A review by foxo_cube
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
With the hype this book got, I was optimistic enough but cautious not to get my hopes up too high. It started off neither weak nor strong, but when it got going, it <i>got going</i>. What a fucking book!
It's sort of a framed narrative: the present-day parts of it are from the perspective of Monique, but Evelyn's past - which makes up the bulk of the book - is recounted by her as they sit in her office recording. As Evelyn tells her story and they spend time together, Monique takes some aspects of Evelyn with her, becoming bolder and more forthright. There are cute little newspaper clippings and the like from the time period being spoken about, too, which mostly serve to show the view of complete outsiders divorced (ha) from Evelyn's perspective entirely.
Honestly, I do just adore Evelyn. She's not exactly a beacon of morality, nor does she pretend to be - she knows how to manipulate the people and places around her and does so, compromising herself and others if she sees fit to do so. But that's kind of what makes her so compelling. She's calculating and smart and, overall, dedicated. Most of all, she feels real. Larger than life, for sure, but like a whole person. I'll never not be amazed at fictional characters like that, that make you forget sometimes that they're not real people. Also, she's a bisexual Latina queen. Interesting to me was the aspect of herself who wanted to connect more with her identity as a Cuban, having buried it for the sake of her own marketability. I related to that sense of estrangement to (part of, in my case) one's ethnicity, because I was raised in the UK and barely know my Tico family, and I do cling to any little bit of connection I can get with it.
A big part of the plot is Evelyn's relationship with her sexuality - the internal struggle she has with keeping her career together while not wanting to deny herself her adoration of Celia (and attraction to women as a whole). Owing to the way Evelyn is as a person, and Celia's own flaws, the turbulence of their relationship doesn't feel ridiculous or like conflict has been put there for the sake of it. It's an intense relationship in a time that was unaccepting, and that inevitably strains things. They do just love each other so much, though.
Really, this book is about love in all of its forms, and I am a sucker for that. Evelyn experiences platonic, familial, and romantic love at different points; she discovers the feeling of lust early in her relationship with Don; she is loved as a concept and not as a person by Max; she uses a total lack of love to her advantage in a few of her marriages; she experiences a whole load of emotions over the course of her daughter's life. Even her whole reason for getting Monique to write her biography is influenced a lot by love.
The ending is bittersweet, as seems fitting. It was one of those books that I closed and was like, "well. fuck" and had to take a minute. This is one I look forward to rereading again in the future - although what a shame I won't be able to experience it for the first time again!
It's sort of a framed narrative: the present-day parts of it are from the perspective of Monique, but Evelyn's past - which makes up the bulk of the book - is recounted by her as they sit in her office recording. As Evelyn tells her story and they spend time together, Monique takes some aspects of Evelyn with her, becoming bolder and more forthright. There are cute little newspaper clippings and the like from the time period being spoken about, too, which mostly serve to show the view of complete outsiders divorced (ha) from Evelyn's perspective entirely.
Honestly, I do just adore Evelyn. She's not exactly a beacon of morality, nor does she pretend to be - she knows how to manipulate the people and places around her and does so, compromising herself and others if she sees fit to do so. But that's kind of what makes her so compelling. She's calculating and smart and, overall, dedicated. Most of all, she feels real. Larger than life, for sure, but like a whole person. I'll never not be amazed at fictional characters like that, that make you forget sometimes that they're not real people. Also, she's a bisexual Latina queen. Interesting to me was the aspect of herself who wanted to connect more with her identity as a Cuban, having buried it for the sake of her own marketability. I related to that sense of estrangement to (part of, in my case) one's ethnicity, because I was raised in the UK and barely know my Tico family, and I do cling to any little bit of connection I can get with it.
A big part of the plot is Evelyn's relationship with her sexuality - the internal struggle she has with keeping her career together while not wanting to deny herself her adoration of Celia (and attraction to women as a whole). Owing to the way Evelyn is as a person, and Celia's own flaws, the turbulence of their relationship doesn't feel ridiculous or like conflict has been put there for the sake of it. It's an intense relationship in a time that was unaccepting, and that inevitably strains things. They do just love each other so much, though.
Spoiler
I'm so glad that they were able to live out Celia's final years together without conflict and judgement. Their little wedding together in their bed was just the cutest!!Really, this book is about love in all of its forms, and I am a sucker for that. Evelyn experiences platonic, familial, and romantic love at different points; she discovers the feeling of lust early in her relationship with Don; she is loved as a concept and not as a person by Max; she uses a total lack of love to her advantage in a few of her marriages; she experiences a whole load of emotions over the course of her daughter's life. Even her whole reason for getting Monique to write her biography is influenced a lot by love.
The ending is bittersweet, as seems fitting. It was one of those books that I closed and was like, "well. fuck" and had to take a minute. This is one I look forward to rereading again in the future - although what a shame I won't be able to experience it for the first time again!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicide