“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid:
Despite the hype and rave this book got in the past (2017) I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Renowned Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo, aged 79, enlists little-known, young but ambitious journalist Monique Grant for an exclusive interview. Monique doesn’t understand why she's been chosen to write and sell Evelyn’s memoir but jumps of course at the opportunity and one-time chance to advance her career.
In a truly and undeniably visceral and addictive style, soapy, juicy, glamorous and complex, in a mix of historical and psychological fiction, Evelyn’s life unfolds from the 1950’s all the way to present time, documenting the entirety of her acting career, including the stories behind the titular seven husbands, Hollywood, the film industry, fame, glamour, scandal, sordid secrets and lies. The characters, complicated and realistically flawed, are well laid out in all their machinations, relationship dynamics and complexities.
Especially Evelyn’s character is immaculately developed, with very human feelings and thoughts. Issues like sexual exploitation women face both generally and within the context of Hollywood stardom, are discussed in depth, lending an emotional perspective to the story.
An asset of the book is, that it is also a touching queer romance. It is a story of scandal and ambition, as well as identity, love, and the difficulty of wanting to be true to yourself in a difficult world.
This was a fast and highly enjoyable read.
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