The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Book Review by Protima Banerjee

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Book Review by Protima Banerjee

This novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid brings a new twist on the life of movie stars in the late 1900s. The critically acclaimed star Evelyn Hugo has hidden from the public eye for quite a while, refusing to entertain with photoshoots and interviews after entering her old age. Surprisingly, she reaches out to 35-year-old Monique Grant to help her out. A divorced writer working for a Vivant, Monique longs for a better opportunity to show her skills. She is shocked when the actress reaches out to her and even more surprised when Evelyn states that she wants the world to hear her story. I think this novel is very different from many I read, and I found it to cover new topics that many books tend to overlook. Evelyn describes her life story to Monique, who attentively listens and prepares to write a biography. The story is divided into seven parts, as to tell the seven different husbands of Evelyn. She has always been shamed by the public eye for her quick and seemingly loveless marriages and has never told the people the truth. Each unique husband presents a new problem for Evelyn to overcome, which she does so diligently and with a poised personality. Her character is very complex, and although at many moments I wanted to despise her, I found myself loving her more. The author touches on very sensitive and important topics, such as domestic abuse and the sexualization of young movie actresses. Reid also talks about the struggles of being part of the LGTBQ+ community in the 1900s, especially when you are a movie star. The novel includes many twists and turns, many of which I failed to see overcome. Overall, I 10/10 recommend this book for anyone who is looking to read a new type of story.