By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Monique Grant has reached the official lowest point of her life. Her marriage of less than a year has failed, and her career is proving that the world underestimates her. But when Monique receives news that the famous and beautiful Evelyn Hugo, a millionaire actress from the 50s, wants to do an exclusive interview with her, she could not be more confused.
When she finally speaks to Evelyn for the first time, Monique will learn that she is in for a lot more than she bargained for. Her career will be on the line as well as the way she views her own life.
I took a recommendation for this book from the YouTuber readwithcindy since she is generally a harsh critic of books but gave this novel a five-star rating.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a 388-page book and the first of a book that size that I can recall finishing in one day. The novel is written in such a way that the reading and narrative come easy. Once chapter flows to another and, at least for me, I wanted to know more. I was shocked with myself to find that the book genuinely drew me in. I don’t follow celebrity gossip in real life and, frankly, I dislike a lot of people that do. Celebrities and the people who like them spend way too much time blowing smoke up everyone’s ass about how important and different famous people are. They aren’t different at all, and that’s why I liked this book.
Monique Grant was not my favorite narrator or one I generally gravitate towards. I found her, especially in the beginning, to be too demure and self-conscious. She said stupid things and apologized too much. But Reid did a good job of changing her over the course of the novel. There was nothing subtle in the changes, but they didn’t need to be. By the end, I didn’t dislike her so much. I was actually kind of proud of her.
Hugo is a force to be reckoned with in this novel. There are things she does to protect herself and those she loves that will shock and possibly horrify you. I liked her because she knew who she was. She knew how she acted, and she just didn’t give a damn. She would do it all over again, and I respected that.
Overall, I would recommend this book to you. I won’t give it five stars because it didn’t have the overall impact on me I would have wanted from a five-star book. However, I do think it is generally above four.
Overall rating: 4.2
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