another edition

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

3.5

I grappled a lot with the main character. I understand that she’s supposed to be flawed neither good or bad bc that’s how most people are. Everyone can be a bad guy. But idk she played everything her way and by her terms and I understand that she’s queer but she used everyone almost all the way until the end all because the character always gets her way. I can’t say that I love that. It just left me wanting more. I kept feeling like what else is there? It kept referencing that she’s a sexual Icon and idk it felt repetitive and obvious   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Outing, Cancer, Abortion, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

jemmaisntcool's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Grief, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Blood, Cursing, and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Biphobia, Racism, and Toxic friendship

insidious_toxins's review against another edition

emotional 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

Oh my god where to even start with this. This was the first book I’ve read all year so far due to a book slump & oh man did it rip me out of it. I didn’t realize how close I had gotten to these characters honestly & yes I weeped so hard at the end. Truly magnificent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Addiction, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Cancer, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Terminal illness

ellianderjoy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Biphobia, Medical content, Sexism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Pregnancy, Racism, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship

shannonvonpesach's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• 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

Zeven keer trouwen? Ik moet er niet aan denken!

Taylor Jenkins Reid neemt je mee naar een wereld vol glamour in de 50's. We kijken vanuit de ogen van Evelyn Hugo terwijl ze aan Monique Grant haar "wilde" leven verteld voor een biografie. Uiteraard zitten hier nog wat haken en ogen aan...

Het boek leest lekker weg, de schrijfstyle van Taylor is superfijn om te lezen. Het is ook vrijwel fast paced! Een "once you start you can't stop" boek. 

Toch ontdekte ik wat puntjes die voor mij niet zo lekker liepen. De magazine/krantenknipsels kwamen niet echt over voor mij. Daarnaast zit vrijwel aan het einde een twist die superonnodig was en een beetje vreemd, ik verklap het niet voor mensen die het boek nog willen lezen. 
Verder is Evelyn geen likeable karakter. Ze is manipulatief en erg self centered (dit was ook het doel) dus op dit gebied heeft de schrijfster dit goed geschreven. 

En de "mannen pakken toch wat ze willen dus ik liet het toe" houding vond ik vaak een "ik leg het boek zo even weg" moment. Het speelt zich af in tijden dat het ook vaak zo gebeurde, maar ik kon het niet zo goed hebben.

Het boek is lgbtq+ vriendelijk en de schrijfster heeft de struggles van toen goed geschreven.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: Abortion and Adult/minor relationship