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_askthebookbug 's review for:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• r e v i e w •
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"Isn't it awfully convenient, Harry added, "that when men make the rules, the one thing that's looked down on the most is the one thing that would bear them the greatest threat?" - Taylor Jenkins Reid.
"No one is a victim or a victor. Everyone is somewhere inbetween. People who go around casting themselves as one or the other are not only kidding themselves, but they're also painfully unoriginal." - Taylor Jenkins Reid.
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Taylor Jenkins Reid is pure magic. There's no other way to describe her. I had this thought when I read Daisy Jones and the Six but The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo helped cement this fact. What's fascinating is how this story is loosely based on two famous actresses, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor. Add in Rita Hayworth's early life and voila, Evelyn Hugo is born. I absolutely love how she lets women take the centre stage, portraying their vulnerabilities but also showing their strong disposition. Although the narrative was a bit similar to that of Daisy Jones, the two novels couldn't have been more different. I'm convinced that Taylor is a master when it comes to creating unconventional characters and with Evelyn Hugo, she teaches women to be unapologetically themselves.
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Born to Cuban immigrants, Evelyn's childhood was nothing but trouble. But she's ambitious and wants a fresh start in which she can afford to be glamorous and powerful. She breezes her way through Hollywood, thanks to her exotic looks and at the age of 79, is still considered an absolute Diva. Although she's famous for her sensual roles, it's her marriages to the seven men that people find more fascinating. Having kept her life private all these years, she finally decides to lay her life bare to Monique Grant. Monique is not a big name and is in fact a small reporter working for a magazine. She nevertheless decides to use this opportunity to elevate her career, completely unaware of how this will mark a sharp turn in her life. There's a significant shift in Monique's personality as she starts spending time with Evelyn.
.
Evelyn's life is vibrant like a kaleidoscope. She carries an air of no-nonsense around her and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. With most of her love life kept under wraps, it comes as a surprise when she makes certain confessions. Although her marriages were under public scrutiny, Monique soon learns that there's more than just what the newspaper tabloids had to say about Evelyn's life. She owns her mistakes but is also quick to say that she doesn't regret any of them. Evelyn lived a glorious life, carving her future in Hollywood all on her own and like with most of the stars, her life too was filled with friendships, love, betrayal, abuse, secrets and ultimately, sacrifice. Just like how the power dynamics were portrayed in Daisy Jones, one can witness how the lives of the female stars comes with a quick shelf-life. A brilliant novel with extraordinary characters. Taylor has a knack for enticing readers with unique plots and I say this after reading three of her books. Her way of writing books in the form of/ revolving around interviews are truly very exhilarating to read. It's official. Taylor Jenkins Reid is now one of my favourite authors.
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Rating : 5/5.
~
"Isn't it awfully convenient, Harry added, "that when men make the rules, the one thing that's looked down on the most is the one thing that would bear them the greatest threat?" - Taylor Jenkins Reid.
"No one is a victim or a victor. Everyone is somewhere inbetween. People who go around casting themselves as one or the other are not only kidding themselves, but they're also painfully unoriginal." - Taylor Jenkins Reid.
.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is pure magic. There's no other way to describe her. I had this thought when I read Daisy Jones and the Six but The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo helped cement this fact. What's fascinating is how this story is loosely based on two famous actresses, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor. Add in Rita Hayworth's early life and voila, Evelyn Hugo is born. I absolutely love how she lets women take the centre stage, portraying their vulnerabilities but also showing their strong disposition. Although the narrative was a bit similar to that of Daisy Jones, the two novels couldn't have been more different. I'm convinced that Taylor is a master when it comes to creating unconventional characters and with Evelyn Hugo, she teaches women to be unapologetically themselves.
.
Born to Cuban immigrants, Evelyn's childhood was nothing but trouble. But she's ambitious and wants a fresh start in which she can afford to be glamorous and powerful. She breezes her way through Hollywood, thanks to her exotic looks and at the age of 79, is still considered an absolute Diva. Although she's famous for her sensual roles, it's her marriages to the seven men that people find more fascinating. Having kept her life private all these years, she finally decides to lay her life bare to Monique Grant. Monique is not a big name and is in fact a small reporter working for a magazine. She nevertheless decides to use this opportunity to elevate her career, completely unaware of how this will mark a sharp turn in her life. There's a significant shift in Monique's personality as she starts spending time with Evelyn.
.
Evelyn's life is vibrant like a kaleidoscope. She carries an air of no-nonsense around her and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. With most of her love life kept under wraps, it comes as a surprise when she makes certain confessions. Although her marriages were under public scrutiny, Monique soon learns that there's more than just what the newspaper tabloids had to say about Evelyn's life. She owns her mistakes but is also quick to say that she doesn't regret any of them. Evelyn lived a glorious life, carving her future in Hollywood all on her own and like with most of the stars, her life too was filled with friendships, love, betrayal, abuse, secrets and ultimately, sacrifice. Just like how the power dynamics were portrayed in Daisy Jones, one can witness how the lives of the female stars comes with a quick shelf-life. A brilliant novel with extraordinary characters. Taylor has a knack for enticing readers with unique plots and I say this after reading three of her books. Her way of writing books in the form of/ revolving around interviews are truly very exhilarating to read. It's official. Taylor Jenkins Reid is now one of my favourite authors.
.
Rating : 5/5.