Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

127 reviews

cdoubet's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Grief, Homophobia, Body shaming, Classism, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Lesbophobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Outing, Gaslighting, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Hate crime, Body shaming, and Blood

Minor: Police brutality and Abortion

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

An utter, earth-shattering masterpiece. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is both a stripped-down version of the bitter reality of Hollywood through the decades, and a glamorous tribute to unequivocal love and loss.

It’s quite shocking that it took me so long to read this, though I suspect a lot of it had to do with the fact that I had such high hopes and had heard so much unadulterated praise. Ever the pessimist, I was afraid it would disappoint me.

I’m VERY GLAD to report, that it did not disappoint me at all, and actually was much more than I hoped for. An incredible epic of a story-within-a-story, a biographical account of a fictional starlet with many marriages and headlines, but only one true love kept secret for most of her life.

I love TJR’s writing, her layered and complicated story building eclipsed only by the bold and complex characters she creates. Evelyn isn’t supposed to be someone you just love, but she is someone you absolutely root for, despite all her flaws. Because there’s Celia, the truth behind it all. (And Harry, whom I adored so much.) 

One of the best novels I’ve ever read that accurately tackles the duality of humanity and fame, with a central focus on the LGBTQ+ community. Phenomenal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicide, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Terminal illness, Drug use, Outing, Physical abuse, Cursing, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Self harm, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Abortion, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Eating disorder

slayharrie28's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved it and I think everyone should read it. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an incredible author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Outing, Death, Grief, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gaslighting, Abortion, Biphobia, Cursing, Terminal illness, Sexism, Outing, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Mental illness

Minor: Dysphoria

katiea714's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Drug use, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Terminal illness

savannahturner's review

challenging reflective sad slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Addiction, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Outing, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Sexism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Abortion and Child abuse

thebookpaiges's review

emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Cursing, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder and Body shaming

samanderson24's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Taylor Jenkins Reid brought Evelyn Hugo to LIFE. I was hooked from the beginning. She brought homophobia, sexism, and racism to the forefront with how they affected Evelyn’s life in the 50s throughout the 80s and beyond. Loved this book. Love this author. Love Evelyn Hugo. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Sexism, Suicide, Physical abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, and Infidelity

aecy's review

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Car accident, Homophobia, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

ellaskrovset's review

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

• 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

5.0

My number 1 favourite of all time

SEARCH UP TW<3

“Make them pay you what they would pay a mediocre white man.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual assault

journey2's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

Before we even met her in the book I was kind of in love with her. With the persona of her. With the image. I was in awe of this paragon of a woman. And then you meet her, you listen to her story. I feel for her, you hurt with her, you begin to understand her, and suddenly you understand that she is more than she seems. 

Much more complex, much more nuanced, and much more than a simple Hollywood seggs symbol that could not keep a husband. 

Part of you wants to hate her and part of you wants to date her. The story of her life is told in such a captivating manner that I half expected her to be real. I was fully invested in her story. And the story of her true great love interwoven throughout. It broke my heart again and again. 

The big twist in the story managed to surprise me...I was trying to figure it out the whole time and I was impressed with it in the end. 

Evelyn Hugo is confidence and street smarts and honest to God love and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Death, Addiction, Biphobia, Car accident, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Pregnancy