Book Review: "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A non-spoiler review focused on character development and pacing.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a wonderful depiction of bisexuality. When I first found out about the novel I was perplexed and intrigued at the notion that it could possibly be queer. After all, a woman with seven husbands shows a different aspect of sexuality and pride, separate from the LGBTQ+ community, but no less important. Once I gave the novel a try, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was both a queer gift and a comment on the power of sexuality and unwavering identity.
Evelyn Hugo is a strong deuteragonist who understands her benefits in the film industry but also recognizes her undesirable traits. It was refreshing to hear her unapologetic account of life and the journey that made her the person she is. Reid did a fantastic job at creating the out-of-this-world movie star that is both divine and unapologetically human. Such characters are often difficult to shape and you can easily see the time and dedication Reid put into her character design of Hugo. In fact, I’d say all the characters portrayed in her work were created remarkably well. Though I won't discuss them here for fear of spoiling the work, I especially appreciated those closest to Evelyn’s heart; you can see why they are so important to her.
At the same time, I worry about the unspoken nature of such a work. We don't really know the reality beyond Hugo and Monique Grant, the biographer tasked with writing Evelyn's story. So much happens during the events of the novel, and yet by its very nature there are things that are left out. I would have liked to see this world and the life of its characters for 100-200 more pages. Perhaps if Hugo asked more questions or studied the room a bit longer we would have more answers by the end of the novel. Huge parts of the story are solved, but the smaller untold truths have yet to be revealed. I finished my first initial reading in three days and I immediately felt like I wanted just one more scene. I wanted more.
Even so, I think the reality of Evelyn Hugo is that we are all left wanting more from her. That was the point of the character, so within my criticism of the novel, I have inevitably given Reid the outcome she desired. Evelyn was a larger-than-life character and with those kinds of people you are always left wanting more. But people like Hugo dont have to give you those answers; it is not their fault they are a walking wonder. We are simply lucky to get the little knowledge we can get and hopefully we can glean more from what we’ve learned.
I would recommend this story for anyone with a fascination with untold truths and a desire to know the hearts of others. This recommendation is especially true for those who always ask the question, “Why?” I know this may seem contradictory with the criticism I just gave but Evelyn Hugo herself is full of contradictions. Though I wanted more, I couldn't help but feel satisfied with the overall arc of the novel in question. And hey, if you are left wanting more you can always read it again.