A new all-time favorite. A masterpiece. A modern classic. This story will take hold of you. It‘s beautiful, sad, painful, full of hopes, lies and harsh truths - and so damn relevant.

Where does one begin with this book? There are too many thoughts in my head, too much love for how beautifully this novel has been constructed, too many feelings about these characters that feel so real I had to constantly remind myself that this is fiction. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo unpacks so many themes such as sexism, feminism, race, sexuality, friendship, love, family, career while it takes us on the journey of Evelyn Hugo‘s life including all the gains, the mistakes, the losses, the things she might have done right and the things she had done wrong. Despite the novel mostly taking place during the Old Hollywood era the cast of characters, the plot and themes are diverse, tackling issues that are nowadays just as relevant.

Evelyn Hugo is one of these characters that doesn‘t have to be likeable, make the right decisions or needs to redeem herself to be admired. The world might have come to admire and love her for her looks, her movies, her being an icon during Old Hollywood, but you will fall for her because of all the layers underneath that mask she so carefully crafted. Evelyn Hugo is ruthless, dedicated, harsh. She is such a complex and well-layered character you will wish her to be real. And while this story is about the life of hers, it‘s also about the ones who were connected to her the most. The friendships and bonds as strong as the characters themselves.

Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to build characters, knows how to peel off the layers, knows how to develop those bonds between them. I‘ve seen that already in Daisy Jones and The Six, but opposed to that novel, in this one, the way she decided to narrate this story had me captivated in a way which hadn‘t happened with a book for some time. Because this book lives as much from the juxtapositions presented in this story as it does from the convincing plot and lively characters you encounter. While the book is divided in parts dedicated to Evelyn‘s seven husbands, it breaks apart the narrative of her life with chapters taking place in the now where Monique, the journalist and interviewer who‘s set to write Evelyn‘s book, takes in the icon sitting before her, questions her actions, receives some wisdom which the retired actress shares. It puts the decisions and actions of Evelyn in the light of today. Then there are articles of newspapers and magazines scattered among the story, setting a stark constrast between the truth Evelyn finally shares and the truth she made the media and everyone else believe. It helps understand how she has been perceived, and who she truly is. Adding a layer of truth to each deception she had crafted around herself.

Despite the fact that I had known who the true love of Evelyn Hugo‘s life has been (because fanarts, edits and quotes have been telling), I didn‘t mind this little spoiler because the story is not only about her falling in love with that character, but the hardships they‘ve had to overcome to be together. While the book itself is divided into parts dedicated to her seven husbands (featuring little illustrative monikers that set the tone for the upcoming storyline), Evelyn‘s whole story is dedicated to the one true love of her life, the family she found and made, and the life she had hidden from the outside world which has brought her moments of pure joy and happiness as well as painful downfalls filled with sadness.

Once you start this book, there‘s no way to escape the story. You will feel a constant pull towards the story, the little secrets, the actions as well as the characters who you will hate or/and love, understand, and feel for. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a masterpiece, well-deserving of all the love and hype it receives, and hopefully to become a modern classic that will leave an impact on you, I can assure you that.