Mary Wasilewski
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the story of a woman's rise to fame and the price she paid for it. Evelyn asks a young magazine writer to write her biography. The writer, Monique, is shocked to be chosen but agrees knowing this is an opportunity she can't turn down. As Evelyn narrates her bio in her NYC apartment, she reveals the truth behind her many marriages. When Monique questions Evelyn about her reasons for wanting her to write her story, she hints that Monique will eventually hate her for something she will eventually disclose. There is a surprising twist near the end that does cause Monique to hate Evelyn. As a whole, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is about sacrifices we make for love. Sometimes, we pay a hefty price for finding the other half of ourselves. The story also makes a powerful statement about true friends who continue to love and support us when we are the most unlovable.
Toby A. Smith
I guess it's more accurate to assign this one 3.5 stars. It was a fast and enjoyable read, with no heavy lifting. Reclusive Evelyn Hugo is a legend, whose fame in Hollywood stretched across three decades (1950s - 1980s) and seven marriages. Now, nearly 80, she engineers a meeting with a young, little-known reporter named Monique Grant and offers her a chance to publish Evelyn's "true" biography. Which is quite a different story from the one the public knows. Monique, recently separated from her own husband and with ambitions of her own, signs on. And the two women begin a series of long meetings where Evelyn talks and Monique takes notes. The story begins like many Hollywood success stories we've read. Initially, Evelyn's fame rests primarily on her exotic beauty, which attracts the lust of nearly every actor, producer, and director she meets. Though acting talent also emerges over the years, it turns out Evelyn's success is much more the result of her own steely determination. She has been willing to do ANYTHING to get ahead. The stories behind her seven marriages are not what you might expect. This is not the story of an optimistic woman searching for love, but being continually disappointed. Because Evelyn DOES have one "deep romantic love" throughout most of her life. Only that has little to do with her marriages. There are a few additional themes touched upon: alcoholism, physical abuse, childhood rebellion to name a few. And one, late-in-the-day, plot surprise. But this is not a deeply thoughtful novel with nuance or finesse. Bottom line: a good beach read.
5 people found this review helpful