The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is yet another novel that has BookTok and BookTwt (like BookTok, a subsection of Twitter accounts that discusses books) in a chokehold. As with any book, I recommend reading the content warnings before reading.
The novel intertwines the lives of two women, 35-year-old magazine writer Monique Grant and Old Hollywood icon 79-year-old Evelyn Hugo. When Evelyn Hugo resurfaces from her reclusive lifestyle and seeks out small-time Monique Grant to write her postmortem biography in secret, we get whisked away to the ugliness of fame in Old Hollywood and the crushing weight of truth being thrust into the light.
Taylor Jenkins Reid explores many pivotal life experiences in this novel. Monique and Evelyn struggle with owning their identities as women of color, and queerphobia in the 20th century is addressed. We witness how pride and love mix like oil and water, watch our two heroines take unflinching accountability for their lives, and grieve with them. The recounting of Evelyn Hugo’s life could possibly change your’s. Since reading it, the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has not left my mind; I have a newfound conviction to not let time slip through my fingers. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into years, and years of living inauthentically is not an option.
I will try to explain why each husband is ranked in their place without giving extensive spoilers. But because of the nature of this post, if you want to meet Evelyn Hugo’s seven husbands for yourself first, do not read any further. This is a fair warning.
The Rankings
- “Brilliant, Kindhearted, Tortured” Harry Cameron
- We get to know Harry long before him and Evelyn marry. He is Evelyn’s only true friend, her best friend. They worked together and supported each while wading through the deepest parts of the cesspool that is Old Hollywood. They even trusted one another with one of the most controversial secrets one could have during this time: Harry is a gay man and Evelyn is a bisexual woman. Career ending secrets. I want to elaborate more, but the beauty of their relationship can only be properly relayed by Evelyn.
- “Agreeable” Robert Jamison
- We love an ally. I’m not sure what to say here because his part of the book was less about their marriage and more about how the marriage allowed Evelyn to finally live authentically. This is where you’ll learn the most (in terms of lessons to apply to your own life,) but also experience the most pain.
- “Clever” Rex North
- There’s one moment that makes me hesitate on Rex. But aside from that, he understood the assignment. He’s described as “clever” and I’m willing to say agreeable as well. This is one of her less eventful marriages in comparison to the others. “There is a certain freedom in marrying a man when you aren’t hiding anything” (Jenkins, 196).
- “Poor” Ernie Diaz
- He’s the literal vehicle that gets Evelyn to California in the first place. While he was amicable, he married her because she was pretty and young. Emphasis on the young. When Evelyn lied about her age he knew he should’ve pushed and didn’t. Ignorance by omission. I do find it interesting that Evelyn divorcing Ernie is a notable move in her seperation from her Cuban heritage.
- “Disappointing” Max Girard
- I know Evelyn was excited at the prospect of marrying for love again, but oh my. When he was “professing his love” Max gave me icky vibes and I was correct. And he had the nerve to threaten to out her knowing that could end her career and put her in harms way. Yuck, get him out of here.
- “Gulliable” Mick Riva
- I want to curse about this man. Just terrible. The domino effect of being with him was not worth it by any stretch of the imagination. Just yuck. Evelyn is heavily objectified throughout the book but the way in which he did it… he’s a f***boy. I bleeped it and said it for analytical purposes, so it doesn’t count as cursing!
- “Goddamn” Don Adler
- I try not to curse on this blog, I really do, but it is all I feel like doing when talking about this man. I do not care that he apologized all those years later. His part of the book is the longest because of all the pure mess that relationship was. I didn’t second guess putting him at the bottom of this list. This is his place.
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