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Book Review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo book cover.The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is not the type of book I would expect to pick up in a million years. I only did so because it was my book club’s choice. Frankly, the thought of following the glamour of a Hollywood sensation and reading about her failed love affairs held as little appeal to me as watching Love Island. My unconscious, or perhaps semi-conscious, bias led me to think it would be badly written, entirely superficial, and dull. How wrong I was. I have to say that I am now recommending The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to anyone who passes my front door.

What’s so good about it?

Well, at heart, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a warm and romantic love story – a perfect book to curl up with. It’s not really about the seven husbands at all – they’re just the tool used to explore who Evelyn Hugo actually is, where she came from, as a prelude to sharing the ‘real’ love story of her life. In turn, Evelyn Hugo’s tale is told so we can learn about the narrator, Monique Grant.

Monique, a relatively unknown journalist, receives a surprising request to write Evelyn’s biography. Throughout the story, Monique’s own life, relationships, and family are present only as a gentle subplot – just enough to add depth to the unfolding dynamic of the relationship between Evelyn and Monique. The question of why Monique was chosen by Evelyn to be her biographer is a puzzle to Monique, her boss, family, and the reader until the very end. It is something Taylor Jenkins Reid teases us with right until the point of the big reveal! We have known something will happen, but we just don’t know exactly what that something will be. And obviously, I can’t reveal what it is now as that would spoil the book!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is also good, and this is where I have to chastise myself and my preconceived narrow-minded views, as the insights into Hollywood, acting, arranged marriages, and the manipulation of events, people, and circumstances are really interesting. The linear narrative and the exposés all contribute to a rollicking good page-turner. The momentum is maintained throughout the story, but not at the expense of insightful character creation and development. The characters are interesting because they are flawed. They are strong women, and that makes for a great book as far as I’m concerned. I’m not sure I ever fully liked Evelyn, but I found her captivating and felt Jenkins Reid was successful in making her three-dimensional.

There are already book club questions at the back of the edition of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo that I read. The publishers know their market well! Regardless, I’ve included a few more just in case they are useful to anyone.

Book Club Questions on Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

·      Why do you think Taylor Jenkins Reid called the book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? Is she making a judgment on society, and if so, what is it?

·      What actions in the book would you say were the most ‘self-serving’? How did you judge the characters involved in these actions?

·      In the story, Evelyn’s daughter Connor briefly went ‘off the rails’ before finding academia and going to Harvard. Discuss this part of the story. Did you find it convincing? Why or why not?

·      Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is apparently a ‘TikTok’ sensation. Discuss what this means and why you think it might be the case

·      In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Evelyn’s abusive husband presents himself to her as a reformed character. Did you believe him?

·      The film Little Women is referred to frequently throughout the book and is a catalyst for many of the events that unfold. Discuss its significance to the characters.

·      The relationship between Celia and Evelyn has highs and lows throughout the book. How would you describe it and what prevents them from finding long-term happiness?

Book Club Questions on Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (for if you haven't read the book)

·       Evelyn Hugo liked the piece that Monique had written on assisted dying. Discuss your views on euthanasia.

·       In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Evelyn has an ‘arranged practical marriage’ to Harry, her gay best friend and father to her child. This acts as a screen to enable Harry and Evelyn to pursue other love affairs and helps enhance Evelyn’s career. Discuss real Hollywood stories where you feel that the characters’ lives are somewhat unconventional.

·       The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is interspersed with cuttings from celebrity magazines and gossip columns – they seldom told the full truth and were a tool used by the characters to spin a tale that served their needs. Discuss the role of celebrity magazines, their power, and the extent to which we should invest in them and believe what we read.

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