This book wins the award for the best last sentence of a book, ever.
No, don’t go look at it! Do not flip to the back of the book to read it, or search for it on Google books, or anything like that. You have to read the entire book in order to fully appreciate – and understand – that last line.
Just know that it made me cackle happily, close the book with a great big grin on my face, and say, “Oh, Evelyn.” Because that line is 100% the Evelyn you’ve come to know and love after reading her story.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is not at all what I expected it to be, and I loved this incredible story even more for surprising me. I started this novel when I was in need of some “light reading.” I had just finished two fantastic but tense thrillers, and I was looking forward to something a little less emotionally taxing. I picked up Evelyn Hugo, hoping for a something a bit chick lit-ish. What I soon found myself deeply immersed in was a scandalous, heartfelt, and amazing story about a completely fictional woman, who, by the end of the novel, I really wished were real.
The range of emotions you feel while reading this novel is incredibly overwhelming, much like the character of Evelyn herself. Evelyn’s unapologetically honest disclosure of her complex life will mesmerize and shock you. You can’t believe the things she’s done, but you also can completely understand why she’s done them. She simultaneously inspires loyalty and condemnation, admiration and pity, and that constant push/pull on your feelings is the driving force behind the appeal of this novel and its titular character.
Even though Evelyn Hugo is fiction, there’s no reason this story couldn’t be a version of the truth for someone out there. Come to think of it, for many someones out there. The veracity of the Hollywood lifestyle is called into question big time by the characters of this novel, and it leaves you wondering how many lies the masses are spoon-fed by the Hollywood elite.
This story proves that you can have everything and still have nothing at all. It’s eye-opening, and, in Evelyn’s case, it’s incredibly tragic. The relationships between characters are never what they seem to be, and when you stumble upon a grain of truth, it’s that much more endearing because you know what a rarity it is amidst the scandals and lies.
Jenkins Reid has written a beautifully complex and nuanced book, which I loved even more than a previous book of hers, After I Do. I absolutely adored After I Do for its real and honest portrayal of romance and marriage. The author accomplishes the same magic with Evelyn Hugo, but takes it one step further by focusing on all kinds of relationships instead of just husband-and-wife.
A theme that really struck me in this book was the concept of family. The need for a family unit is a driving force behind many of the decisions made by Evelyn and the people in her life. It made me think of Stray City, which reminds us that family is what you make it. Family doesn’t have to be blood, and it doesn’t have to be traditional; family is based on a feeling, and you can make a wonderful life with people who aren’t related to you.
Evelyn Hugo redefines not only the concept of family, but the conventional ideas of spouse, companionship, true love, marriage, and partnership. Evelyn’s world beautifully breaks down barriers and introduces new possibilities within each of these concepts. I loved this aspect of the story, and I was struck by how forcefully I agreed with the variations presented in this book, as they echo beliefs I’ve long held about the complexity of human relationships.
Evelyn’s decade-spanning story is revealed to the reader via an interview she’s giving to a reporter named Monique. This was the only real issue I had with the book, and it’s an incredibly minor one. I started off really liking Monique; she’s a writer who’s struggling to make a name for herself, so, of course, I could relate. I even felt a kinship with her at the very beginning. The way she talks about her passion for writing struck a chord in me; it felt like she was using my own thoughts to describe what she is trying to accomplish for herself. I was completely smitten with her for the first chapter or two.
Then, Monique goes to meet the incomparable Evelyn Hugo. And, she is reduced to a rather dull character whose sole purpose seems to be annoying the celeb with inane and sometimes offensive questions while recording her biography.
We briefly learn about Monique’s own little marriage drama, but it didn’t really hold any interest for me. I mean, c’mon. She had one husband; Evelyn had seven. I was like, Why do I care about this?
Of course, Monique’s real reason for being in this novel becomes abundantly clear at the very end. This plot twist felt very contrived to me, though, and I would have enjoyed learning Evelyn’s story just as much, if not more, if it were not loosely framed by the viewpoint of the pointless Monique.
Yep, I’m calling her pointless. I feel like Monique doesn’t bring a damn thing to this novel, and while she certainly doesn’t detract from it – the parts that dwell on her non-Evelyn related life are mercifully short – she doesn’t add anything to it, either, despite the way she ties into the story a little too neatly at the end.
The thing is, you just don’t care about Monique. You certainly sympathize with her at one point, but it’s impossible to care about her because she’s completely eclipsed by Evelyn Hugo.
It’s life imitating art. Evelyn commands the attention of the world she lives in, and the author has made this fictional character so captivating that she commands the full attention of the reader’s world, as well. You care about many of the other characters in the novel, sure – but it’s all in how they relate to Evelyn.
Have you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? If so, were you as surprised as I was at what her life turned out to be? Sound off below!
And, stay tuned for the book-inspired recipe: Man Catcher Cake!
What an amazing, profound review! And I like how you saw so much in the book. You showed me more than I have seen there 🙂
Thank you!! I really enjoyed this novel. There was just so much packed into it!
Per usual – great review! I am adding this to my TBR immediately.
Thanks!! I think you’ll really like this one!
I haven’t read the book yet. Was scanning through reviews online to know if this books deserve its recognition. Lo and behold! I saw your review and wanted to buy the book ASAP!
Hi, Kharla-Jyn! So glad you found this review and it could help you decide about reading the book. It’s a great read, and TJR has done some great work since Evelyn Hugo, too. Happy reading!