By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
My Recommendation: 👍👍👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)
Evelyn Hugo, former Hollywood bombshell and movie star icon, has been out of the spotlight for many years and is no longer in the prime of her life. She is ready to tell all with one caveat, the book cannot be released until her death.
Hugo has elected to give her 'tell all' story to a young, unproven journalist named Monique Grant. Monique has not had the easiest of lives. Her father died a tragic death, she is newly separated from her husband, and her current job is stagnant with no indication of moving forward. It is a shocker to both Monique and her boss when Evelyn specifically asks for Monique to cover a piece for their magazine on the auction of her most prized gowns. The book reads as if it is Monique's final telling of Evelyn's life with sporadic commentary between the two throughout. The read is instantly drawn in to what was a roller coaster ride of a life.
I am going to stop my summarization of the book at this point as any other details could give away valuable details. I listen to audible books during my thirty minute commute to and from work. 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' was my June selection and I must say I breezed through it in less than ten days. I was so drawn in to the story I listened to it at the gym during my workouts. In researching the history of this story I came across an article that claimed 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' was 'historical fiction' and loosely based on the life of Elizabeth Taylor. I am not sure that to be totally factual but after recently watching documentaries on Marilyn Monroe and I do believe the lengths that Evelyn went to to become recognized in Hollywood are very close to the truth. Hugo used her 'assets' to land roles but there is no denying that she was also very smart and savvy. She understood the politics of the business and how to move the pieces around to present the false persona she wanted the public to believe. It is a sad commentary that throughout history many celebrities have had to hide their true selves in order to remain relevant in a brutal industry. Many times these actors were not only acting on the screen but off as well; never truly able to live a real life.
When this story first came out there were a lot of wonderful positive reviews. I feel a bit late to the game but am immensely satisfied with this selection. I rarely give a five out of five rating but feel this story is truly worth it.
You can purchase 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' using the link below:
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