Week 18 in the bag! This week went really smoothly, so I think the book burn-out is officially behind me!
This week's book is inspired by love, loss, and the price of fame! It's by one of my new favorite authors, Taylor Jenkins Reid. You can read my review of her newest book, Daisy Jones and the Six, here!
And if you need a refresher as to why I'm doing a weekly book review, you can check that out here!
So, sit back and relax, and check out my review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo begins when Monique Grant, a burgeoning writing, is given the chance to interview world-famous actress Evelyn Hugo. Soon, though, Evelyn reveals that she wants Monique to write her biography instead of a simple interview for the magazine she works for.
From there, the novel switches to Evelyn's point of view as she tells the story of how she married her first husband and moved to Hollywood.
The story, split into seven parts, one for each husband, and interspersed with the present told by Monique, spans decades, with the overarching question of who the real love of Evelyn Hugo's was.
Monique soon uncovers the truth. Evelyn is bisexual and the real love of Evelyn's life was fellow actress, Celia St. James. Evelyn's marriage to Harry Cameron, her friend, a gay man, allows Celia and Evelyn to be together for a while before motherhood splits them apart.
As time keeps the two separated, Evelyn marries two more times, before Harry passes away, and the pair reconnect. Celia reveals she's dying, and the two decide to spend the rest of their time together.
They move to Spain, with Evelyn's daughter with Harry Cameron, and Evelyn marries Celia's brother, making him her 7th husband. Evelyn and Celia "marry," promising to spend the rest of their lives together. Soon, Celia dies, and Evelyn, her daughter, and Robert return to New York City.
Soon, Robert dies, as well as Evelyn's daughter, leaving her all alone. Knowing she herself is dying of breast cancer, Evelyn has reached out to Monique to get her story told, and to apologize for an incident that happened years ago to Monique's family.
I knew I would like this novel as I love Jenkins Reid's style. She really is a very evocative story-teller. She's great at placing you in the world of the story, and creating realistic characters. I really liked that while the story is about Evelyn's 7 husband, it really turns out to be about her one wife. Jenkins Reid did a phenomenal job of circumventing expectations in this book.
I felt the pacing, and the language in this novel were great. Jenkins Reid is a very powerful writer, making her one of my new favorites. I honestly can't think of a single thing I didn't like about this book. It was original, well-written, and kept me guessing until the very end, which is rare for me!
I give The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a very enthusoastic 5 out of 5!