The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel

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I told her every single day that her life had been the world’s greatest gift to me, that I believed I was put on earth not to make movies or wear emerald-green gowns and wave at crowds but to be her mother.”

On top of this being a powerful book about race, sexuality, misogyny, and having to conform to societies norms, the true meaning I took from this book is that life is short, so damn short, and we shouldn’t spend it pretending to be something we aren’t. And we shouldn’t spend it doing anything less than loving the people who are worthy and deserving of our love. Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has big, juicy secrets at its heart-- not just about the surprising identity of movie star Evelyn Hugo's true love, but of the lengths she has gone to protect that mysterious lover. Brimming with heartache, betrayal, and a lifetime of Hollywood gossip, this raucous novel will seduce you even as it leaves you wanting more."--Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and June Riveting, heart-wrenching, and full of Old Hollywood glamour, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of the most captivating reads of 2017.” — BuzzFeed Finally, the last element that stood out to me above all else was Evelyn’s plot arc. She goes from feeling determined to make it to the singularity and steal the audience's attention to wanting to give it all up for Celia St. James, the love of her life, in a way that feels so natural and real. Her wanting to build an image as a renowned actress came from wanting to get out of Hell’s Kitchen and prove to people, especially her abusive father, that she has the talent and worth to make it big. But, as she meets and falls for Celia, she feels compelled to spend every moment with her, and she keeps up her work ethic but hides her feelings so the career she sacrificed so much of her authentic self for doesn’t die in vain. Of course, that comes with hardships in her relationship with Celia, but we see how her decision to leave all of the Hollywood glory behind makes sense after the fact. It’s bittersweet.

Hollywood movie star Evelyn Hugo chooses to finally tell her life story, including the more scandalous parts of it, to an unknown magazine reporter, Monique Grant. No one, including Monique, knows why she has been chosen, but the deal is that she must write it honestly, and on the instruction that it can only be published once Evelyn is dead! MrsJeanineGrambs says: I do not care about Evelyn Hugo AT ALL. STOP WRITING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE. Her marriages, affairs, and most of her movies just go to prove one thing: Slut. Three A.M. was a disgrace to women. Focus your attention on people that deserve it. Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late ’80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

From the author of Daisy Jones & The Six in which a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine. When you write the ending, Monique, make sure the reader understands that all I was ever really looking for was family. Make sure it’s clear that I found it. Make sure they know that I am heartbroken without it.” Evelyn Hugo, née Herrera, is an Elizabeth Taylor-esque starlet. When we meet her, she’s an Oscar-winning former screen queen who’s now 79, six times divorced, and widowed from her seventh marriage. Her adult daughter recently passed away from breast cancer and everyone else who was close to her is gone, so she’s ready to write, or at least narrate, a take-no-prisoners tell-all to set her own record straight. Evelyn seeks out a young, unknown writer named Monique, and gives her the biggest scoop she could imagine.She also learns how to be more ‘Evelyn’ and get what she want in life, and starts to empathise with her, until she learns of the tragedy that connects them, and finally understands why she is writing this book. Each husband’s section opens with an illustrative moniker (for example, “Poor Ernie Diaz,”“Goddamn Don Adler,”“Agreeable Robert Jamison”). Discuss the meaning and significance of some of these descriptions. How do they set the tone for the section that follows? Did you read these characterizations as coming from Evelyn, Monique, an omniscient narrator, or someone else? In her mesmerizing tale, Taylor Jenkins Reid explores Hollywood’s heyday with a heroine akin to Elizabeth Taylor. Movie icon Evelyn Hugo, now a recluse at 79, unfurls the story of her glamorous life and her scandalous seven marriages." Us Weekly