The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Micro review: 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' by Taylor Jenkins Reid
HIGHLIGHTS
Title: 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo'Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Pages: 400
Price: INR 499 (Paperback)
New York Times’ bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid is known for writing beach reads like 'Malibu Rising', 'Daisy Jones & the Six', among others. Her fifth novel 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo', a historical fiction, was published in 2017 and it still tops the bestsellers charts. The story follows the extraordinary life of fictional Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo and it is loosely inspired by the real lives of actresses Elizabeth Taylor-- who got married eight times to seven different men, and Ava Gardner- who shared her life secrets with a journalist and it was later published as 'Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations'.
Yesteryears' iconic Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo lives a reclusive life. In her lifetime, Evelyn had seven husbands and each of her marriages and love affairs was more scandalous than the previous one. Now at 79, Evelyn decides to tell her story and secrets to a lesser-known Vivant magazine reporter, Monique Grant. And no one is more shocked to know this than Monique herself. Though surprised and intrigued, Monique decides to go to Evelyn's luxurious apartment and meet her. The iconic star reveals that she doesn't want to give an interview for the magazine; instead, she would like Monique to write her biography, to which the latter agrees. And thus begins Evelyn's story-- of how fled to Los Angeles in the 1950s to have an acting career, how she met each of her seven husbands, what lead to the divorces and scandals, her side of the truth about each incident and the reality which is unknown to the public, and why she decided to leave Hollywood in the 1980s. As Evelyn shares her story of ambition, friendships and forbidden love, it also becomes clear as to why she chose Monique to tell all her truths..
Yesteryears' iconic Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo lives a reclusive life. In her lifetime, Evelyn had seven husbands and each of her marriages and love affairs was more scandalous than the previous one. Now at 79, Evelyn decides to tell her story and secrets to a lesser-known Vivant magazine reporter, Monique Grant. And no one is more shocked to know this than Monique herself. Though surprised and intrigued, Monique decides to go to Evelyn's luxurious apartment and meet her. The iconic star reveals that she doesn't want to give an interview for the magazine; instead, she would like Monique to write her biography, to which the latter agrees. And thus begins Evelyn's story-- of how fled to Los Angeles in the 1950s to have an acting career, how she met each of her seven husbands, what lead to the divorces and scandals, her side of the truth about each incident and the reality which is unknown to the public, and why she decided to leave Hollywood in the 1980s. As Evelyn shares her story of ambition, friendships and forbidden love, it also becomes clear as to why she chose Monique to tell all her truths..
Taylor Jenkins Reid's characters, especially Evelyn is flawed, complicated, courageous and determined. And it's these flaws and complexities which make her all the more human. While the story is full of drama and twists, it is also a story of true love, society's moral standards and of being a strong woman in predominantly man's world. Beautifully written, do read 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' before its screen adaptation is out.
How critics view the book:
Kirkus Reviews writes, "Reid's heroine reveals her darkest secrets as if she were wiping off makeup at the end of the night—a celebration of human..."People says, "A novel of Old Hollywood that's simultaneously gossipy and poignant. Look no further for the glamor, ambition and shocking secrets your beach-blanket sessions demand."
Cosmopolitan writes, “Come for the glam old Hollywood vibes; stay for a touching tale of a young reporter and a silver-screen legend.”
Associated Press says, "[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo] is fascinating, emotional and will be hard to put down. For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, this is her best work yet."
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