Opening Doorz

By Geneive D’Souza | Opening Doorz Editorial | June 18, 2022

Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo 
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: 5/5

The Essence: The ending is another masterpiece. Reid writes such an impactful ending, something that makes so much sense and fits Evelyn’s character. Monique experiences and learns from Evelyn Hugo’s story. There is an impression left on her, whether she likes it or not; just like the impact, it leaves on the reader. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Book Review

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was published in 2017; but gained fame recently through mediums like TikTok (BookTok), and Instagram (Bookstagram), with most people giving it a high rating. 

Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author has gained recognition through these platforms as well as a result, with her other books Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six, receiving similar high ratings. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo hit the mark from start to the finish. The writing is on point and Taylor Jenkins Reid leaves no crumbs.

Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to talk about her life as a 1950s Hollywood icon, and she picks Monique Grant, a lesser-known journalist to tell her story. Monique listens, records and learns from Evelyn’s story of love, friendship, and above all, ambition, as she goes through the life she made and grabbed for herself. With her time spent with Evelyn, Monique realises what she deserves and learns to demand it and grab opportunities.

The protagonist, the writer…

We get a first-person narration of Evelyn’s glamourous life, as she speaks with Monique during their recording sessions, and the rest of the story is told from Monique’s perspective. We get to see Evelyn through her account and someone else’s narration as well. We experience her emotions going through them together. We realise how her standing in life and society impacts the choices she makes, the people she loves, the decisions she makes and the sometimes unethical or scandalous paths she traverses. We watch as she goes through life, and how parallelly Monique goes through her own life.

As Monique puts into words the life of Evelyn, she too learns to let go, move on and how important it is to not assume a person’s character as she did about Evelyn, realising that everything is not as it appears to be. 

Evelyn as a character is real and flawed. She is also powerful at the same time. “How does she know just how much of herself to give and how much of herself to withhold?” Monique Grant questions. 

Seven Grooms one Bride…

The book may be divided into seven parts as per the order of her husbands–Poor Ernie Diaz, Goddamn Don Adler, Gullible Mick Riva, Clever Rex North, Brilliant, Kind-hearted, Tortured Harry Cameron, Disappointing Max Girard, Agreeable Robert Jamison. But who is the story about? Evelyn Hugo!

I thought I’d read a little bit of this book to just get myself started, but I ended up reading all the way through, in just one day. That’s the chokehold Taylor Jenkins Reid has on you.

The last sentence of every chapter leaves you wondering; leaves you insatiable. It makes you turn the page. The twist in the plot leaves you mesmerised. Everything comes together, everything fits. 

The ending is another masterpiece. Reid writes such an impactful ending, something that makes so much sense and fits Evelyn’s character. Monique experiences and learns from Evelyn Hugo’s story. There is an impression left on her, whether she likes it or not; just like the impact, it leaves on the reader. 

This book is a masterpiece from start to finish.

(Geneive D’Souza is a student of St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, studying Arts. She is passionate about writing, music, playing the piano and La Liga (FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi).

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